While Rubenstein makes some valid points, I am compelled to respectfully disagree with him. [E|Oo]lite is not really meant to be a full-up flight simulator that faithfully reproduces every "real-life" aspect of space travel. The emphasis of the game is on trading and combat. The value, as I see it, in the manual docking sequence is that a newbie, with less familiarity with the flight controls, is compelled in the early stages of the game to master said controls well enough to achieve a manual docking. This is good practice for later on, where mastery of the flight controls is a necessary prerequisite to success in combat. After a few dozen trading runs completed using manual docking, most players I think would have achieved sufficient skill to make docking little more than a tedious, time-consuming exercise - hence the availability of the docking computer: a reward for the player graduating from novice level. The docking computer eliminates one of the more tedious aspects of the game, allowing the player to concentrate on what is really important: Killing pirates and amassing a fortune
Were [E|Oo]lite a full-up flight simulator, I would tend to be more sympathetic to arguments that the shift-D shortcut be modified or removed. One of the features of a good flight sim is reproducing "real life" as closely as possible, including the tedious aspects - obeying ATC instructions, flying "the pattern" before landing, obeying the regs, etc. Since flight sims are often used these days as a training tool for "real" pilots, mastery and practice of these skills, even in a simulation, is important to ensure that the pilot stays sharp. However, I would point out that even in your typical flight sim, one is usually given the option to disable ATC comms (and other realistic but tedious aspects of "real world" flight) in order to provide a more "game-like" experience.
Since Oolite is not really intended to be a full-up simulation, I see little value in forcing the player to constantly go through the time-consuming docking ritual, esp. since doing so adds little the the strategic or tactical aspects of gameplay.
FWIW, I still occasionally perform a manual docking, just to ensure that I have not lost "the touch". I've sworn off using the "C" docking sequence, given that the first time I tried it with my shiny-new DC installed, it rather ineptly crashed me into the station's docking bay walls (and this with what I think is the latest version - 1.51 - installed about a month ago). I will admit that the gentle strains of the Blue Danube waltz were soothing after having just polished off 3 pirates on the way in - 3 kills that I lost, by the way, thanks to the DC's clumsiness.
[EDIT]
After just having read tupe666's just-posted comments, and recalling my own experiences with the "original" Elite ("original" for me being the C-64 version), I do recall two circumstances under which docking affected tactical aspects of gameplay:
1. While not common, it was not unheard-of for combat to take place within the station zone. Pirates would normally shy away from engaging soneone in The Zone, but it did happen sometimes - esp. when a ongoing battle that started just outside station space strayed into the station safe zone. When this happened, sometimes the pirates would run, but sometimes they'd continue to engage. Battles within the so-called safe zone were uncommon, but not unheard of.
2. The ineptitude of some of the (C-64 Elite's) station STC (space traffic control) staff never ceased to amaze me, in that they'd clear vessels for departure just as I was making my final approach to the station. On the flipside, they would also clear vessels for departure mere seconds after my own departure. In either case, some extreme manouvers on my part would be required to avoid collision, not to mention the fact that (if I were on approach) I'd have to re-align and re-start my approach. As I recall, the DC in the C-64 version
was smart enough to
sometimes perform the necessary evasive manouver when this happened, but not always.
Since I have yet to experience combat inside a station zone (I do not make it a habit of taking pot-shots at the station or the Vipers on CAP/CSP in the zone), and given that Oolite's AI STC seems to be fairly competent (never saw a vessel on egress when making a manual run-up to a station), I believe that my original argument(s) still have merit.
FWIW, I have noted that a station will deny automated docking if it has cause to do so; e.g. if I've acheived hard "Offender" or "Fugitive" status. This is one reason why I still occasionally practice a manual docking, just to make sure I stay sharp.
