You've got me thinking about the docking/landing HUD.
I think all related stuff could be placed inside the reticule:
There would be a cross all the way to the reticule edges, to represent roll and pitch (yaw and pitch for orbital station docking). If that cross is in the center, you are aligned. Kinda representing where the ship's belly is pointing (nose for docking). So if you roll left, the cross goes to the right.
The pad position and height could be shown with a circle with a direction indication and some concentric circles.
-If the pad indicator is at the same size as the reticule, you are at 0m
-The direction component of the pad indicator would represent yaw (roll for docking).
-The position of it would show the position as if you were looking down (looking forward for docking)
-Each concentric circle represents a 10m increment in height/distance. The speed of the circles would intuitively show the speed of the ship, and the direction of the motion, since they'd act as a nav tunnel.
-The pad indicator could even rotate to show orientation in a spatial manner, but it might feel odd.
There's no separate indication for the speed on each axis, only closing speed. The prograde/retrograde indicator and the concentric circles would represent the direction component nicely in my opinion. A faint line between the crosshair and the prograde indicator could help with positional alignment too: if it crosses the pad center, you are going in the right direction.
In the end, if everything is at the crosshair, you are aligned, positioned properly, and flying towards the pad.
Closing speed is shown with a bar at the left side, alongside with the braking indicator. The bar would grow up and down with speed, and would turn red if you are flying too fast for safe docking.
Or it could be a bar that can go up or down from the center, indicating closing and getting away directions. Up for getting away, down for getting closer.
A hover autopilot mode could be handy for planetary maneuvers like this. Practically a set speed mode, but not on the main axis, but up/down. Could use the same set speed shortcuts even.
What do you think?
