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I was caught out only a few days ago when I didn't read the fine print on one of my VIP passengers - turns out this "Rich Tourist" with an otherwise impeccable resume was actually a corporate embezzler wanted in multiple systems. Even if you are a law-abiding pilot you will almost inevitably need to dock stealthily at some point and if you are reliant on the computer in an emergency you will soon be staring at a rebuy screen.
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I'm going to have to agree with the "Only pussies use the docking computer" crowd, but not because I think I'm a great pilot, rather that it makes you lazy. Nothin' to see here. Reverse your thrusters and try to slide back to the bulls eye to lock in the landing. If you hit the deck, but have gone too far and missed the mark, just go with the embarrassing sizzle-slide on the deck. The docking HUD kicks in when you get close and shows your ship's alignment to the docking pad, along with the bulls eye for hitting the mark. When you are over the pad, you should be moving very slowly as you move forward and down.Ħ. Some cockpits don't provide a downward view, so a little pitch forward might be necessary to see where you are going. If you have only used your roll and vertical thrusters, your alignment to the pad should be in pretty good shape at this point. As you approach the pad, use your vertical jets to move the ship straight down toward the pad, rather than pitching the nose down. Use vertical jets to lower the ship down. If you don't see your pad number right away when you enter the station, pop out to the camera suite and see if it is below your line of sight. As soon as you clear the slot, find your landing pad, and use your roll stick to align the bottom of your ship to the pad. Deploying gear also helps you slow down.ģ. A slower approach to your pad is going to give you time to line up.Ģ. As soon as you get lined up and into the slot itself, throttle back. You have to keep rotating your ship to match the station's rotation rate. You need a little speed just to match the station's velocity as you approach the slot and rotate to line up with it.
#Elite dangerous as i approach dock it turns into planet manual
Some recommendations for good manual docking:ġ. It's the responsible thing to do for your ship, and, if your ship is big enough, for the passengers you might carry who do not respond well to hull damage.
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You never know when you might find yourself in a ship that does not yet have a docking computer, so you need to be prepared.
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Inside the cockpit I found a box of adult diapers. The next day I found a stenciled outline of a mail slot with a red 'X' over it painted on the hull near my hatch. I took about five minutes just to get through the damn slot the first time I tried to dock my Sidewinder. The docking control operators will make fun of you. It is a coming of age ritual that you should have to experience. I recommend that new pilots LEARN TO DOCK IN THE SLOTS.
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