Spaceplane docking issues

[Wanderfound]

Not sure where to put this one; part stock, part mod, part bug report, part request...

1) It appears that the screwy docking port alignments have carried over from SP+ into stock. If you've selected "control from here" on a Mk2 inline docking port, the navball markers are not properly aligned with the ports. Attempting to dock by navball will see you bumping the top of your fuselage into the receiving port about a metre off target.

2) Thinking that if I'm going to have to dock by eyeball all the time I may as well do it properly, I set up some RPM cameras in the edge of the port and go to do it from IVA. Problem: as soon as you switch to the IVA mode, control shifts away from the docking port and back to the cabin, throwing the navball markers off by a further 90 degrees. Sod.

Anyone got a good solution for either of these?

[Laie]

SP+ is not to blame. When controlling from a port, you're looking in the direction the port is facing, but you're looking FROM the root part of your vessel. All is nice and dandy if root part and docking port line up; if they don't, you're getting that offset error. Make and model of the docking port play no part in this.

Much talk and picture proof here: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/86086-docking-woes-navball-parallax-error?p=1269100&viewfull=1#post1269100

Solution? In your case, the docking camera: http://www.curse.com/ksp-mods/kerbal/220272-lazor-docking-cam

[Zylark]

...or use the Docking Port alignment Indicator mod by Navyfish. Despite not being updated for a while, it works perfectly fine with .25.

The Lazor Docking Cam is a good alternative, I've used it before. But it have one little problem - as you get close, you really have no idea what direction you need to adjust for, as the zoom of the camera is a bit too high so all you see is the mid-section of the docking port. Or a big grey wall if you wish.

[Pecan]

If you've already got RPM you don't need anything else.

Yes, when you go into IVA control automatically passes to the cockpit, but RPM has a solution in the Target MFD Menu. Select your docking port as the 'reference part'. Without having to add another camera you then get that in the Docking MFD, with (IVA) navball and everything else all behaving as you'd want them to. Also works with NavBallDockingAlignmentIndicator, which I use instead of the pop-up window in Navyfish's full version.

[Wanderfound]

Thanks, Pecan.

Those new cockpits are fun to IVA from:

[Wanderfound]

Just managed my first all-IVA docking. Cool.

[Pecan]

Just managed my first all-IVA docking. Cool

:-)

Try ProbeControlRoom so you can do it with unmanned craft too.

RPM is just so pretty, too! Can't beat an array of instrument displays.

[Liowen]

...or use the Docking Port alignment Indicator mod by Navyfish. Despite not being updated for a while, it works perfectly fine with .25.

Nice thing with this I have found, might be new for .25, is that you can select a docking port on the ship you wish to dock to, well before you can see it on screen. One of the best mods I have ever used, next to maybe the clouds mod.

[technion]

It depends on your specific craft, but for a long time I've sporadically built rockets that required docking by pointing way, way away from the pink target marker, and using the Lazor Docking mod instead.