AFKers on outpost - CMDR Ekkie

[smartroad]

Forgive my ignorance but 'AFKers'?

[Jeffers2112]

Don't apologise, I had to look it up originally too....
It stands for Away From Keyboard, as in wandered off to get a coffee or whatever. Obviously only done while you're somewhere safe, hence the accusations of "pad-hogging".

[smartroad]

Cool thanks Jeffers

[Hrdina]

I'd always assumed that the hangars were multiple storage bays beneath the landing platform. Working a bit like the elevators on an aircraft carrier.
If they don't work that way (and it appears they don't) then it's all just a bit pointless as well has being time wasting when docking and un-docking. I've always thought it strange that a spacecraft that can manouevre 360 degrees on all axes has to be physically turned round before it can take off....
I met another CMDR the other day, in a station. They didn't respond to a hail, so I assumed they were AFK. However, I couldn't see them on a landing pad in the direction indicated so they must have been in the hangar. I must admit that I've done this myself if I'm just taking a short break, it's less hassle than logging out and back in again.

I think the guy was on the pad but not in the hangar.

[Schmobius]

...Say you are minding the kids and they suddenly get scientifically curious to se how matches effects cat fur

Sod the kids. Now you've piqued my curiosity.

Hold my beer.

[Schmobius]

I'd always assumed that the hangars were multiple storage bays beneath the landing platform. Working a bit like the elevators on an aircraft carrier.
If they don't work that way (and it appears they don't) then it's all just a bit pointless as well has being time wasting when docking and un-docking. I've always thought it strange that a spacecraft that can manouevre 360 degrees on all axes has to be physically turned round before it can take off....
I met another CMDR the other day, in a station. They didn't respond to a hail, so I assumed they were AFK. However, I couldn't see them on a landing pad in the direction indicated so they must have been in the hangar. I must admit that I've done this myself if I'm just taking a short break, it's less hassle than logging out and back in again.

I had assumed so as well. If the auto-dock can queue people up, it should be trivial to create a queue for launching if someone else is being moved up to the surface. I doubt it would be a huge programming feat to make this happen, and maybe also include a very short countdown timer for getting at least far enough from the pad that the docking computer goes back to your radar/scanners, on top of the existing timer for clearing the station entirely in coriolis and orbis ports.