finding places in space

[vino-vero]

Hi,

as a new commander I get sometimes lost in space (as on earth). Finding the space station is not the problem, but I wonder if there is a way to mark a place (asteroids, lost cargo). Ships with no space fpr cargo left could sell their stuff and go back to pick up what they found.

Thanks
vino-vero

[Commander McLane]

Hi again!

You may want to try the ETT Homing Beacon. It does exactly what you want.

[Smivs]

I've never noticed this before...sounds useful.

Oh, and Hi Vino-Vero, good to have you on board.

[snork]

hej Vino-Vero, welcome aboard.

I tried a while for a pure (no-OXP) Oolite way but I am not too good at it.

I definitely needed an advanced space compass for it.

So, most times the free cargo would float in the main spacelane - no problem.
After freeing some space in the cargo hold, I would fly from the main station to the witchpoint beacon again, and then towards the planet again and look out for white blips on my scanner.

If I need to find again a place outside this main spacelane, I would do shift+F and write down the 3D-numbers - see which ones alter when you move.
I then would aim at the main station buoy, and take note of the position the planet, the sun, and the withchpoint beacon show in the advanced space compass.
So I later try to fly (from the main station) to where I left the floating cargo by flying to a point where planet, sun, witchpoint beacon show the opposite way on the compass.
And I occasionally compare the shift+F values with the ones I had written down earlier.

But I really suck at that, sometimes I get it done, sometimes not.

One other thing that helps is not destroying the bigger ships, just shooting them down so much that the pilot ejects - if they have an escape pod at all. And capture the escape pod of course.
The abandoned ship will then stay still forever (white blip on the scanner now) and can be seen much better than smallish cargopods. Blow that one up later and collect the goods.
E.g. an abandoned Python I can see it from beyond scanner range, advantageous lighting situation provided.


I think derelict ships don't even move at all, much unlike Cargo pods.
Actually, that could be seen as a bug ?

[Thargoid]

You could always press shift-F and make a note of the co-ordinates...

[Commander McLane]

I've never noticed this before...sounds useful.

Actually typing the answer gave me a flash of nostalgia. As it happens, my very first post on these boards was almost the same:

https://bb.oolite.space/viewtopic.php?p= ... ght=#28495

[Smivs]

It's hard to believe you were once a 'new boy'...you're like part of the furniture.

[Switeck]

One other thing that helps is not destroying the bigger ships, just shooting them down so much that the pilot ejects - if they have an escape pod at all. And capture the escape pod of course.
The abandoned ship will then stay still forever (white blip on the scanner now) and can be seen much better than smallish cargopods. Blow that one up later and collect the goods.

With Dredgers OXP, you can even use a salvage missile on derelict ships and escort them to a (added!) nearby Dredger for profit. Just watch out for the pirates along the way!