Fuel Staions & Satellite problem

[Disembodied]

I docked with the main station a few times until I got a dockinjg computer. The difference is that the main station has a beacon for lining up to the correct orientation i.e. 90 degrees to the entrance. It's then only a matter of up/down, side to side for centering.

If you imagine a beacon situated at the correct point for the fuel station, you should be able to fly there and get on the correct orientation. It's a bit trickier but it can be done – unless (as occasionally used to happen to me, with the old convenience stores) the fuel station is tumbling end-over-end. If the station is stable on its long axis though it's just a matter of finding that point and then lining up. Minor corrections can be made on the way in by adjusting your course in the direction of the largest amount of internal side wall that you can see (if that makes any sense!).

[Makara]

Okay - going to build on Commander McLane's picture guide to successful fuel station use (as opposed to his guide to wearing a dirty vest while shooting terorists) so we can hopefully pin down exactly where things are going wrong. Sorry for the huge size in the absence of spoiler tags...

1. Use the Advanced Space Compass to find the nearby fuel station


2. Start heading towards it


3. Wait until you are a bit closer, so you can see it clearly


4. Align your roll correctly. See how the station is pointing straight upwards


5. Align your yaw correctly. The gunsights are pointing to the centre line of the station


6. Now roll and yaw are correct we only need to work with pitch. Firstly pitch up so you don't smack into the side of the station


7. Now switch to the external top down view (hit 'v' a few times for this)


8. Getting close, so get ready to hit the brakes


9. Now you can see down the station tunnel (unfortunately I'm doing this with a big ship, but you can see the internals of the fuel station below the cockpit), so bring your ship to a halt


10. Switch back to the internal view, and pitch down so your ship is pointing down the tunnel. I overshot a little bit, but that won't matter as fuel stations have a generous amount of room


11. Gently accelerate forwards (maybe pitching up/down a little to correct for over/undershooting)


12. Once the juice is flowing, hit the brakes


13. Tanks are full, so you can accelerate away


14. Say goodbye to some credits. Job done


Advanced lessons include following a gently curving path into the station, and making rude gestures at queue-jumping Cobra Mk1s. I'll let you work those out though

[Diziet Sma]

Refuelling video now uploaded to YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVn639BuHiE

[Commander McLane]

While aligning, please take into account what I said above about the difference between your viewpoint and your ship's centre. It's like driving a car. Your driver seat is excentric, either on the left side or on the right side of your car. If you try to drive through a small gate in a way that your seat is exactly in the middle between the gate posts, you will crash your front fender. You have to get your whole car through the gate, not only your seat. I hope you get the analogy.

And if you haven't aligned correctly, why don't you turn and fly back far away? Then try to align from the distance and enter the structure dead centre.

That is not the problem. I know if I am aligned 90 degrees I can adjust to the centre with .,

Your picture 3 shows the station tilted at an angle. That's the problem, it's called orientaion. Pictue 4 shows orientation correct with ship at 90 degrees to entrance. Getting from 3 to 4 is THE problem. None of the controls are capable of doing that.

Sorry, I don't understand your problem.

You are not dead centre in front of the station? Simply turn 90 degrees, hit your throttle carefully and fly a couple of meters. Turn back 90 degrees and check if your alignment is better now. If you have overshot, just turn 90 degrees into the other direction and hit your throttle for a briefer period of time than before. Turn back and check whether you are aligned.

If you're a visual thinker, here's a small explanatory drawing (the structure to the left is the fuel station, the "<oo<" at the right is your ship:

Code: Select all

1)                      you're not yet properly aligned, even if you turn some 20° upwards
=============
=============
=============
=============
=============         <oo<
                           \
                            \
                             \
2)                             roll 90°
=============                /
=============               /
=============              /
=============          ^
=============          8
                       ^
                       |
                           \
3)                           fly some meters only
=============              /
=============          ^
=============          8
=============          ^
=============                \
                              \
                               \
                                 stop and roll back 90°
4)                             /
=============                 /
=============                /
=============         <oo<--
=============                \
=============                 \
                               \
                                 hit throttle and enter the structure
                                  (note: if not yet aligned, repeat steps 1-4 as often as necessary)
5)                             /
=============                 /
=============                /
============= <oo<--
=============
=============



6)
=============
=============
====<oo<=====
=============
=============

It is the obvious manoeuvre for getting to a position which is above or below your ship's current position.

Again, what's the problem?

[ZirconB]

Well, thanks. I did eventually do it after 3 attempts - on the first 2 I was attacked and destroyed in the approach.

It is not easy if you don't know howto and at first would seem to be impossible. It was the vertical down/up view that was the key to it but I didn't know about the "v" key.

[Screet]

Well, thanks. I did eventually do it after 3 attempts - on the first 2 I was attacked and destroyed in the approach.

It is not easy if you don't know howto and at first would seem to be impossible. It was the vertical down/up view that was the key to it but I didn't know about the "v" key.

In the beginning I was often switching to side views to ensure that I reached the proper position to dock with objects. Now I either use the scanner or my sense of movement, as that's something which really grows the longer one is flying with the same ship...what initially appears difficult at some point won't even be the source of the slightest concern

Screet

[Diziet Sma]

Sorry.. video was accidentally set to private. It's viewable now... I apologise for the flickering and no sound. Unfortunately those are due to limitations of the PC I used to make the video.

Best viewed in full-screen high-definition.

The link again:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVn639BuHiE

[Sendraks]

It is not easy if you don't know howto and at first would seem to be impossible.

As a problem, I am finding this very difficult to visualise, but it probably has something to do with an individuals spacial awareness.