Serious Psychological Error

Fri May 02, 2003 5:39 pm by Stardust

I was churning in some credits on the multiplayer when a thought hit me: why do we need docking rings? Even now, as we are entering the Space Age, our space shuttles can easily land and launch from a planet. How come, when they can fly through a system in about two minutes, need to use a docking ring for a planet?

Also wouldn't it be a serious inconvenience for Trent? Manhattan, for example. They say it is mostly covered with city. Well, what if you wanted to go to the other side of the planet? Would everyone have to leave their ship in some sort of parking lot?

Another: how come Trent's ship is the only one that lands on stations and planets? We never see another ship land beside him.

And another: there are only four docking bays for Newark Station? So only 4 people ever have to land there at once? For its size, you would've thought it was important.

Yet another: why haven't Liberty been totally wiped out? Their strongest ship is the Defender! The Corsairs could easily take them out, but for some reason Liberty have more systems... Aren't Rheinland ships stronger? Or even Kusari? Even the Liberty Rogue's Bloodhound is stronger than a puny Defender!!!!

As you can see DA have really messed things up. But then again I am only making light critiizisems, and I still love Freelancer beyond existence.

-Stardust

Fri May 02, 2003 7:30 pm by Lt Cmdr. Ajim

Well, what if you wanted to go to the other side of the planet? Would everyone have to leave their ship in some sort of parking lot?

massively serious programming needed...

how come Trent's ship is the only one that lands on stations and planets? We never see another ship land beside him.

maybe they were in different docks?

there are only four docking bays for Newark Station

why obsessed with newark there are others that have 8 docking points ya know.. btw theres not gonna be a lot of ships docking is there? even battleships that carry at least a squadron has 2 docking points

why haven't Liberty been totally wiped out?

easy.. you can just blow up the jumpgates and they cant come in.. block all jumpholes with battleships and crusers.. i see a lot of cruisers on Liberty i think its to their advantage.. walker is just one of the cruiser commandaer ya know.. know any useful cruiser commander in the Rheinland? think not..

argh.. im never gonna get paid.. goodbye a million credits..

Fri May 02, 2003 7:34 pm by Grimolfr

1) It takes the space shuttle over a week to land once it actually enters the upper atmosphere. The docking ring allows you to travel from the upper atmosphere to the lower atmosphere rapidly.

2) Once you're in the lower atmosphere, you have atmospheric flight capabilities similar to an airplane.

3) See #2. Trent just happens to be the only one using that landing platform at that time.

4) Think of the docking bay like the runway on an aircraft carrier. Once you're "docked" your ship is moved to a "parking area", which makes the dock itself available for use by other ships. When you're ready to leave, your ship is moved from the "parking area" back to the dock so you can take off.

5a) Quantity, not power.
5b) It's a game, and newbies have to have somewhere to start off.
5c) Until the Freeport 7 incident (or shortly before) there was an "uncomfortable peace" between the houses. If the corsairs waged all-out war on any one house, all four houses would likely ally to eradicate the corsairs from the sector.

--
Grim

Fri May 02, 2003 9:04 pm by Chandrasekhar Limit

It takes the space shuttle over a week to land once it actually enters the upper atmosphere.

Mind telling me where you heard that? I'd like to slap whoever told you that with cold fish because it's total bunk.

The first Space Shuttle mission (STS-1) back in 1981 (Capt. John Young and Robert Crippen aboard Columbia) lasted just 3 days from launch to landing, after orbiting the Earth 37 times.

For your information, once the command pilot initiates the re-entry sequence by firing the Orbital Maneuvering System thrusters to perform a de-orbit burn, it takes only a bit over one hour to get the Shuttle's tires down on the tarmac, at either the Cape or Edwards (or White Sands if weather conditions aren't right at either).

Fri May 02, 2003 9:38 pm by milod

For your information, once the command pilot initiates the re-entry sequence by firing the Orbital Maneuvering System thrusters to perform a de-orbit burn, it takes only a bit over one hour to get the Shuttle's tires down on the tarmac, at either the Cape or Edwards (or White Sands if weather conditions aren't right at either).

Exactly. In an action game, that one hour landing cycle would be dreadfully boring poison. It might as well be a week because practically no one would sit through the entire landing sequence to the end even the first time.

--milo
www.starshatter.com

Fri May 02, 2003 10:23 pm by Chandrasekhar Limit

I'm not arguing for actually putting in a manual landing sequence if that's what you are afraid of.

Sorry, but "one week to land the shuttle" just sounded so ridiculously funny something HAD to be said. Take the FYI as it is amigo, and don't read into it what isn't there.

Fri May 02, 2003 10:29 pm by Grimolfr

Actually, I got that impression recently when the space shuttle blew up on re-entry. Wasn't it scheduled to land 5 days later?

--
Grim

Fri May 02, 2003 10:40 pm by Apocalypse

hmm planetary shilds?

Fri May 02, 2003 10:51 pm by Chandrasekhar Limit

to Grim:

Columbia was only about 15 minutes away from touching down at Kennedy Space Center when it disintegrated. It had initiated its first de-orbit burn (OMS TIG in NASA shorthand, which stood for Orbital Maneuvering System Thruster Ignition) about 50 minutes before that.

Very tragic indeed..

Fri May 02, 2003 10:54 pm by Paksman

The docking ring exists for probably 1 reason only...organization. With all the ships coming and going, it would be total mayhem if you could enter and exit where ever you wanted. That's why cars drive on roads and use exit/entrance ramps. that's why plane follow "roads" in the sky. it's to keep people from running in to each other all the time; well, at least keep them from doing it more often than they do now. that's just my idea

paks

Fri May 02, 2003 11:01 pm by Wizard

Someone give Paksman a cookie

-- Gamer Heaven, where the screenshots are never blurry, and the script kiddies get publically kicked around. -#reallife

Join the army against the Chaos
An offer you cannot refuse

Fri May 02, 2003 11:39 pm by Chandrasekhar Limit

Heh heh... I think he'd prefer a power pellet:

Sat May 03, 2003 6:44 am by Paksman

AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! it's not pacman, it's PAKSman, as in Paks Karate. =P

paks

Sat May 03, 2003 6:50 am by Chandrasekhar Limit

Heh heh, I know, I know. Just some friendly ribbing-- all in good fun!

Fri Aug 20, 2004 10:00 am by Reddington

We may be able to land a space shuttle without docking points now but that's because we have about 10 spaceships worlwide. There are thousand of ships in liberty. Docking rings would create order.

Important Message

You are browsing the archived Lancers Reactor forums. You cannot register or login.
The content may be outdated and links may not be functional.

To get the latest in Freelancer news, mods, modding and downloads, go to
The-Starport