Oolite Bulletins

Hi everyone!

I started a new Oolite game today and after quite a few runs with manual docking I could finally afford a docking computer. First thing, I pressed 'd', which was the old Elite key and of course dropped my cargo. Reloaded. Flew back to the station I wanted to dock at, pressed 'c' and waited and... the docking computer crashed me into the station (failed to turn right near the end). "Fluke" I thought, reloaded, flew back and the docking worked. But it seems a correct docking is the fluke because of the first 5 docks with a docking computer, it's crashed 3 times. That's a much worse record than my manual docking.

Is this a new thing? Perhaps a new bug that's crept in? I've seen a few other posts about it but it seems to be rare. I'm at Ensoreus and Ararus, very close to Lave, not in some far strange place.

Anyway it's very disappointing. Do I need to keep docking manually?

Also, could cargo dumping not be shift-d or ctrl-d by default, or something that's less of a booby-trap?? Backspace or delete maybe?

What version of Oolite are you running?

you can edit the key bindings in the keyconfig.plist file its found in the oolite.app/resources/config. dont use notepad for plist files wordpad will do or the best is notepad++, its a free download.

i too after many games where wasd is the movement controlls i still automatically hit "a" to turn left.... i changed the a to q and shifted the d to ] i have left everything else standard so far....

Fast dock. I think it's Shift C. I don't think that ever fails and there's no point in watching the process once you've seen it.

It is indeed shift c

Learn to dock with  Injectors. First time can cause adrenaline rush but when you catch the right timing then you will be surprised: can help a lot in the last moments due to the station can rotate fewer in shorter time.

The easy way to learn if you imagine a docking simulator: save, undock, stop immediately, turn to the station, inject and reload if failed. Do it without rotate: figure out the right angle before horizontal to start your rush.

Then do a hyperjump, travel until get masslock from the station. inject to the nav.buoy, turn to the dock, inject to the same distance where you practiced earlier, stop, wait for the right angle and hit Injectors.

The whole process from masslock to dock will need less than 20 seconds when you will have some experience. Meantime you can enjoy your improvement when you will be able to do it faster and faster. This way is much more fun than the Shift+C.

Norby wrote:

First time can cause adrenaline rush...

As can docking at a rock hermit on torus drive!

The important thing here is, the autopilot shouldn't fly you into the side of the station: that's why we need to know what version of Oolite lesliev is running (and, maybe, if the stations are default main system stations, or have been produced by an OXP).

I also agree that "d" to dump cargo isn't the best default key setting: shift-d might be better.

To all thread participants: Would you be willing to give a (kind of) quick test for this? Do ten trips and use standard docking computer to enter the station upon arrival, then let us know how many of them ended up in autopilot disaster? Providing the version of the game used would be very helpful too.

I run a test last night on 1.79 and had one snafu in six attempts, which is one too many. The autopilot brought the ship in front of the station and started doing final adjustments. There is a final stop that is made just a few meters before entering and it failed right there: While the port was already adjusted to nearly horizontal and good to go, the autopilot suddenly stopped rotating (making the docking port go off-orientation) and at the same time it started accelerating for entry(!). Bang. The autopilot code is a bit complex, but I wonder how easy it would be to add one more check right at that last stop, so that when the port is in position, ship roll gets locked until docking is complete.

Quick test: ten out of ten successful dockings, using the latest trunk nightly (and Griff's stations). I'll do some more sets after coffee. You wanting 1.77.1 tested too?

I've never trusted the DC, which is one reason why I dock manually (I barely trust docking clearance, as it happens).

Ten out of ten is ok in 1.77.1, but I can create a problematic situation: when I go at max. speed to the dock and a few hundred meters left then I start the docking computer and it will try turn around and slow down, but the slowdown is happen far below the maximal possible rate and sometimes this can be a reason of collision.

I never use the docking computer, it's thrusters for me. But I remember that the DC in the original Elite in C=64 also crashed me into the station on occasion. What a shock that was that first time--the computer failed! Heh

Cody wrote:

You wanting 1.77.1 tested too?

Only if you have the time and will to do it. At this stage I am much more interested in 1.79 behaviour.

I've been playing 1.79 and I've noticed strange stuff while docking. Last night while waiting for clearance I watched an npc try to dock and crash at the docking port. I can manually dock 99 times out of 100 on 1.77 but only half the time with 1.79. Crashed twice last night trying to dock with rock hermits...perefectly aligned as soon as I reach the port my ship explodes...like there is no port there.

Norby wrote:

Learn to dock with [EliteWiki] Injectors. First time can cause adrenaline rush but when you catch the right timing then you will be surprised: can help a lot in the last moments due to the station can rotate fewer in shorter time.

Doesn't seem to work anymore for me. Especially with the rock hermits it seems like I crash every time I go full speed.

Another twenty successful dockings, using 1.79 (in Cobras and Boas). Rock-steady matched rotation during the dead-stop on the threshold.

I'll try to be patient and use the DC throughout tonights contract run.