Recognized by Council Invisible, Intangible Rail Dockers

[Edymnion]

You're a cheeky little bastard, aren't you?

Just sick and tired of people putting words in my mouth and twisting what I said.

Because somehow "Being able to dock without needing to build around physically touching blocks" and "Being able to see the beam easily" equates to "I spooge over docking enhancers" and "I loved not being able to dock because my ship was too big", things I didn't even mention.

Apparently being able to like parts of something and dislike other parts of the same thing cannot be allowed, I either have to love everything about something, or hate everything about it, there is no room for middle ground.

 

[CyberTao]

Um, how exactly does that make docking odd shaped ships easier again, exactly?

Which, despite the efforts of some, is the actual purpose of this thread? To make it so you can dock things easily without having to custom build the ship to match the station dock, or vice versa?
[DOUBLEPOST=1460058149,1460057581][/DOUBLEPOST]
Did I say everything about the old system was good? No.
Did I say we should go back to the old system? No.
But thanks for trying.

You'll have to provide an example of a ship that struggles due to the current rail dockers. Cause I brainstormed, and I couldn't think of a single design that could not handle a docker in some way.

 

[Nauvran]

You know all these problems you mentioned you have with the current docking system can be "fixed" into somewhat what you want if you just use the two new rails and dock to those instead of a normal rail

 

[wanzer]

ehh yea, if all fails, just dock your ships core to the stations shipyard
pvp problem salved

 

[Edymnion]

You'll have to provide an example of a ship that struggles due to the current rail dockers. Cause I brainstormed, and I couldn't think of a single design that could not handle a docker in some way.

Klingon Bird of Prey (Fighter)

Not sure if thats the one I have or not, but basic shape is the same. Entrance to the ship is on the top of the back, but it has significant amounts of space between the wings.

Put the docker in the head? Can't dock to a flat surface, the wings are in the way. Put the docker in one of the wings? Better hope you have twice as much docking space as the ship actually requires, because it won't dock evenly. Put it in the nose, and watch it stand up straight so you can't reach the entrance under gravity without building stairs. Put the docker in the hatch? Now you can't dock because there is ship above that.

Put a docker in the center between the wings at the bottom? Easy docking and can use generic rails to move it around. Otherwise, you gotta custom build everything for that ship.

 

[Nauvran]

Klingon Bird of Prey (Fighter)

Not sure if thats the one I have or not, but basic shape is the same. Entrance to the ship is on the top of the back, but it has significant amounts of space between the wings.

Put the docker in the head? Can't dock to a flat surface, the wings are in the way. Put the docker in one of the wings? Better hope you have twice as much docking space as the ship actually requires, because it won't dock evenly. Put it in the nose, and watch it stand up straight so you can't reach the entrance under gravity without building stairs. Put the docker in the hatch? Now you can't dock because there is ship above that.

Put a docker in the center between the wings at the bottom? Easy docking and can use generic rails to move it around. Otherwise, you gotta custom build everything for that ship.

and that's why you either design your hangar to your ship or your ship to your hangar. Or use those fancy new rails as I just said.
but noooo, invisible docking points aren't good enough

 

[CyberTao]

Klingon Bird of Prey (Fighter)

Not sure if thats the one I have or not, but basic shape is the same. Entrance to the ship is on the top of the back, but it has significant amounts of space between the wings.

Put the docker in the head? Can't dock to a flat surface, the wings are in the way. Put the docker in one of the wings? Better hope you have twice as much docking space as the ship actually requires, because it won't dock evenly. Put it in the nose, and watch it stand up straight so you can't reach the entrance under gravity without building stairs. Put the docker in the hatch? Now you can't dock because there is ship above that.

Put a docker in the center between the wings at the bottom? Easy docking and can use generic rails to move it around. Otherwise, you gotta custom build everything for that ship.

That honestly seems easy, unless you're being narrow minded and thinking it needs a flat surfaces to dock to. Build a stand and have it hold the "chin" of the ship, just under the nose of the ship and back slightly, so it's lifted slightly.

You either build you ships for your docks, or build your docks for your ships. You can't just force them together and expect someone else to make your job easier.

 

[Edymnion]

and that's why you either design your hangar to your ship or your ship to your hangar. Or use those fancy new rails as I just said.
but noooo, invisible docking points aren't good enough

Can't pull cargo through those, so no, they're not good enough.

 

[Nauvran]

Can't pull cargo through those, so no, they're not good enough.

Never thought about placing it so the ship would look like it landed on the flat area? And why exactly can you not do that?

 

[Edymnion]

You either build you ships for your docks, or build your docks for your ships. You can't just force them together and expect someone else to make your job easier.

Actually, if you could put the docker outside of the ship (which you already can), you don't have to custom build one for the other. You can put it in a consistent location for all of your ships regardless of their shape. You could then have universal docking quite easily.

We can already do that now, it just looks stupid to have the docker hanging out the bottom or side of your ship by itself.

Which again is the point. To make it easier to dock anything to anything else, so you don't have to custom build a dock for every ship that comes by, or just have a free floating rail island out there in empty space.

Never thought about placing it so the ship would look like it landed on the flat area? And why exactly can you not do that?

Sure, I can custom build a dock to a given ship using the new rail to make it look like its sitting flat. But again, thats not the point, because I'm still custom building that dock to exactly fit a single ship.

And I can't use it to move cargo around, still need a traditional rail for that, which means you still end up with a physical block preventing you from easily taking off that you have to maneuver around.

 

[CyberTao]

Alright, you win. Your argument is well and far above my mere mortal understanding. It's honestly starting to sound like you want to attach a giant fucking docking clamp to all of your ships, which is dumb because all you need is to inset a single docker into the hull. You lose a block of protection? Under the nose isnt a spot that'd be aimed for, you'll be fine kiddo.

You need a mod, and possibly someone to teach you how to build.

 

[FlyingDebris]

How about you figure out how to dock this one individual ship instead of yelling at the devs to backdate a major part of the game to accomodate your special snowflake condition.

 

[Kilim]

I agree with the OP. I think though, that current dockers shouldn't be thrown out of the game, because some ships will look weird with a 1 block hole in them.

Add a block, maybe call them transparent rail docker or something?? And is only visible in build mode like pickup rail.

I have extreme pain docking things nicely that have two wings that make it so that there is no point in the middle of the ship that is at the minimum height. I tried using an extending rail arm, but got very annoying to dock and no way to undock. I don't see how this extra block is such a big deal, and there's no need to be rude about it either. It's a very simple solution to an annoying building hinder, so why not? :D

 

[Edymnion]

How about you figure out how to dock this one individual ship instead of yelling at the devs to backdate a major part of the game to accomodate your special snowflake condition.

1) Its the suggestion forum. How about you let people make suggestions for things they want to see to make the game better? Hmmm?

Because apparently "Custom build entire sections of your station to accommodate every single ship you ever see" is a perfectly reasonable thing to do? Why did we need the pickup and launch rails then? You could build around it if you knew what you were doing. So why waste block IDs on something that makes it easier and look better?

2) Who said anything about backdating anything? Make it a separate bock. Thats what they did for the new pickup rails. They're absolutely nothing but the existing rails that are invisible and intangible to, gasp, make it easier to dock things. They didn't backdate the existing rails, they just added a new one that is pretty much exactly the same as the old one.

3) I don't use that ship. I was asked to provide an example, thats my example. Its awkward as hell to dock without a custom bay. It would be a piece of cake to dock if I could place a docker without worrying about it sticking out like a sore thumb.

 

[FlyingDebris]

Actually it'd be pretty simple to dock, just put the docker on the bottom of one of the wings, or hey, put it on both if you're feeling adventurous. Long story short, there's nothing in this thread that can't already be done with current blocks, save being invisible and intangible, which reeks of potential abuse.

 

[Edymnion]

Actually it'd be pretty simple to dock, just put the docker on the bottom of one of the wings, or hey, put it on both if you're feeling adventurous. Long story short, there's nothing in this thread that can't already be done with current blocks, save being invisible and intangible, which reeks of potential abuse.

Again, you'll need a bay that is twice as big as the ship for that.

And guess what, sports fans? We already have invisible, intangible blocks. Pickup and launch rails. There is no abuse to this that you can't already do with those.

 

[Lecic]

It's a very simple solution to an annoying building hinder, so why not? :D

Since you seem to have read through the thread already and noticed people being "rude," I'm pretty sure you already know the answer to this question.

1) Its the suggestion forum. How about you let people make suggestions for things they want to see to make the game better? Hmmm?

It's a suggestion forum. People debate about suggestions here. If you can't handle someone disagreeing with your suggestion without falling to "IT'S A SUGGESTION FORUM, I CAN SAY WHATEVER I WANT," then don't make suggestions.

Anyway, on that ship, and ships with similar designs having trouble docking to a flat surface- why the hell are you docking things to a flat surface? Build poles with rails on the end, or use pickup rails. If you're using them as fighters for your faction or something, design the carrier to be able to hold them. Stop begging the devs to implement something that breaks other important mechanics because you can't use your brain to make proper docking accommodations for an irregularly shaped ship. It'd be like driving a car that was wider than it was long and then complaining about how you can't fit in any parking spaces.

 

[Zyrr]

Klingon Bird of Prey (Fighter)

Not sure if thats the one I have or not, but basic shape is the same. Entrance to the ship is on the top of the back, but it has significant amounts of space between the wings.

Put the docker in the head? Can't dock to a flat surface, the wings are in the way. Put the docker in one of the wings? Better hope you have twice as much docking space as the ship actually requires, because it won't dock evenly. Put it in the nose, and watch it stand up straight so you can't reach the entrance under gravity without building stairs. Put the docker in the hatch? Now you can't dock because there is ship above that.

Put a docker in the center between the wings at the bottom? Easy docking and can use generic rails to move it around. Otherwise, you gotta custom build everything for that ship.

Have you never heard of a docking arm? Jesus christ

 

[FlyingDebris]

Again, you'll need a bay that is twice as big as the ship for that.

And guess what, sports fans? We already have invisible, intangible blocks. Pickup and launch rails. There is no abuse to this that you can't already do with those.

Please enlighten me as to why I'd need a bay twice as big as the ship to dock it if they rail dockers are on the wings.

 

[Lecic]

Again, you'll need a bay that is twice as big as the ship for that.

No, you don't. Offset the dockers. Hell, have dockers for both wingy ships like that and for more regular shaped ships. There's nothing stopping you from having redundant docks for varying ship shapes.

And guess what, sports fans? We already have invisible, intangible blocks. Pickup and launch rails. There is no abuse to this that you can't already do with those.

Can you provide an example of how one would abuse the invisibility and intangibility of a block that requires a visible and tangible counterpart to do anything useful?