Tractor Beam

Nameckian · Post by **Nameckian** » Wed Jun 25, 2003 7:28 am

Yeah, so I installed one of these things, thinking i could pick stuff up with it.. So far no luck, what exactly does this thing do?

(yeah yeah, I'm a complete n00b.. )

-Name

FlyingAce · Post by **FlyingAce** » Wed Jun 25, 2003 11:07 pm

the tractor moves things toward you and eventually into your cargo bay if u have enough space. just point it at something and if the thing isn't too big, it should move toward you

Post by **hellcatv** » Thu Jun 26, 2003 2:01 am

suggestion: target object of interest
hit 'g' until the tractor beam alone is selected
hit 'home' to match speed
hit tab until it is close

hit space to reel 'er hin

pontiac · Post by **pontiac** » Thu Jun 26, 2003 5:17 pm

The most common use for the tractor is to catch cargo dropped by destroyed ships (cargo-ones of course).
If you have a really BIG cargo-bay (like the truck-cargo-ship) you can even tractor in other ships and sell them at a base.

Pontiac

EDIT: updated the FAQ (->Q12):
http://vegastrike.sourceforge.net/phpwi ... FaqPlaying

Anax · Post by **Anax** » Fri Jun 27, 2003 5:18 am

FlyingAce wrote:the tractor moves things toward you and eventually into your cargo bay if u have enough space. just point it at something and if the thing isn't too big, it should move toward you

umm, correct me if i'm wrong, but if the object is too big, should You be dragged towards IT as well? And if the object is the same mass you should be pulled together at an equal rate...i.e. there should always be movement of the tratoring ship as well as the tractoree.... basic physics...

peteyg · Post by **peteyg** » Fri Jun 27, 2003 5:26 am

When you're talking about directing a stream of gravitons (or whatever the VS fiction for a tractor is), then it's quite possible that the actual laws of physics aren't in play. Perhaps by pointing a negatively projecting graviton gun at something, the gravitons only pull at the object they impact, and have no impact on the one with the tractor beam.

In Trek, though... the tractor beam is like pulling on the object with your arm. Equal force on each object.

Post by **hellcatv** » Fri Jun 27, 2003 6:07 am

I think the engine applies equal force on each object--I should check to make sure

pontiac · Post by **pontiac** » Fri Jun 27, 2003 3:08 pm

hellcatv wrote:I think the engine applies equal force on each object--I should check to make sure

So if the engine can do this this, what about a "tractor of slowliness"-weapon.
Very expensive, but it reaches very far and can stop a fast ship relativly to you (to prevent them of fleeing; will not effect jumping).

I don't know if this should go in the feature request forum or the off-topic thread about weapons.

Pontiac

Post by **hellcatv** » Fri Jun 27, 2003 8:31 pm

surely that would be a lot easier than coding the current tractor we have--I'll look into it...might be more useful than the repulsor

f1r3br4nd · Post by **f1r3br4nd** » Fri Jan 23, 2004 7:43 am

Perhaps it should say how much cargo space a piece of equipment needs. I have enough money to purchase a tractor beam, and several hundred free cargo spaces, yet it still stays red. Anybody have any idea why? Thanks.

PS: Well, if there's a tractor beam, shouldn't there be a forklift beam like in Escape Velocity? Really. They had a forklift beam easter egg. It did exactly what it sounds like-- fired a beam of forklifts at the opponent. And those things packed quite a whallop.

Turgid Bolk · Post by **Turgid Bolk** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 6:52 am

So I just started playing this game, but I think I have the controls down. But when I try to tractor cargo in, nothing happens. I get super close, within a few meters. I have room for it, I even jettisoned one of my cargo (space grog) to see if I could tractor it back, but no luck. I was able to snag a Pilot earlier with no problem...so what's the deal with these cargo units? I also notice they don't have a model in the game, just empty space, too small to see I guess. Does that have anything to do with it? Thanks for the help.

Halleck · Post by **Halleck** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 9:21 am

Which version of the game?
I think 0.4.3 needed a 'cargo patch' or something which can be downloaded here http://vegastrike.sourceforge.net/forum ... php?t=3532

Turgid Bolk · Post by **Turgid Bolk** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 4:25 pm

woohoo! works like a charm. thank you much.

Jeff2121 · Post by **Jeff2121** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 4:32 pm

f1r3br4nd wrote:Perhaps it should say how much cargo space a piece of equipment needs. I have enough money to purchase a tractor beam, and several hundred free cargo spaces, yet it still stays red. Anybody have any idea why? Thanks.

PS: Well, if there's a tractor beam, shouldn't there be a forklift beam like in Escape Velocity? Really. They had a forklift beam easter egg. It did exactly what it sounds like-- fired a beam of forklifts at the opponent. And those things packed quite a whallop.

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Tractor Beam

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