Nav Node problem

[SpacedCowboy]

Being in just about half way through a career game, here I am going to the Mun again to check out (Science Out) a few remaining biomes. There's 10 or 12 flags on the Mun that I've planted, marking where I've been.(So at least I think I've got the T-shirt). So anyways, I'm descending to a crater not yet visited, decreasing horizontal velocity, still about 20,000-25,000m up. Clicked on the trajectory (blue line) to set up a new nav node, and it would not respond. I know if your too low in altitude, it won't give you a nav point, but I was nowhere that low! Tried to set the nav point numerous times, but to no avail. So then I tried to "eyeball it" and do to my poor piloting skills, Jeb died. Anyone have any ideas here, or maybe I should be posting this in the "bug forum".

Edited April 22, 2014 by SpacedCowboy

[cantab]

I've had a similar bug often when I'm on a hyperbolic trajectory. I just have to keep clicking different points on the orbit until I get a node, then try and slide it into the right position. The Precise Node mod helps move it around and adjust it, but doesn't make it easier to create in the first place.

[Unit327]

Maneuver nodes are fiddly little things. They don't like to behave, especially in solar orbit. Sometimes it's just easier to quicksave, burn, and quickload if it didn't work out. Otherwise try quitting back out to the space center and going back in.

[Vector]

Maneuver nodes are the most erratic on a highly hyperbolic orbit, or on very eccentric orbits near periapsis, which might be similar to your situation. In these cases I find it helpful if you move the camera near the body you're orbiting, in this case the Mun, such that your perspective view is nearly parallel with your approach. For some reason, by doing this the GUI will allow you more freedom in placing the maneuver nodes. After it is placed you can adjust it but you can't slide it along your trajectory. If you want it at a different time you have to delete the maneuver node and try again, adjusting your perspective and placing a new one.

[Doozler]

I've had this a few times as well, on standard orbits. I switch to space center and back and that seems to help.

[Sirrobert]

They tend to do that sometimes. Switching to something else (ksc, or another craft) and back always fixes it.

That said, you don't need manouver nodes when landing. Make sure you know how far above the ground you are (if you don't have Mechjeb to tell you, watch for the shadow, or the light coming from your landing lamps), and keep your speed at 40-50m/s until you see this shadow.

When you are close to the ground, break and land safely

[SpacedCowboy]

Ok guys, thank you all for the ideas and suggestions. Think I'll try the "going to the KSC and tracking station" idea next time this problem occurs, which brings to mind one more quick and probably dumb question. While your in the tracking station, is game time going by?

[Sirrobert]

Ok guys, thank you all for the ideas and suggestions. Think I'll try the "going to the KSC and tracking station" idea next time this problem occurs, which brings to mind one more quick and probably dumb question. While your in the tracking station, is game time going by?

Yes. Though not during loading screens, so in the end it'll only be a few seconds of time

Make sure you quicksave before your final landing manouvers. You never know if something goes wrong. I always quicksave before any manouver. Docking and landing mostly, because those are the hardest