Keyboard Input Stops Working

[Popestar]

I'm using 1.8 on the PC.

Every once in a while, mostly while I'm attempting to achieve Kerbin orbit, the game will stop taking input for navigation.  I can go full throttle with Z and cut entirely with X, but not Shift or CTRL.  And while I can go to the map, I can't pitch, roll, or yaw.  It goes away for no reason, and then just comes back when it wants to.

Is this a known issue?  If so is there a solution? 

[Spricigo]

This is limited control. Your craft don't have communication with KSP.

You can deploy more (and stronger) relays to improve coverage, improve the planning of you maneuvers to ensure it happens when there is a signal or just disable comment in settings.

It is not the case there but may also happens that the inputs get lock for whatever reasons, in this case just go to debug menu and clear input locks.

[bewing]

Spricigo is right. You can also use SAS modes when you are in "limited control" mode.

[Popestar]

15 hours ago, Spricigo said:

This is limited control. Your craft don't have communication with KSP.

You can deploy more (and stronger) relays to improve coverage, improve the planning of you maneuvers to ensure it happens when there is a signal or just disable comment in settings.

It is not the case there but may also happens that the inputs get lock for whatever reasons, in this case just go to debug menu and clear input locks.

How is it possible to not be able to turn using WASD...but I can throttle to full with Z when this happens?  And if this is the case, how does this happen AFTER I've extended the antenna?

I should also point out that this happens whether I'm using a probe or a manned capsule.

[king of nowhere]

if it's not caused by loss of control, it is caused by a bug. it happens to me from time to time. another sympthom of it is the mouse wheel being inverted, does it do the same to you too?

when it happens, there are a few things to attempt. changing control of a ship can help. sending a kerbonaut in eva, then back inside the ship again sometimes fixes the issue. the safest solution, though, is simply to reload the game

[Popestar]

3 minutes ago, king of nowhere said:

if it's not caused by loss of control, it is caused by a bug. it happens to me from time to time. another sympthom of it is the mouse wheel being inverted, does it do the same to you too?

when it happens, there are a few things to attempt. changing control of a ship can help. sending a kerbonaut in eva, then back inside the ship again sometimes fixes the issue. the safest solution, though, is simply to reload the game

Yeah, I don't have the wheel inverted.  But, I can certainly try cycling through targets (or even going to the tracking station and then clicking the probe/capsule and selecting FLY).  The biggest pain about this is that it only ever happens when I'm in flight to get to orbit.  Once I'm in orbit, I'm fine (unless I run out of power or I failed to put antenna on my craft, which I have been known to do).  But it's annoying that I'd have to rapidly switch targets and make sure I don't overshoot my Ap and then have to relaunch.

[Spricigo]

9 hours ago, Popestar said:

How is it possible to not be able to turn using WASD...but I can throttle to full with Z when this happens? 

Because that is exactly what is supposed to happens when you don't have a operational Command_module. "Limited control" is the actual name of that thing.

 

9 hours ago, Popestar said:

And if this is the case, how does this happen AFTER I've extended the antenna?

I should also point out that this happens whether I'm using a probe or a manned capsule.

It is possible to have antennas, kerbals on board and still not have a operational command module.

 

Anyways, it don't seem to be the case, given the extra info you provided after the initial post. Considering this bit:

 

8 hours ago, Popestar said:

only ever happens when I'm in flight to get to orbit.

I assume it may be a case of plasma blackout enabled in the settings.

Failing that, or some other missing information, I'm out of ideas. It is not a bug that I'm experienced or read about before this thread.

 

Edited January 28, 2021 by Spricigo

[Popestar]

40 minutes ago, Spricigo said:

I assume it may be a case of plasma blackout enabled in the settings.

Thats what it is.  I have PB turned on, and while I have 2 high gain antenna, the settings on difficult are what's causing this.  Just not sure how to get around this; you'd think that you'd have a connection to the KSC until you reach orbit.

[Spricigo]

1 hour ago, Popestar said:

Just not sure how to get around this

The craft will regain full control once it gets out of the atmosphere*, so you just need design your launch vehicle to be able to get into orbit despite the limited control.  Possible a good idea to aim for a higher initial orbit to have enough time to circularise/corrections.

That or turn off plasma blackout.

 

*The signal will be lost when you go fast in the dense atmosphere. But I'm not sure how fast and how dense it need to be.

[Popestar]

31 minutes ago, Spricigo said:

That or turn off plasma blackout.

Not an option on Hard for the Caveman challenge.  But, I learned something new today!

[Spricigo]

2 minutes ago, Popestar said:

Not an option on Hard for the Caveman challenge.  But, I learned something new today!

Oh, it will be a bit trickier under Caveman limitations. But you probably will learn more than "something" doing it.

[Popestar]

After checking, plasma blackout is not selected on hard.  So that is not the issue here.  Anybody have any other ideas as to why keyboard input might stop working during launch to orbit?