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NovodeX Physics Engine SDK/Demo Released

Posted by simoniker on from the causing-havok dept.

JJC writes "If, like me, your favourite thing about Doom 3 is the test_boxstack demo map, you're in for a treat. To demonstrate their physics engine, NovodeX has produced a Windows program, called NovodeX Rocket, that lets you set up and manipulate a number of 3D objects and watch them collide and interact realistically. Included are ragdolls (human, deer, horse and monsters), dominoes, trebuchets and a giant Jenga tower. This coincides with the NovodeX Physics SDK v 2.1.1 becoming freely available for non-commercial use. I heard about this from David Weller's MSDN Blog."

11 of 32 comments (clear)

  1. And there's Open Dynamics Engine... by rgbe · · Score: 5, Interesting

    ODE (http://ode.org/) is a GNU physics engine that has a simulation where you can crash a car into a brick wall .... LOT's of fun :)

    1. Re:And there's Open Dynamics Engine... by Lisandro · · Score: 4, Informative

      http://jet.ro/dismount/

      If you liked the ODE demo, you'll go postal over these.

    2. Re:And there's Open Dynamics Engine... by TomorrowPlusX · · Score: 2, Interesting

      ODE is very commonly used for robotics simulation. Which is, coincidentally, what I'm using it for.

      Screenshot

      I also decided to write a Mahjong Solitaire game using ODE to box-stack it. So when you "give up" it's like a simulation of sweeping the tiles off the table. It's absurd.

      Screenshot

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      lorem ipsum, dolor sit amet
  2. Re:I'm not into FPS games anymore... by Associate · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I would dare to assume that this could be used to create things like virtual monster chess/ checkers/ jenga/ whatever. It could stomp a mud hole in Steam Checkers.

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    Someone hates these cans.
  3. Well, a glimmer of hope by jvmatthe · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I had been worried that future id Software games might not be released as Free software (like Doom, Quake, Quake 2, and soon Quake 3) because they were incorporating third party libraries for physics. Sure, John Carmack and crew ripped out some sound code from Doom to get the source released, but a whole physics engine is a completely different beast, and I doubt that Carmack would be up to coding a decent one in order to make the Doom 3 source something he could release in a workable state.

    Anyway, good to see they're at least thinking about tools that are open enough that they might be usable in a few years when Doom 3 is made Free.

    As another example: I doubt that UT2k3 could be released as anything resembling Free software when it is a true legacy product and Epic's newer tech is attractive enough to keep people licensing the new instead of going for the old. It's got a physics engine that they depend on someone else to build for them, last I heard. (Can't remember the name of it right now. Karma? Ah well.)

    Not that I'm waiting for Doom 3 to become Free: it's many years out and for now id's getting my cash as soon as the GNU/Linux binaries for Doom 3 are released. It's the least I can do for a developer that continues to give its source away when it's done with it. Of course, I'd like to see the new game too. ;^)

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    Curmudgeon Gamer: Not happy
    1. Re:Well, a glimmer of hope by waaka! · · Score: 4, Informative

      Don't be misled by the submitter's mention of Doom 3's test_boxstack map, Doom 3's physics were done in-house at id by Jan Paul van Waveren (a.k.a. Mr. Elusive), who was also responsible for bots both official and unofficial in past Quakes. Gamespy interviewed him and Robert Duffy back in 2001, although the interview doesn't go too much into the details of exactly how Doom 3's physics work.

      On the other hand, there was a press release back in late March about how Epic Games will be using NovodeX technology in future versions of the Unreal engine.

    2. Re:Well, a glimmer of hope by 0x0d0a · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Don't be misled by the submitter's mention of Doom 3's test_boxstack map, Doom 3's physics were done in-house at id by Jan Paul van Waveren (a.k.a. Mr. Elusive), who was also responsible for bots both official and unofficial in past Quakes. Gamespy interviewed him and Robert Duffy back in 2001, although the interview doesn't go too much into the details of exactly how Doom 3's physics work.

      Yes, that was my guess when I read this article. Marketroid: "People like DOOM3 right now. Hmm. Time to get a Slashdot story submitted."

      "DOOM3's physics engine is awesome! You can license [unrelated, permanently-proprietary engine] for only a small amount of money here [link]!"

      Marketroid: "Yes sir, confused people are clicking on that link like mad."

      Argh.

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      May we never see th
    3. Re:Well, a glimmer of hope by _|()|\| · · Score: 2, Interesting
      I doubt that UT2k3 could be released as anything resembling Free software when it is a true legacy product

      I see no reason to think that the Unreal engine will ever be released as free software, regardless of its ties to third-party software. It's really something special for id to release the Quake engines. You see it here and there with smaller and older titles, but John has said that the Quake 3 engine (still to be found in recent games like Jedi Academy and Medal of Honor) may be released by the end of the year.

  4. great... by hookedup · · Score: 3, Funny

    it's 1am, and i'm playing jenga alone..

    some of the demos make great stress relievers... now where did i put that thumbdrive to bring this to work tommorow...

    1. Re:great... by prockcore · · Score: 2, Funny


      some of the demos make great stress relievers.

      True, but some of them create stress.. the dead horse and deer ragdolls were just disturbing.

      That didn't prevent me from throwing them high in the air just to watch them hit the ground, however.

      I need help.

  5. I don't really like the physics in D3 by 88NoSoup4U88 · · Score: 2, Interesting
    I personally don't like the physics engine that much ; In the game itself it's used in the id-way of using it : showing it off , all tech-demo-ey like (i only played through half of it)

    But when i tried the boxstack testmap, alot of times i've seen combinations, where gravity would have done its work in real life (eg. some boxes still staying upright when shooting one box halfway out).

    I really like the Havok engine, currently being used in the UT series, and also available in the HL2-Source engine (looked way more realistic than the D3 physics do)