Evolution of Physics in Video Games - lafur Andri
Evolution of Physics in Video Games - lafur Andri
Evolution of Physics in Video Games - lafur Andri
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<strong>Evolution</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Physics</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Video</strong> <strong>Games</strong><br />
3.2 Commonly used physics techniques<br />
Even though PhysX and Havok might have the option <strong>of</strong> us<strong>in</strong>g most or all <strong>of</strong> the techniques<br />
mentioned below, today‟s computers simply can‟t handle the most realistic simulations<br />
possible, forc<strong>in</strong>g developers to make trade<strong>of</strong>fs <strong>in</strong> realism.<br />
Collision detection has been an <strong>in</strong>tegral part <strong>of</strong> video games<br />
s<strong>in</strong>ce the beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g. It <strong>in</strong>volves algorithms to check for collision<br />
between two solids. Collision detection can for example<br />
determ<strong>in</strong>e whether or not a bullet hits a character. Without<br />
collision detection, characters could walk through walls and<br />
other obstacles unh<strong>in</strong>dered. Collision response refers to the<br />
simulation <strong>of</strong> what happens when a collision is detected,<br />
such as cha<strong>in</strong> reaction with other collision solids as is<br />
evident <strong>in</strong> ragdoll physics, described below. [12]<br />
Ragdoll physics are a type <strong>of</strong> procedural animations on creature skeletons that is <strong>of</strong>ten used<br />
as a replacement for traditional static death animations. Ragdoll physics could realistically<br />
animate a person fall<strong>in</strong>g down a flight <strong>of</strong> stairs, or someone gett<strong>in</strong>g shot with a shotgun <strong>in</strong><br />
the torso. For real-time simulations such as video games, a lot <strong>of</strong> tricks are used to reduce<br />
the complexity, such as Halo 2‟s pre-record<strong>in</strong>g a death animation and constra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g the<br />
output <strong>of</strong> the animation to what a physical system would allow [13].<br />
3 Early animation us<strong>in</strong>g ragdoll physics [13]<br />
[4]<br />
2 Classic example <strong>of</strong> collision<br />
detection [12]