Caterpillar Tracks- NOW OPEN SOURCE, ALL FILES OPEN TO PUBLIC

[Railgunner2160]

I built a mobile pad on the moon using these treads(Old version) and an Extraplanetary pad....

[taniwha]

The only propblem I've had with RBI and EL is the tracks would not work when on a pad (note, this is back in 0.20, so things may have changed since). Using my crane's winch I was able to get the crane off the pad with a bit of patience, but the tracks self-disabling when on a pad was annoying.

Note that RollKage wheels work fine on pads (or did in 0.21), so it's not a limitation of KSP.

[Viaharo]

Put big enough rcs thrusters on the back of the ship with tracks..... One burst is enough to kick start the tracks if they get stuck. Well least it works for me.

[OopsThatNotWork]

How are the new treads rolling?

[JeffreyCor]

Hopeful the silence means major progress is being made

[Hellbrand]

wow this is odd, they usually post every day or so.. I hope everything is alright!

[electronicfox]

These are still in dev, just very slowly at the moment. 6.Forty is rather busy with his work, and I have just landed some full-time work in making a few levels for a game. This has not been abandoned, so worry not.

[JeffreyCor]

Whoo hoo!! Glad to hear is isn't dropped like many other good ones have in the bast. And congratulations on the job

[Jivaii]

Can't wait for the revival! Tracked bases and massive tracked rovers will rule the Kerbol solar system.

[LORDPrometheus]

I hope updated versions of the old tracks are also included they can be annoying and extremely slow even when tweaked alot

[mike9606]

Hopefully this project goes along smoothly without any problems. Honestly I just want the new tracks so I can use the crawly tracks to make super tanks that are 100+ tons, the Mark 5 ones don't seem to be able to move that much though.

[Hamdex]

Oh man, I'm also dying for this to be released

[AntiMatter001]

Hopefully this project goes along smoothly without any problems. Honestly I just want the new tracks so I can use the crawly tracks to make super tanks that are 100+ tons, the Mark 5 ones don't seem to be able to move that much though.

don't worry, by the time these tracks are released they'll be good and fixed.

now on to dev!: textures: they don't appear right... in the VAB/SPH they do but if i launch em they come out looking like they're stretched out and the mark 5s just sink through the ground now :/

i'll try get my log up and some pictures but being a freelance photography on the sidelines is pretty rough on my muscles and my nerves... i only got to play KSP for about half an hour today (damn...)

anyway i'll try and see if i can narrow it down so i get back with more well informed info.

[Biotronic]

Just wanted to add my name to the list of people who want to see this finished. If you're in need of more coding brains, I'd love to lend mine.

[sp1989]

Will frizznaks launch towers work on this?

[CaptainKipard]

I'm looking forward to this, as much as I liked the previous one.

I'll download it when it's done, like I did the previous one, and then use it as much as the previous one, which is not at all. Not because it's bad mind you, but because I just can't think of a good reason to use them.

Really, this is a nice technological achievement, but what use is it? How does it make the game deeper? I'm honestly asking.

[Haifi]

Well, tracks make a lot of sense when it comes to moving heavy stuff, like mining rigs and such. Normally they come with more durability than wheels not to mention their advantages in rough and steep terrain, like better traction. Sure you could alter the configs of stock wheels but that would be kind of not fitting. So even in roleplay it would make more sense to use tracks in an appropriate setting than wheels of any kind. Just my five cents, no pun intended.

Best regards

[JeffreyCor]

I am planning on using them for a heavy construction truck instead of tweaking the large wheels. I tried to with the old tracks but they never worked for me. Which makes me even more looking forward to these

[PolecatEZ]

Really, this is a nice technological achievement, but what use is it? How does it make the game deeper? I'm honestly asking.

As for a space exploration thing, heavy tracks have a lot of potential for basically gluing your collectively mobile butt to a low gravity planet. This means the potential for a decent ground speed without the usual need for a roll-over recovery system. Yes there are other ways to achieve this, but, well, rule of cool. Think mining vehicle from the Armageddon movie - completely unrealistic in the implementation, but still cool. Also, think Jawa Sand Crawler...massive yet still mobile. Stick an entire ground base on the back of a heavy crawler and, well, do your thing.

Also, military style mods are getting better and more prolific...tanks are neat.

Anyways, your argument could be applied to any mod here basically that involves parts. Really all the "depth" in the game is provided by the base game and a few extension mods.

[OopsThatNotWork]

but what use is it? How does it make the game deeper? I'm honestly asking.

These track so much better than stock wheels. They don't break while moving 10 m/s or when you try to turn something heavy, like stock wheels, which is annoying...

[electronicfox]

Really, this is a nice technological achievement, but what use is it? How does it make the game deeper? I'm honestly asking.

What they add the game is totally up to the user. For me, I just wanted tracked rovers. They look cooler than wheeled rovers. This is literally the reason I started this whole thing.

[Haifi]

What they add the game is totally up to the user. For me, I just wanted tracked rovers. They look cooler than wheeled rovers. This is literally the reason I started this whole thing.

Exactly, coolness factor is way higher too .

Im really looking forward to a new release, the old cat-tracks are nearly unuseable.

Edited May 10, 2014 by Haifi

[Justin Kerbice]

One feature which could make these tracks even nicer would be "length/wheels numbers" parameters, to make longer tracks instead of using 2 or more short tracks part together. Kind of procedural thing I guess.

I know it may be hard and better for another release, another way could be a track making tutorial to let modders create more various models.

[Deathsoul097]

These track so much better than stock wheels. They don't break while moving 10 m/s or when you try to turn something heavy, like stock wheels, which is annoying...

Don't forget that most of them allow you to turn on the spot, which means assembly of ground bases, and the ability to move them becomes much, much, easier.

These are still in dev, just very slowly at the moment. 6.Forty is rather busy with his work, and I have just landed some full-time work in making a few levels for a game. This has not been abandoned, so worry not.

Ooh, sounds cool. What game is it, or are you not allowed to discuss it?

Edited May 11, 2014 by Deathsoul097

[electronicfox]

One feature which could make these tracks even nicer would be "length/wheels numbers" parameters, to make longer tracks instead of using 2 or more short tracks part together. Kind of procedural thing I guess.

I know it may be hard and better for another release, another way could be a track making tutorial to let modders create more various models.

Procedural tracks are being experimented with, bit this will heavilly depend on some clever programming, and Im only the artist in this venture. My programming skills dont venture much further than a few If and Else statements mixed with a few variables.

Ooh, sounds cool. What game is it, or are you not allowed to discuss it?

I am allowed to discuss. The game is Overruled by Dlala Studio (google them to find their blog/twitter/facebook). Kind of an indie arcadey multiplayer brawler with some nice mechanics involved, being published by Team 17 (which I am rather excited about). Theres not much media on it yet, but it will be getting its press-release very soon.