Tracktronics: How to Build a Computer Using Minecart Tracks

[DicemanX]

I managed to create working computers using hoiktronics, but now I want to demonstrate how the same thing can be accomplished with minecart tracks. A full demonstration with a mini-tutorial afterwards is presented in the video below. Tracktronics is a term coined by ZeroGravitas, who got the ball rolling when it comes to rail-based logic here:

http://forums.terraria.org/index.ph...nics-naming-minecart-powered-mechanisms.9459/


Video:

Computer Schematic:

Wiring:

Schematics of the three Registers:

Wiring of each Register:

To understand the logic behind the three registers and how they are linked together, refer to these guides:

http://forums.terraria.org/index.ph...-building-an-in-game-terraria-computer.13883/
http://forums.terraria.org/index.ph...ed-computer-binary-to-decimal-converter.9965/

The tracktronics build is analogous to the hoiktronics builds featured in those guides.


Tutorial World Download:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4b_4cIU1vVBLWU1Q015NWx4bEE/view?usp=sharing

 

[Your Conscience]

So it's the hoiktronic binary to decimal counter with tracks instead? Alright then. Seems a lot more simple. Maybe I'll actually try this. Some day.

 

[DicemanX]

So it's the hoiktronic binary to decimal counter with tracks instead? Alright then. Seems a lot more simple. Maybe I'll actually try this. Some day.

I only showcased the ALU for now, not the converter, but the converter can be built using minecart tracks as well. That's next on my to-do list, since that should be a matter of following the logic of the hoiktronics converter. The look-up tables in the converter will take a bit of tinkering though, although I foresee them being easier to build than the hoiktronics look-up tables.

 

[Your Conscience]

I only showcased the ALU for now, not the converter, but the converter can be built using minecart tracks as well. That's next on my to-do list, since that should be a matter of following the logic of the hoiktronics converter. The look-up tables in the converter will take a bit of tinkering though, although I foresee them being easier to build than the hoiktronics look-up tables.

Alright then. Still impressive though. Very impressive. How much free time do you have exactly?

 

[DicemanX]

Alright then. Still impressive though. Very impressive. How much free time do you have exactly?

I know these contraptions look like they would take a long time, but it only took about 2 hours to construct the whole tracktronics contraption, and another hour for the video + pics. I'm hard pressed as it is to find time for Terraria engineering, which is why I don't put as much effort into the videos. The reason why the building isn't so time consuming is because there is a lot of repetition in the builds (which is likely not evident upon a cursory examination of the schematics) and much of the engineering process is actually done away from the game. I just wait until I get inspired or experience some sort of epiphany (which can take a while), and then putting things together is easy by comparison.

 

[Your Conscience]

I know these contraptions look like they would take a long time, but it only took about 2 hours to construct the whole tracktronics contraption, and another hour for the video + pics. I'm hard pressed as it is to find time for Terraria engineering, which is why I don't put as much effort into the videos. The reason why the building isn't so time consuming is because there is a lot of repetition in the builds (which is likely not evident upon a cursory examination of the schematics) and much of the engineering process is actually done away from the game. I just wait until I get inspired or experience some sort of epiphany (which can take a while), and then putting things together is easy by comparison.

So you don't have that much free time, just a lot of resources?

 

[DicemanX]

So you don't have that much free time, just a lot of resources?

Not much time in a week - maybe 5-6 hours total to put towards this hobby per week. Thankfully it's a hobby that exercises those brain muscles and keeps me sharp for work .

 

[Your Conscience]

Not much time in a week - maybe 5-6 hours total to put towards this hobby per week. Thankfully it's a hobby that exercises those brain muscles and keeps me sharp for work .

It is good to have a hobby that isn't sleeping. And it's certainly a more healthy hobby than gta or CoD. Sorry to anyone I may have just offended.

 

[DicemanX]

It is good to have a hobby that isn't sleeping. And it's certainly a more healthy hobby than gta or CoD. Sorry to anyone I may have just offended.

Apparently even games like CoD can have benefits, increasing hand-eye coordination and the like. Even if that turns out not to be true, it's can be a destresser, and can be enjoyed by those who you'd think wouldn't go for such games. Like this:

 

[Your Conscience]

Apparently even games like CoD can have benefits, increasing hand-eye coordination and the like. Even if that turns out not to be true, it's can be a destresser, and can be enjoyed by those who you'd think wouldn't go for such games. Like this:

Lol. Anyways, this is getting a bit off-topic. I was wondering, what are those bricks you used?

 

[DicemanX]

Lol. Anyways, this is getting a bit off-topic. I was wondering, what are those bricks you used?

Those are stone slabs - my favorite type of block! I put diamond gemspark walls behind to light up the blocks. Seems more appropriate for showcasing engineering builds.

 

[Your Conscience]

Those are stone slabs - my favorite type of block! I put diamond gemspark walls behind to light up the blocks. Seems more appropriate for showcasing engineering builds.

Nice. I would make gemspark blocks more often, but I have a habit of selling all my gems...

 

[ZeroGravitas]

I foresee them being easier to build than the hoiktronics look-up tables.

Should be pretty compact, vertically stacked like my 14 and 16 segment track powered displays. Although a universal segment reset mechanism will, of course, take up a lot more space (unless you simply re-run the cart over the previously used lookup line, without fail). Sure you're atop of this.

Still waiting on @bawr 's Tracktronic CPU... Wondering if it'll look more like my fully 'analogue' setup there, or your far more efficient, teleporter augmented version, (shown up top, here). I think the tracks/rails certainly make the logical operation more intuitive (easier to look at, at least). But what's the execution time penalty? 3-4 times slower than a hoik powered one (with a single skeleton in the works)?

Re: video games as brain training - I think the reaction times has always been a red herring, but there are lots of transferable (problem solving) skills + anything that enriches one's environment and life is a feel good factor that is likely to have metabolic/hormonal health effects. So game on (within moderation)!

 

[DicemanX]

Should be pretty compact, vertically stacked like my 14 and 16 segment track powered displays.

It'll be nicely vertically compressed, but the key is the horizontal compression since it would sit on top of the shifter and BCD. We'll see what I can come up with.

Still waiting on @bawr 's Tracktronic CPU... Wondering if it'll look more like my fully 'analogue' setup there, or your far more efficient, teleporter augmented version, (shown up top, here). I think the tracks/rails certainly make the logical operation more intuitive (easier to look at, at least). But what's the execution time penalty? 3-4 times slower than a hoik powered one (with a single skeleton in the works)?

Around that, yes. Here's an example:

3x70 (with 70 input into MQ register) takes 4 minutes and 26 seconds with the tracktronics computer.

In my overhauled hoiktronics computer that has switched over to single track registers, the calculation takes 50 seconds.

The added downside to the tracktronics computer is that it isn't exactly fun to watch with the carting around and flashing lights .

 

[awesomegamer919]

I understand very little of this but it looks impressive me like