Docking is seriously over-complicated in this game.

[ploppo]

Even when I was trying to dock within the parameters/thresholdsd, I couldn't dock.

This might be the fastest refund I ever do - I am like 7 minutes in and ready to refund.

I am going to try this again later - but the truth is that docking in Elite Dangerous is simple compared to this game.

The docking in this game makes me worry about other stuff later on.

For anyone else who is interested - here is a video on docking:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAzgSu3iYHQ

I have watched that video since I quit playing the game.

As you can see, it might be deemed unintuitive - you have a target (the object you are docking with) and 2 circles. The two circles are kind of nonsensical to me when docking.

If one circle had to be inside the other, etc it might make sense.

[Stranger]

You can buy the docking tech right out of the box to avoid docking alltogether !

[vitowns]

Docking makes lots of sense to me, your cockpit is not the ship's docking port it is below and ive only had trouble at first, But then i unlocked the auto-docking tech to fasten things !

[ploppo]

Well, I managed to dock by just ignoring the 3 required thresholds - ie just not look at them at all - and basically just flew up docked.

So, yeh, the docking is still nonsensical to me.

[vitowns]

Originally posted by ploppo:

Well, I managed to dock by just ignoring the 3 required thresholds - ie just not look at them at all - and basically just flew up docked.

So, yeh, the docking is still nonsensical to me.

Aww ahah sorry you have this nonsense issue, Why not unlock the technology of auto-docking and press P to engage autopilot and dock?

[ploppo]

Well, I have clicked on the 'Auto-docking' in the 'Available technologies' tree - but I haven't figured out how to actuall buy it.

Clicking on it does not work - I have the required 20 'research' - there doesn't appear to be a buy button.

How do I actually buy/apply the 'Auto-docking'?

[ploppo]

I figured it out - it's the Research button on the left.

So, in truth, we don't buy it - we research it.

[ploppo]

Once you have the docking computer then it works fine - ie, you don't even need to fly somewhere and engage it - you can just auto-dock from one station to another and it auto-flies and auto-docks you.

[Random Event]

You may be having difficulty because you are try to align with the circular hole in each station. This is the docking port but where you sit in your ship is off centre to it.
Align the two circles on the HUD, slow speed approach (<3 m/s) and rotate to make sure the two lines in the circle face the same way.
Most of the alignment HUD lines, speed, rotation will be blue when doing it right.
Each ship type is slightly different due to cockpit placement and ship size.

[Silky Rough]

I'm 10 minutes in to the tutorial, docked on first attempt. Simplest docking procedure I've ever done.

(I also noticed you get a message saying you can unlock docking, right there on the screen after first dock.)

[ploppo]

Originally posted by Silky Rough:

I'm 10 minutes in to the tutorial, docked on first attempt. Simplest docking procedure I've ever done.

(I also noticed you get a message saying you can unlock docking, right there on the screen after first dock.)

It was simple when I ignored the required parameters and just drove in and docked.

No way is it the simplest - baring in mind there are 3 paremeters to line up for docking. You possibly just got lucky - I got lucky when I ignored looking at the paramenter and just drove right in and docked first time.

[Silky Rough]

Originally posted by ploppo:

Originally posted by Silky Rough:

I'm 10 minutes in to the tutorial, docked on first attempt. Simplest docking procedure I've ever done.

(I also noticed you get a message saying you can unlock docking, right there on the screen after first dock.)

It was simple when I ignored the required parameters and just drove in and docked.

No way is it the simplest - baring in mind there are 3 paremeters to line up for docking. You possibly just got lucky - I got lucky when I ignored looking at the paramenter and just drove right in and docked first time.

I'm not being disparaging, but I just docked a further 2 times manually with zero issue so luck is probably not a factor.

The attitude parameters middle bottom right proved both important and intuitive. I don't know if it's different in other vessels but understanding that the docking port is below my FOV was the first thing I noticed (could they have used a docking camera perhaps?).

Regardless, with an autodock tech, it's problem solved.

(ED) btw: KSP manual intercept and docking was my reference for difficulty - I eventually got good at doing that - but it was a long and arduous journey, at great cost :)

[ploppo]

Based on previous forum posts and threads, some people love the manual docking and some people don't.

One person spent an hour trying to do the intial dock - ie the tutorial:
https://steamcommunity.com/app/681330/discussions/0/1474221865185480157/

[Silky Rough]

I guess that's why devs dropped in the autodock option advice right there in the tutorial. :)

But it is an interesting difference between people. One of the things I've seen people get caught with when flying is the extra dimensions. If you add things like roll attitude and inertia to that it can be difficult to translate actual to percieved position.

I occassionally taught docking (of boats) and people new to boating trying to understand how to use transverse thrust etc. was fun to watch.

[Penance]

Auto dock can still screw you sometimes but yes Autodock is amazing and makes game much more about management.

I've had Auto dock crash my ship twice on The Farm, or stations like that where it gets confused when turning around the edges of the station. As well once where its completely disabled my ship

[Skinflowers]

@OP

I disagree.

Everyone is different I suppose. Like many things in life, some people get a given task quickly and some don't.

Keeps life interesting :)

Not sure if this will work for you but I gravitate towards a "Use your senses." approach. All the dials and gizmos can actually overload and confuse you. Fly with your eyes rather than your instruments. Use your instruments to verify what your eyes tell you. At least thats what works for me, the complete opposite or something else might work for you.


Re; Autodock,

My advice is, keep your hands on the wheel!

Autodock is imperfect and can lead to repair bills!