Station Approaches and manual docking

[another_commander]

Since this feature brings along quite a few gameplay changes and apparently a few misconceptions, I think it requires a Wiki page that establishes 'the way it works'.

For those who want to have a glimpse of the shape of things to come:
http://wiki.alioth.net/index.php/Dockin ... r_later%29

[Thargoid]

As a thought, would it be worth widening the options by including the essence of traffic control OXP in as standard (but similarly off by default for the same reason, or switchably by something other than buying a DC)?

Just looking through your wiki page, I'm not sure how easy it's going to be to add docking requests into it, due to the need to press "L". Would it be possible to modify things slightly to allow a JS script to also request docking clearance? (so the script could "press L")

[another_commander]

It might be an idea to enable setting of docking clearance status for the player by JS. It is not very difficult to do, but it needs heavy testing to ensure that arbitrarily setting the DC status does not break anything. I will try to have a look at it, time permitting. Not promising anything at this point, though.

For now, you can access the player's docking clearance status from JS as a read-only property. The status is an integer a string value (easier to understand and work with) that can be any of the following:
0: DOCKING_CLEARANCE_STATUS_NONE
1: DOCKING_CLEARANCE_STATUS_REQUESTED
2: DOCKING_CLEARANCE_STATUS_NOT_REQUIRED
3: DOCKING_CLEARANCE_STATUS_GRANTED
4: DOCKING_CLEARANCE_STATUS_TIMING_OUT
and the method is player.dockingClearanceStatus.

[drew]

Cool. Got to love this docking control idea. This is how it should be!

Cheers,

Drew.

[pagroove]

This is a welcome change. <Maybe expand it with status of the docking system for docking computers so that the following situation may occur for commanders who have a docking computers:

This is Leesti High. Our docking system is serviced- please dock manually
This is Leesti High. Our docking system out of order- please dock manually
This is Leesti High. Our docking system is not aligned- please be aware that automatic docking is dangerous

With a certain chance of each event happening.
Coriolis more faulty than Ico's for example.

[Disembodied]

With a certain chance of each event happening.
Coriolis more faulty than Ico's for example.

That's a good idea. It could just be based on the tech level of the planet... TL1s could be notorious for their faulty docking systems! It would add another layer of calculation for pilots planning their trade routes.

[TGHC]

So you're approaching a a tech1 system your shields are battered and screaming, 3 kraits are kicking your ass and you're praying for that big S to show by the scanner to hit CtrlD.......... and then the comms message comes up..........

"Due to recent incidences of gung-ho boy racers over indulging Riedquat ale, repairs are being carried out to the docking bay, autodocking is temporarily suspended, please dock manually, you may experience delays, go to the local navigation bouy and queue in an orderly fashion untill docking clearance is granted."

[pagroove]

"Due to recent incidences of gung-ho boy racers over indulging Riedquat ale, repairs are being carried out to the docking bay, autodocking is temporarily suspended, please dock manually, you may experience delays, go to the local navigation bouy and queue in an orderly fashion untill docking clearance is granted."

Yes that would be nice.
A bit randomization in the messages you get and voila!

Question though. 1.72 isn't downloadable atm or am I wrong?

[Micha]

Question though. 1.72 isn't downloadable atm or am I wrong?

The latest (in source form) can always be had directly from the repository:
http://developer.berlios.de/svn/?group_id=3577

If you can't build it yourself perhaps someone can build you a binary for your platform.

[RazorbackSnr]

I think pressing Alt-D with three Kraits all over you like a rash should automatically cause you to die. When you hit the magic key your supposedly to be left alone. But pirates and Thargoids wont leave you alone because they dont give a sh*t about your state of mind or state of ship or the "Law".
When you use this mode dont you go into some kind of sleep?(Check the original Elite manual, I could be making this up...) The idea is that when you hit the magic S-Zone the station is supposed to defend anyone being attacked within this zone providing they were offender or less whilst they are in that state of stasis. The problem is how long the vipers/viper II's/viper cruisers take to get the three Kraits of your case(are they busy, understaffed or dont know about your predicament) before you are blown to bits and sifted through.
Just because you've turned autopilot on and your inside the magic S isnt going to make three murderers suddenly say to each other "What a shame, we'll have to leave him alone. See you soon?" They are desperate skint, killers. With no police in sight. Would you stop?

Using Docking computers is cool and i have never had a problem using Alt-D. Ever in 18 years. Because i've never pressed it on Condition Red........
If your in that much doodoo and you cant hyperspace out, inject out, energy bomb or even q-mine+injectors maybe you've bitten off more than you can chew and dying was always going to be the endgame?

1: Send an SOS to the station(Legal Status and Rating come into play whether they bother. If your Elite, clean and decorated by the military(?)they come rocketing out like their ars*s are on fire. If your a Harmless, skint, nobody your DEAD).
2: When out for the count while speed docking, Incoming Missile, Condition Red or Lasers striking the shields re-invigorate you.
3: If you've only got seconds to spare and your getting ripped to pieces by a few Military Lasers you automatically use your Escape Pod(if you have one? Doesnt everyone....)

Pressing Alt-D is a nice way to beat the baddies but its just not realistic. Be honest.

[Commander McLane]

I think pressing Alt-D with three Kraits all over you like a rash should automatically cause you to die.

I assume you mean the fast docking key, which is SHIFT-D?

1: Send an SOS to the station(Legal Status and Rating come into play whether they bother. If your Elite, clean and decorated by the military(?)they come rocketing out like their ars*s are on fire.

I don't think so. If you're ELITE you should be able to wipe three or four enemies out even before you can think about calling help. And the cops are not supposed to do anything but to watch and stand in awe (they are most likely not ELITE).

[LittleBear]

The Station AI does do a reaction to "OFFENCE_COMMITTED" and as fireing on a clean ship is an offence, the Station will try to launch Cops to help you if attacked in the S Zone. The trouble often is (fairly realisticly) the Station getting its birds in the air. The Station won't launch a Cop if there is another ship blocking the docking port trying to dock. If all is quite by the Station you can rely on the Cops to come and help you. However, if an Annaconda is lumbering into space dock, although the Cops are aware of your plight and are sitting in their Vipers waiting for the Green Light to launch, by the time traffic has got out of the way it may be too late!

[Commander McLane]

...and of course, even if everything goes smoothly and the cops arrive, it is not said that they can handle the aggressors...

[pagroove]

If you can't build it yourself perhaps someone can build you a binary for your platform.

I can't do it myself. So if anybody has a 1.72 I would be interested. I want to try out this docking control

[Micha]

What platform are you on? I can build WinXP and Ubuntu 8.04 (Hardy Heron) binaries.