Planet Jumping - Success.

[Paul]

Using the jump drive to jump directly to the planet's dock without taking damage - has anyone else done this? I just finally figured it out.

If you want to figure it out on your own, don't read any further.




I was trying to do this a earlier to no avail, and I thought I would try one last time a few hours later. Earlier I had my sound low, so I couldn't hear it, but I realised something now: I had my coordinates perfect, I was landing right on the pad and hearing the docking noise the same second that I exploded. Then I realised - at jumping speeds, you blow up instantly no matter how accurate your jump is. The tractor beam just doesn't slow you down fast enough.

So I started to think: Can I slow down the speed you jump at? I targeted the same coords I had used before, fired up my thrusters in full reverse (including afterburner), and jumped - this, combined with the tractor beam, brought me to a complete stop with only minor shield damage and 100% hull right on the docking bay. Another test shows that full reverse even into the atmosphere without the tractor beam to slow you down will stop you without destroying you, but will cause significant hull damage.

The planet I did this with was Mars, and the coordinates were pretty easy to get. To get the coordinates I just landed like normal to get the coordinates of the landing pad, then added about 3000 to Z (exactly 3000 put me a bit too close to the pad, but the landing still worked - I just saw through it for a second. A bit less than 3000 would be ideal). Then with these coordinates, I faced exactly 0/0 (as you would to jump through a gate), full reversed, and hit it. Bam, right onto the pad. I haven't tried other planets yet, but I assume it will work anywhere.

You can also slow yourself down enough by remaining docked at a station while jumping. This gives about the same results as the full afterburner without the fuel, possibly a bit better for atmospheric landings when used in unison but the afterburner is not necessary when you're going from dock zone to dock zone.

You can even use the tractor beam slow down to jump from on the planet into space, as long as you're docked you won't go over 2000 while jumping out and with a bit of reinforcement to the forward shield during the jump you won't take any damage. The reverse thrust doesn't work in this case though, since it doesn't slow you down during the jump but after its over.

[verbosity]

Great guide, I was always sure this was possible but had never tried.

now we have a trilogy of insane jump manouvers

1. black hole wormholes
2.Asteroid cave jumps ( into and out of )
3. atmospheric jumps

[Poodle]

And who says it stops there?:D

[BraveHart]

Excellent Paul......it is always Good to hear of a Pilots success. Welcome aboard to the Wonderful Universe of Evohron, Where practice makes perfect


"The Gods of Evochron Have Smiled upon You"

[Vice]

Wow, that opens up an entirely new dynamic for safer planet docking. Nice discovery!

[MMaggio]

You mean you didn't plan it that way? In other words, the game "evolved" a technique to land on a planet? The game program set it's own parameters?
Now that's the sign of a great program. It compensated for a manuever that was never programmed. I have only seen this happen twice before. Considering how many games I have & played, this is remarkable.
Kudos to Vice!

[tha_rami]

That is an absurd manoeuvre - no wonder Vice didn't think of it. I still haven't succeeded at it, but I will!