Sugestion: Free roaming option in Pioneer

[Bugbear]

Raithe, this is not a dig at you, but your comment reminded me of how often I read people wishing for a better autopilot.People, you do realise that it's possible to get around in Pioneer without an autopilot, don't you? The maths to get from point A to point B can actually be done in your head.All you need to do is halve the distance you are travelling, accelerate to midpoint, turnaround and decelerate to zero. Repeat about 2 or three times and you should be within a few hundred km of your target.If you're like me, and you want to be facing your target from start to finish, then the maths is a little bit more complex.Select your target, thrust your ship until the target relative velocity is near zero.Get the ratio of your Reverse vs Forward thrust (for the Eagle Long Range Fighter, this is 0.33). Subtract this ratio from 1 (i.e 1 - 0.33 = 0.67).Multiply this number by the total distance to travel (km or A.U. ...it doesn't matter) (so for 10.00AU x 0.67 = 6.67AU).Accelerate until the distance remaining is 6.67AU (or whatever number you came up with in the previous step).Decelerate back to zero relative velocity to your target.This second method actually takes longer than the 'fly to midpoint and turnaround' method, but you do get to see where you are going through the front view of your craft.In my experience, for a 10AU journey, I usually get within 0.5AU for the first calculation, then about 10,000,000km for the second leg, 10,000km for the third, then from that point it's a matter of coasting in...Back to our scheduled programme... :-)EDIT: I should also add that the above calculations don't work when you're travelling through a thick atmosphere - the wind resistance will slow you down dramatically.

[CreepyStepdad]

@Bugbear1973Good info. This game and this forum are great, but more documentation on basic game features is needed. I know a little info exists on the wiki, but last I checked there wasn't very much. As new features get added, the developers have been good about adding important info to the readme, but what about some more detailed info to help new players on this forum? Not only would it be useful for new players, but I think it might help your search engine optimization as well. I have read about the games Pioneer was inspired by, but have no experience actually playing them, and little desire. Pioneer is too pretty to go back to vector graphics. Anyway, information on approaching planets or suns and not being sucked in would be helpful. Also tips and suggestions for new players, like matching vectors with another ship, detailing how it is done, as well as a basic combat section covering relative speed, the leading box, and missiles. Sorry to thread jack, but the devs kinda have it covered previously in the thread. Also good info. Bottomless fuel tank and indestructible hyperdrive. Need I say more?

[s2odan]

Quote:
Anyway, information on approaching planets or suns and not being sucked in would be helpful
A small bit of advice for approaching suns and other high mass objects would be do not approach head-on, always approach at an angle to insert yourself into an orbit as opposed to a descent :)This should insert you into a highly eliptical orbit, once you have reached the periapsis of your orbit all you have to do is de-accelerate along your current path, perpendicular to the sun.

[Brianetta]

Like with an aeroplane, always try to exchange altitude for ground speed, or vice-versa. Consider altitude as your distance from the massive body. Ground speed is speed across its surface.Alternatively, think of your ship as the coin in this video. If you were to roll straight down, you'd get pulled right in. Aim to miss, and you'll swing around.