Dumb Newbie question.

[Megacrafter127]

right from the docking unit out

That's the problem, the docking unit itself does not count as a docking enhancer, and as such docking enhancers won't group through it.
I suppose this is what you have built(O=empty ; X=docking enhancer ; Y=docking module):

Spoiler

X X X Y X X X
O O O X O O O
O O O X O O O
O O O X O O O

But this is how it works:

Spoiler

O O O Y O O O
X X X X X X X
O O O X O O O
O O O X O O O
O O O X O O O

 

[coldbeer72]

Ok then, but if the ship centres on the docking unit, how does that lay out work for the area forward of the unit?

And How do you set out for the Z axis

 

[Megacrafter127]

Ok then, but if the ship centres on the docking unit, how does that lay out work for the area forward of the unit?

The docking area ALWAYS extends in both directions on an axis equally(although I hope that will change).

And How do you set out for the Z axis

The dimensions of the group of enhancers determines the dimensions of the docking box. If you extend the group on the X-axis, you extend the docking box on the X-axis. This applies for all axes.

 

[coldbeer72]

So, I would extend downward from the unit in order to make the box higher, right? Would it also work by adding enhancers upward on top of the last enhancer on the X or Y axis?

 

[Megacrafter127]

So, I would extend downward from the unit in order to make the box higher, right? Would it also work by adding enhancers upward on top of the last enhancer on the X or Y axis?

It would, as long as the enhancers don't reach into the docking area(and block it).

 

[Orphaniel]

It's not important where they are; the enhancers can be anywhere, which can be a useful feature sometimes

 

[coldbeer72]

Thanks guys.
Have been playing around and have got the general hang of it.
Seems to me that the whole system is a bit limiting, esp when it comes to station design.
And the sheer number of enhancers required for a large ship would make it even more limiting from an design perspective.
Or is there some "special" trick to deal with ships of, say, larger than 250m?

 

[Orphaniel]

Well, it just means that you cannot dock ships of an enormous size to tiny stations / ships. (even then, they can just have the enhancers sticking out into space).

I've seen some truly ENORMOUS docks around the place

 

[Guard13007]

Was going to try missiles, but cannot purchase any as they are "obsolete" and no longer for sale.

I don't see anyone answering you on this one, so I'm going to say it, you need to buy the d1000 missiles (and computer!). There were formerly lock on and heat seeking (the other two types), but now the idea is to link weapons together to get different effects.

I recommend reading this news post about those changes, along with using creative mode on singleplayer for a bit to experiment, "/giveid username id number" is a great command to give yourself blocks to test with. A list of blocks and their ids that is filterable is available here.