Rubber Band Inc: Caterpillar tracks.

[Read have Read]

It would be pretty hard to break a track, would be more likely to have it become detracted and must be fixed in EVA. Something that would bottom out enough of the wheels to make them loose - enough to break 2-4 wheels on a rover in one impact.

They should correspondingly be as heavy as 2-3 wheels. They don't need to be faster as long as they are smoother and more stable and safer, however they should lose more speed in sharper turns (not too dramatic for course corrections), but turn faster/tighter.

They should probably do 2E/s at full power, and accelerate a little slower than rover wheels.

I would expect all the complicated mechanisms to not be very light weight - Just looked it up Mattracks for light duty trucks, a system of 4 tracks for 4 ton vehicle weights 0.75 tons, about 0.18 tons per track section (2.5 times a rover week). I think that is reasonable, trading 8 rover wheels for quad tracks for 2 long tracks.

Edited May 5, 2013 by Read have Read

[brobel]

This is going to be an awesome mode when it comes out cant wait

[Zaeo]

Hrrm...

How about an "inverted" version of the \__/, for example, /__\

TECHNICALLY that design is worse, but where it loses out in suspension, it gains in traction...or whatever it is you call "sticking to" in kerbal.

As it stands with it's current suspension setting, you can't freely flip the first textured design.

That being said, I can't wait to see what you do with this!

[electronicfox]

The first set wasnt designed to work upside-down, so they never will. The newest set are however, as a special feature.

[TheCardinal]

Electronixfox, can you give us a status update please?

[The Destroyer]

From the OP video, it didn't exactly "turn on a dime", but moved forward. Or was that the point?

[electronicfox]

The tracks will now turn on the spot (so long as you don't make an unreasonably long and narrow craft).

Electronixfox, can you give us a status update please?

as for progress, endlesswaves has been worrking on the mirroring in the SPH so we don't end up with reversed tracks all the time, it's nearly there aside from some odd graphical quirks. I'm putting together a set for larger vehicles today, and a set for small probular rovers.

once these are all implemented into the game and balanced out, they will be released as the first track pack.

Edited May 9, 2013 by electronicfox

[electronicfox]

Heres a bit of a preview of the larger track set for you folk.

A special prize* to the first person to guess what the set is heavilly based upon.

For scale reference, those are dual 1-m attachment areas at the front and back, this set is made for rather large builds.

*Special prize is fictional, all you get is a slim feeling of having accomplished something.

[ahappydude]

Wooah, dont know much about tanks but that looks wicked!

Have you tested uit on the moon ?=) If you driver over a small object, can that get stuck in the threads or how is that handled ? Thanks for keeping posting screens and info =)

[electronicfox]

I have tested the tracks on all bodies and they handle pretty well, I have occasionally gotten a kerbals head stuck between the wheels but it didnt cause any major issues (aside from brain damage).

[automcdonough]

these look great

[MonaBabii]

I don't know jack about tanks either but everything in this thread is looking amazing, great job to the both of you and I can't wait to try these things

Also, I can't wait to use the treads to give something like this a go @_@

[CJagd]

Heres a bit of a preview of the larger track set for you folk.

A special prize* to the first person to guess what the set is heavilly based upon.

For scale reference, those are dual 1-m attachment areas at the front and back, this set is made for rather large builds.

*Special prize is fictional, all you get is a slim feeling of having accomplished something.

Are they inspired by the panzer 6 "Tiger" ?

Edited May 9, 2013 by CJagd
wrong number

[electronicfox]

Are they inspired by the panzer 6 "Tiger" ?

Nope, I'll give you a hint:

Its been mentioned on this thread a couple times already, and its fictional.

[Melfice]

Nope, I'll give you a hint:

Its been mentioned on this thread a couple times already, and its fictional.

Haven't read the thread, but they remind me of the Thunderbirds, actually. The platform the Mole drove in on when it came out of Thunderbird 2?

[CJagd]

Nope, I'll give you a hint:

Its been mentioned on this thread a couple times already, and its fictional.

Thunderbird's tracked vehicle (Mole , firefly and recovery vehicle) they all have the same track and wheel set

[electronicfox]

Haven't read the thread, but they remind me of the Thunderbirds, actually. The platform the Mole drove in on when it came out of Thunderbird 2?

Correct, you win the special prize!

[frizzank]

Awesome, should be stock parts!!

[BlueSubstance]

Correct, you win the special prize!

What is that special prize you're talking about?

[electronicfox]

What is that special prize you're talking about?

*Special prize is fictional, all you get is a slim feeling of having accomplished something.

Theres your prize

[Itsdavyjones]

Are they inspired by the panzer 6 "Tiger" ?

The tracks on a tiger tank are completely different design. The Tiger I has 16 torsion bars with arms 8 per side. Per arm, there were three road wheel in an interleaved arrangement. The Tiger II has two more torsion bars having 9 arms per side.

Tiger I

Edited May 9, 2013 by Itsdavyjones
typos

[TheCardinal]

So it's about 7 by 12 meters. (I'm glad there's always the option to use reScalefactor).

[electronicfox]

So it's about 7 by 12 meters. (I'm glad there's always the option to use reScalefactor).

Like I said, it is designed for large builds, the approx size is 9x4x7 (Length, height, depth)

[TheCardinal]

I'm wondering how the 'proof of concept' will look like when you're ready with it. The three shown so far are great!

[Mafiagryphon]

I need to make Johnny 5 and Wall-E. Update?