Docking Device

Joined
Feb 16, 2021
Messages
2
#1
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One of the desperately missing features of Starbase is the ability for players to easily and securely connect a ship to another one.
It’s technically possible using CLB/F, but it’s bothersome and things can get… Weird.

This is especially bad considering the amount of things that could be done by connecting ships, the most obvious one being carriers of all shapes and purposes. Also having ships in multiple “parts” like a pod racer could be a new design possibility. Another idea that came to my mind was the hyperspace ring from the Star Wars universe. The Fast Travel Core is coming, and it won’t fit every ship, with a docking device, a special warp ship part would become a cool addition for every explorator on a budget.

I made a 3D model of what I imagine the device could be:
DockingRD.jpg

If you like the model, feel free to take for yourself (.stl):
https://mega.nz/file/g89glYLS#jau_OzBmC6UR65KCsZ8IPVTqkYXcsZWrOM7pDzOU3R8

Behaviour

When configured correctly (discussed below), 2 docking devices will be able to generate an energy beam between the both of them. That energy beam is almost as solid as a bastium beam, only more bendy. The main difference being that it only locks the ship on 2 axis. The ship can still rotate, like if the docking device was a turntable.
The docking devices both need to be constantly powered to function, and produce a small amount of heat as long as the energy beam is there.
Data can be transmitted through the energy beam, but not energy, fuel or coolant.
Like a thruster, a docking device must be bolted to a solid beam, or to a hardpoint that is.

Device fields/Configuration

The docking device has 6 device fields:

DockingActive: Whether the device is active or not [0-1]
DeviceIdentification: ID number of the device [0-999999]
DockingSearchRange: How far, in meter, the device will “search” for other docking devices [0-5]
DockingBeamLenght: How long, in meter, the energy beam will be [1-5]
DataTransmission: Whether the device will transmit data through the energy beam or not [0-1]
HeatGenerated: How much heat has been generated by the device [0-100]

To connect, 2 docking devices must both have DockingActive set to 1, and also have the same DeviceIdentification number.
It is also important that both devices are in range. That distance is determined by the smallest DockingSearchRange value between the 2.
The length of the beam is determined by the biggest DockingBeamLenght value between the 2.
Data transmission only occurs if both devices have DataTransmission set to 1.
 
Joined
Dec 15, 2020
Messages
3
#2
This is exactly what I would need! Currently building a long run mining mothership, and this is what i need to connect the small miners ships to it to secure them and transfer the ore, instead of transferring it manually and bolting the miners down to secure them in flight
 

geezergamer

Learned-to-sprint endo
Joined
Aug 4, 2021
Messages
20
#3
I was thinking the same thing...Like a huge armored ship hauling mini fighters that can scramble from inside the protected area to defend/attack when needed.
 
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