AI Docking

[Pacific_Jim]

Would it be feasible to select a rail block that the AI recognises as a "return" point and then dock to it?

I'm aware that one of the main reasons AI has been unable to dock in the past is path finding with custom shapes, but now we have rails the AI would only have to find a straight line for its rail docking beam, and whoever built the ship has done most of the pathfinding already. Of course this would require a rail with "exterior" access, but that would just be something the builder has the bare in mind.

I'm not quite sure about how easily the AI would be able to find the correct side to dock to, and admittedly this suggestion doesn't really go into when the AI would know to dock, and how to handle multiple entities using the same rail to dock at once so any feedback or discussion on this would be appreciated.

 

[iceman6491]

One flaw I see, is that the as will still have to,path find around your ship to get to the rail. For example, my hangar is at the front of my ship, but the drone is directly behind the engines, toasting marshmallows or summit.when the drone gets given the dock command it will plot a straight line to the rail, which will be obstructed by the rest of the ship. Unfortunately, for this to,work, an element of path finding will always be required. Straight line will only work from certain relative directions.

 

[Ixalite]

I don't see why ships can't recognize each-other's orientations... It could even (once implimented) make for an excellent variable for attacking AI fighters...
"Attack top of target"
"Attack from the rear"
"Stay in front of..."