Docking is undoubtedly the most troublesome aspect of this game, I can't count the number of game overscreens I got until I got the hang of it. The trick I find is to stop next to the face of the space station with the entrance tunnel, turn away from the station toward the planet (there is always a planet opposite the entrance to a station), accelerate toward the planet a little way, stop and turn back toward the station. This takes care of a lined up approach, now the difficult bit.
Accelerate toward the entrance, slowing to a minimum speed just before you reach it. Now, as you come to the revolving entrance remember this- your aim for the actual entrance is less important than rotating your ship to be flat on to it at impact. Many times I have hit the middle of the entrance at a slight tilt and have been killed, yet if my ship is flat on to the entrance I have succesfully docked even If I actually hit the wall just above the entrance.
A tip for those of you who, like me, aim to buy an auto docking computer (at 1500 credits or so). If you sell your staring lasers and missiles you can increase your starting credits from 100 to around 650. This will leave you a bit valnurable but the increase in capital will make trading easier, faster and more profitable. Once you get rich you can buy your docking computer, military lasers, missile defence system, etc, etc.
I hope this is of help and I also hope that people can look beyond the outdated graphics and see just how huge, free and fun this game is.
btw, I first played elite (the black and white, line drawn one that is) on the BBC Master when I was 7 years old!!!
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