fixing the manuver node

[r4pt0r]

I've got a suggestion here im pretty proud of. here's how i think maneuver nodes should be done. they work as they do now, except then your node is open for adjustment (the things you click and drag are visible, not the tiny orange snowflake version) replace the nav-ball with a larger version of the open node. either can be tweaked at users will. being larger it would be more easily adjusted for fine tuning burns. but heres the best part: say you can roughly plot out a burn to jool. open the node, then double click jool. now the map is zoomed in on the joolian system, and you can still tweak your maneuver with the larger node adjuster!. you could set up a laythe aerobreak from just outside kerbin. this would allow you to fine tune orbits from further away, which makes your dv more efficient.

input or thoughts on this?

(i know that the nodes arent perfect and ploting that long a distance will not be 100% accurate, but i think its an improvement.)

[edwardc]

While I want this there is a small complication. Your projected path will be where Jool isn't. So while your view jumps to Jool, the projected path might be on the other side of the solar system where the intercept will occur.

The camera would have to jump to a position in space with nothing but prediction icons. Those aren't great for the fine tuning things like aerobraking.

[r4pt0r]

ah good point. perhaps the current "ghost" intercept system could be improved.

[JumpsterG]

Allowing us to change the conics drawing mode in game would work with this. There is currently a config edit you can do to change how orbits are displayed such that they show your trajectory where the planet currently is. Would be great if using the change you suggest, the game would automatically switch to this localized trajectory view.

(I personally have not changed my config for this, but there are mods like preciseNode that make it available in game via button clicks)