Rail Changes: Multi-Docking & Shield inheriting

[kookster]

So my friend and I like doing multi part ships. Moving Doors, docked reactors and what not. Though they introduce 2 issues. One being that you can only dock a entity at one spot and two that they will only ever inherit up to 50% of the main ships shields. Essentially making docked entities a weak spot. Not I totally understand this for when they give you a benefit IE turrets. But for purely cosmetic stuff like a moving door it feels like getting the short end of the stick just to make your ship look cool.

So since your docked entities can only dock with one rail docker it makes it very easy to dock off say a door and now that door goes flying into space or worse glitching into your ship.

So my ideas / propositions:

1. Docked entities that are not using "rail turret axis" inherit 100% of the main ships shields. This means turrets can still take damage but things like doors wouldn't easily.
2. Allow entities to dock to a structure at multiple points using different rail docks. Now this would be more difficult to implement I know. But this could help prevent losing doors so easily.

 

[jayman38]

I'd also like to see things like shared thrust for rail-attached structures like VTOL engines.

 

[kookster]

I'd also like to see things like shared thrust for rail-attached structures like VTOL engines.

So agree.

 

[Lone_Puppy]

I would like the multi-dock point also.
My first large ship build has loads of rail connected entities (doors, casings, elevator, landing gear), and I often find them shaking like crazy when my ship is travelling at high speed.
My latest build is heavily built around interlocking modules, but at speed the same thing occurs.
Mind you, I haven't upgraded lately so this could be the issue. Sorry for digressing.

I often wish I could dock from multiple points around my main core module, instead of docking the additional modules.

 

[Wolflaynce]

I agree with everyone above, and add my 2 credits....

When a docked entity is attached to a ship, it should disappear from targeting in the display like turrets do.

I dislike the clutter of multiple entities showing up at all. Especially if it's my own ship and it's a DOOR! A door! And it get's shot off when shields get below 50%. Now I retreat at that point. Also, external shuttles rail docked are in the same boat. They will be destroyed pretty fast too. So it restricts my ship building to "beautiful but useless" or "overpowered but not what I wanted to make."

I'm sure it will be addressed someday, we're only in alpha. Have faith my fellow brothers and sisters of Starmade!!!

 

[CyberTao]

They should at least separate fixed docking and turret axis protection %s in the configs, but as a long time user of fixed-docking-weaponry, I dont think fixed should have 100% sharing, given how docked weapons work can have their own power source and whatnot.