Vega Strike Forums

No kidding, there I was. I had a mission to kill an Aeran Ox. When I arrived, it was busy fighting an Andolian Clydesdale at close range. The Ox's shields were down from that fight, so I thought, "Good deal, I'll just fire a torpedo from an angle behind the Clydesdale, so the Ox's point defenses won't have time to shoot it down." Unfortunately I failed to factor in the Clydesdale's rate of movement, so my torpedo hit the Clydesdale with a glancing blow near the bow.

This caused the Clydesdale to starting spinning end over end, at about 30 rpm. Overall it was still moving slowly, but twirling as it did so. Unfortunately I forgot to shoot a video of it, because the Aerans and Andolians both started attacking me and I had to run for it.

Turbo

That's a bad Opps i guess you will have to do lots of pirate bashing to regain your good relations

Enjoy the Choice

I saw an Ox doing this myself, once.

I'd just got myself killed as I was about to dock at the Plainfield relay in Cephid 17. An Ox already docked picked JUST that moment to pull away, swung round, and, **KLONGGG!!** Since then, I've been a lot more careful about docking alongside capships, although...

ANYway, I reloaded at Atlantis, picked up some more cargo, and headed for the relay again. The Ox, pretty sure it was the same one, had moved off a bit, but didn't seem to quite know what it wanted to do. It just sort of hung there, mostly, turning a little one way, then another, and then it would suddenly start spinning in place. I hung back a bit in case it suddenly started charging, hoping I'd have time to get away. Finally, when it didn't look like it was going to do much but spin about, I decided to take my chances, and managed to get docked this time.

As I said, I've been a bit more careful about docking with other ships, especially capships, in the area. I REALLY wish those other ships would suffer the consequences of their own carelessness, though. They seem to flit about as they please, with no regard for the local traffic, and even fly right through the bases! I really wish they'd blow up when they did that, just like I have to. It just ain't fair! The topper was just tonight, when I went to dock at a Rlaan factory, and found TWO GLEANERS parked there, passing not only through part of the facility, but through EACH OTHER! Looked like a big X. I went ahead and docked when it didn't look like they were going to move any time soon, but it was a nail biter.

I should have got a picture of that, actually. Guess I'm gonna have to start messing with that snapshot feature...

Welcome aboard athomic1

The topper was just tonight, when I went to dock at a Rlaan factory, and found TWO GLEANERS parked there, passing not only through part of the facility, but through EACH OTHER! Looked like a big X. I went ahead and docked when it didn't look like they were going to move any time soon, but it was a nail biter.

Looks like you found out that collision detection is turned off for most AI ships in the presence of bases The reasons are kinda complex but it is better that way ATM safemode the guy that rewrote the collision code isn't using the full library yet Approaching cap ships on there own is usually pretty safe You can find some interesting cargo and upgrades on board

Enjoy the Choice

loki1950 wrote:Welcome aboard athomic1

Thanky!

Approaching cap ships on there own is usually pretty safe You can find some interesting cargo and upgrades on board

Good point! I'm going to have to give that a try. More than enough of them out there, I'll tell ya...

The Ox associated with my cargo mission STOPPED, as requested using Alt-0. Unfortunately, it was tumbling end-over-end. The little docking square was moving about like a car on a Ferris wheel, and I was tired of waiting around for it to stop.

So..... Only one thing to do, dock anyway.

Let me start off by saying that docking is not TOO complex an operation, most times. Usually a matter of shedding velocity in one direction (forward) and coming to rest in the square. Other times, there are two vectors that need attending (usually forward and a side or orthagonal).

But THIS maneuver was very, very tricky. The right amount of forward thrust, some in the downward direction (from MY facing), with just a bit of right rotation (barrel roll) thrown in for good measure. This maneuver was attempted three times before I achieved success.

The first attempt was a near-disaster. Using just forward and down, I came pretty close before the Ox heeled over and smacked my Franklin a moon's diameter away. Good thing I had upgraded shields and armor a couple of systems back!

The second attempt had the barrel roll included. This was not a PLANNED addition, I just saw the hull looming above me like some outsized guillotine, and rolled away from the hit........almost. I was getting much better, though, the collision only knocked me a kilometer and a half, this time.

The third time was the charm, as they say, and by this time, I was DETERMINED to make it work, or die trying. My girlfriend, usually uninterested in my space adventures, was perched on my shoulder, asking pointed questions at this awkward time. "Did he just run into you?" "Why is he spinning like that?" "How are you supposed to dock with THAT thing?", and stuff like that. Hey, fair is fair, if I had copilot, crew or girlfriend aboard, I would reasonably expect questions after two deep-space collisions in a row. This time, I had one hand on joystick/throttle, one on the thrusters, and one ready for that last-second roll maneuver. Perhaps you note the shortage in number of hands. I surely did. But one quick "snap-roll" and a goose to the throttle, punch the D key, and VOILA! Mission accomplished.

The applause from my girlfriend was just icing on the cake!

I'm not sure which is more annoying, tumbling docking targets, or dock targets that decide to SPEC away when you are just about lined up. I have managed to develop a fair technique for arresting my plowshare or mule when fully loaded and dropped out of SPEC at an odd angle to the jump point. But yeah, tumbling mission targets are difficult to dock with. Half the time I land elsewhere and save then reload until I get a stationary target.