Docking Orientation

[dewinslow]

First, I know ideas similar to this have been discussed, but I've got a new approach. Additionally, all previous threads are locked.

When docking, with a target port selected and a 'control from here' selected on your ship's port, it is impossible to determine target ship orientation from the navball. I realize that it's possible with the camera, but you can't get it perfect, and if you're playing from IVA, it's usually impossible.

Picture this situation. You're approaching a simple craft from the rear - you're heading straight for it's engine, and the target docking port is on the other side of the engine. The navball would give you your prograde marker lined up on your pink target marker. It would give no indication of the target craft's orientation.

My suggestion is to reorient the navball when in target mode. When I target a docking port, the navball would change so that the north pole pointed out from the target docking port. Then, if I align the pink marker AND the prograde marker over the north pole, I know that I'm aligned and on target. If instead I see the pink marker and prograde aligned together over the south pole (brown), then I'm approaching from the rear of the port.

The reason I think this would be useful is because that once I'm in target mode (with a docking port targeted), I don't care at all what my orientation is to the body I'm orbiting, only to my target. So, keep normal navball orientation until a docking port is selected, then automatically transition. Again, this would allow a full "instrument approach" - align the north pole, prograde marker, and pink target marker and you're guaranteed to dock as long as there are no other ships in the way.

Thanks!

[dewinslow]

Anybody? I think this is superior to the gunsight idea. Opinions?

[leax256]

or you could push to get this mod added to stock

http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/dock-align-indicator/

things it has

-orentation marker

-velosity marker

-rotation marker

-other port marker

-only appears when you have a docking port targeted.

Edited August 30, 2013 by leax256

[allmhuran]

I agree that being able to tell when you are 180 degrees out of alignment is something that most other suggestions won't do, including mine (probably the same as what you've called the "gunsight" suggestion).

Having said that, I'm not sure I'd be willing to sacrifice normal navball functionality. I do agree that orientation with the orbited body is not usually of much interest when coming in for a docking, but if we can get enough alignment information without giving up normal navball information then that would be my preference.

[Apollo13]

leax256's response will satisfy your immediate needs. Long-term, I agree that your idea would be a nice feature to add.

[RoboRay]

I'd rather keep the NavBall orientation real, in respect to my orbit. I do care about my direction of motion and orientation to the planet during the approach to a docking target, so I can maneuver into docking position on the Normal axis of my orbit. If you orient the NavBall itself to the target, you lose the ability to easily identify your orbit Normal, which complicates docking (unless you like dealing with apparent rotation of the target).

Edited August 30, 2013 by RoboRay

[maltesh]

While I typically don't care about the surfce orientation when closing in on the target, I definitely would prefer to keep the Navball horizon working the way it is.That said I do use the Docking Port Alignment Indicator mod mentioned upthread. It would be nice if something like that were included, possibly in the little square that pops out from the lower left corner when you switch into Docking Mode.Would give me a reason to actually use Docking Mode.

[allmappedout]

I'm with RoboRay on this - I'd rather add functionality for something as important as this, than requsition a current thing and repurpose it, with a significant loss of other functionality as a result. (ie: I always line up my stations North-South, so I can approach the target in a consistent manner).

[leax256]

While I typically don't care about the surfce orientation when closing in on the target, I definitely would prefer to keep the Navball horizon working the way it is.That said I do use the Docking Port Alignment Indicator mod mentioned upthread. It would be nice if something like that were included, possibly in the little square that pops out from the lower left corner when you switch into Docking Mode.Would give me a reason to actually use Docking Mode.

forcing me to use docking mode would destroy my docking ablities.

[rosenkranz]

To be honest, I'd rather have something like Romfarer's docking cam. That is a great mod. I never bother with trying to use docking autopilots anymore. This and a simple Smart A.S.S. mod is about all you'd need.

[allmappedout]

forcing me to use docking mode would destroy my docking ablities.

I do feel like docking mode gets a lot of hate (mostly because people don't know it exists or have written it off).

Now, whilst I don't use it myself (irony!), I do think that having all the functions that people are looking for in docking would be better to have as a dedicated mode that you switch to (although changing the controls from what people are accustomed to is not an ideal situation), rather than cramming it all into the current flight mode. It would give a bit more flexibility and enable the GUI to be kept neat (I like the docking box they have already, for example), whilst still providing all the functionality we are asking for, such as orientation etc.