Is it strange that I can enjoy several hours just manually docking?

[spooidz]

I have yet to actually start fully playing yet, even since launch.

I've kept up on patches (GoG Install) and a few mods but I haven't done any of the notebooks of notes and User manual Print-outs that I usually start for an X game.

But for some reason, using my X52 Pro, I can just spend giddy hours trying to manual dock my starter ship.

From save-game launch to lining up to the pad, to getting just the right angle of approach to get over the hump/wall, to watching the first horizon indicators start to line up, it is just mesmerizing, LOL!

I never had this kind of experience in X3/TC etc, (didn't get to Rebirth so might have found it there maybe) once you got lined up in X3.xx it just didn't seem as climactic once the grappling arm came down.

I guess I'll maybe get really started with 3.0...maybe...I have an MMO that is most of my game time as well.

[Panos]

I have yet to actually start fully playing yet, even since launch.

I've kept up on patches (GoG Install) and a few mods but I haven't done any of the notebooks of notes and User manual Print-outs that I usually start for an X game.

But for some reason, using my X52 Pro, I can just spend giddy hours trying to manual dock my starter ship.

From save-game launch to lining up to the pad, to getting just the right angle of approach to get over the hump/wall, to watching the first horizon indicators start to line up, it is just mesmerizing, LOL!

I never had this kind of experience in X3/TC etc, (didn't get to Rebirth so might have found it there maybe) once you got lined up in X3.xx it just didn't seem as climactic once the grappling arm came down.

I guess I'll maybe get really started with 3.0...maybe...I have an MMO that is most of my game time as well.

Get a pilot and order him to land, without having computer on a big ship like a haulier. Especially XL ship docking to the birth of your own designed station.
One of my favorite scenes. Or when you stand on the platform and have 3-4 of your ships landing and taking off for trading etc.

[linolafett]

Glad you enjoy the manual docking. That was a piece of UI which took quite a few tries to get it into its current form.

[Rastuasi]

What I wished was that we could manually walk down a pylon to see our capital ships come in and then board them like we do M class. However, I too have spent hours in a station just watching ships come and go.

[R0land]

It's not strange at all! I have a pretty big ship building complex with several docks situation throughout it. I probably don't need them but I love to go to different ones to get a different view of the station and all of the activity!

[mr.WHO]

What I wished was that we could manually walk down a pylon to see our capital ships come in and then board them like we do M class. However, I too have spent hours in a station just watching ships come and go.

Me too - I hoped for some kind of walkway from capship dock into the ship, but unfortunately we can only teleport to them.

[AquilaRossa]

I am getting clumsier as I get older. I did not enjoy it much at all. Getting that docking computer is highest on my priorities every time.

[mr.WHO]

I am getting clumsier as I get older. I did not enjoy it much at all. Getting that docking computer is highest on my priorities every time.

Same here.
Sometimes when I pick a ship on which I forgot to install docking mk.2 I slam into landing pad in a least graceful way

[Rei Ayanami]

I was so happy that X4 implemented this kind of docking behavior.
When i was playing Elite:Dangerous the first time i thought "damn, this would be a cool docking feature for the X series". And lo and behold, they put in a similar feature!
Sometimes i like to throw away the docking computer just to do the manual docking procedure, it's surprisingly really fun. Egosoft really did a good job with this one.

[radcapricorn]

With keyboard and mouse it's kind of lame (no analog throttle). With a gamepad it's, well, a little puzzle (one steering axis missing), for an M ship at least, but pretty interesting with flight assist off. I can see it being a truly fun thing with a proper 6DoF controller though.

[Rastuasi]

With keyboard and mouse it's kind of lame (no analog throttle). With a gamepad it's, well, a little puzzle (one steering axis missing), for an M ship at least, but pretty interesting with flight assist off. I can see it being a truly fun thing with a proper 6DoF controller though.

Not sure what you mean by no analog throttle, mouse scroll wheel by default is an analog throttle.

[radcapricorn]

Not sure what you mean by no analog throttle, mouse scroll wheel by default is an analog throttle.

Nope. It's discrete increments.

[Tomonor]

With a gamepad it's, well, a little puzzle (one steering axis missing)

That's what autoroll is for - so you don't have to worry about it with a gamepad.

[Rastuasi]

Not sure what you mean by no analog throttle, mouse scroll wheel by default is an analog throttle.

Nope. It's discrete increments.

Only if your mouse has increments, not the case on my trackball's scroll wheel.

[radcapricorn]

That's what autoroll is for - so you don't have to worry about it with a gamepad.

Nononononononono. Gamepad is right stick roll and pitch. Autoroll must be exorcised

Only if your mouse has increments, not the case on my trackball's scroll wheel.

Ahem... your trackball. Which is not a mouse Sure, some devices have fancy analog wheels. I was talking KB+mouse though.

[Rastuasi]

That's what autoroll is for - so you don't have to worry about it with a gamepad.

Nononononononono. Gamepad is right stick roll and pitch. Autoroll must be exorcised

Only if your mouse has increments, not the case on my trackball's scroll wheel.

Ahem... your trackball. Which is not a mouse Sure, some devices have fancy analog wheels. I was talking KB+mouse though.

Not sure what you're on about, trackball's a mouse, I've used one since they came out originally, beats any laser mouse since you don't have to move the darn thing.

[Nort The Fragrent]

Yip, Docking in X4 is brilliant, The sounds, the scale, the overall effect is very nice indeed.
One of my Favourite things is to set up your station, so your docking pad, is best placed for easy ship access. Then retire to a suitable distance, facing your docking pad.
Now turn on full uninterrupted screen, and observe the ship movements.
I have a huge Monitor, so this now has become a very pleasant moving screen saver, whilst I cook my evening meal.

Thank you ES, for this magnificent effect. Also its a bit like train spotting, sad but so cool….

Can we have the option to Dock facing the other way? Inside the covered bays is a bit dull, looking at the wall! (small ship)

[Alan Phipps]

You just want to show off your reverse parking skills!

[radcapricorn]

Not sure what you're on about, trackball's a mouse...

Yeah, sure, an the ol' laptop nipple is a joystick.

[Honved]

So far I've had zero luck with docking, using rodent and keys. The controls seem to be "all or nothing", steering is almost random, and I've crashed repeatedly without being able to survive my first landing reasonably intact. Basically, as I tap the + speed control button, speed is 0, 0, 0 ,0, then suddenly up to 50% or higher and CRASH. The one occasion where I did get the ship to sort-of dock (with extensive hull damage), my character fumbled around the station like some drunken idiot, running full speed into everything any time he moved at all. Until I can get past the control problem, the game isn't playable for me. X3 still works beautifully, but I can't play this at all.