Aurynn wrote:Hello. New member here.
Nice tips here. I thought I might add few of mine.
If you are bored slowing in SC when approaching stations, remember that planets that these stations orbit are huge gravity wells. I usually go full throttle all the way up to the point that the planet and the station orbit is very clearly visible, then set the throttle marker into the blue zone and do a close pass of the planet from the far side than where the station is. You will see your speed decreasing rapidly after a second or so after the pass as the gravity pulls on the ship. As soon as this starts happening make an U-turn towards the station. It will settle you very close to the station with both markers close to the blue zones. This takes some practise and differs from ship to ship and from FSD drive to FSD drive, but it does save a lot of time.
Fuelscooping - follow the advice listed before, BUT I recommend putting your rear towards the star. The reason is that any interdictor has to go behind you for the interdiction to work. Which will get him too close to the star and force him out of SC. So no-interdiction happening.
It also provides you with faster escape should you get too hot while scooping. Works best if you are close enough to get the scoop's maximum capacity. Being further from the star does leave proportionate window for the interdictor.
Fly safe
What I do and it is easier IMO
- Approach your target level and dead on at full speed.
- Watch the time to destination.
- As soon as you get to 10 secs out, throttle down to 75% ( left arrow is my hot key for that and set up in controls )
- The slot on the station always faces the planet and the station is always tilted with the opening at a down angle.
- Position your ship so you are between the planet and the station, pointed at it level and straight to about 10 Mm.
- At 10 Mm tilt you nose down so the station starts to rise above you, then nose up, and follow the station movement up until the target circle is in the center of the target sight.
- When you drop out of cruise you should a little to the sides or dead on to the slot.
- Set 4 pips in engines and jockey around to point at the slot if you didn't come out right on ( I hit it dead on about 4/10 )
- The trick here is NOT to roll to match the station. The trick is to get lined up and slow down so the station rolls into position to you.
- I nose down and swoop up, cutting my speed to 50% ( down arrow hot key ) at about 3km.
- If you are level and not lined up, you can angle in and use your rudder to turn into the slot. Drop your speed to 25% ( right arrow hot key ) until you get comfortable.
- Once in the slot, looks at your target sight. Your docking bay will be the circle. Solid if its in front of your and hollow if its behind. This is how you find your bay if you can't see it because its right below you, above or to the sides.
- Slow down to 25% power or even stop X key.
- Roll to get the circle at the 6 o'clock position on your target. ( if the circle is hollow, tap the Z key, its a default reverse key that reverts you back the speed or stop prior to pressing it, so you can back up slow and easy )
- Now what you want is to have that solid circle way down into the bottom of the circle at 6 o'clock to be lined up over the landing magnet.
You can actually dock just like the docking computer does it after awhile
But to be fair I'd still approach like you were landing a plane. Go slow and don't panic.
I was petrified about landing. I used a docking computer for weeks and then my friend told me that he would shoot me down every time he saw me with that thing lol. I removed it and the 1st time I docked it tool me 9 minutes and 40 sec! Now after landing more than a thousand times I can get down and into the station screen in about 30 seconds and I can beat the police scan 9/10 times