Developer Diary: Game Phyiscs - Part 2

[Snowcrash]

In part two of his diary, Technical Director Cyrus Preuss goes deeper into the subject matter and talks about the physics engine that is utilized for Black Prophecy.

Read the full developer diary and discuss it in this thread! Also don't hesitate to ask questions about the diary. Cyrus will strive to answer them as far as his schedule allows.

[warstory]

very nice read.

Is damage also being calculated when these collisions occur? and what happens if a collision occurs inbetween updates animation wise ? I mean will it look like the 2 objects are merging graphically or will there be a pause then a jump to a new postion or are these updates occurring at a speed that we wouldn't notice a rescheduling.

[taofd]

if it is... that would be epic...

with all these updates... is there an ETA for beta? I understand that giving ETA sets expectations and raise the hopes of gamers... but could you maybe tell us if it's "VERY FAR AWAY" or "Somewhat distant future"?

[Delphi]

It's really good to hear about all about how the physics is computed within the engine, and in fact as a physicist (specialising in Quantum Mechanics codes), it was rather an eye opener to me to see that (of course) the physics is quantised by a specific timestep (split into discrete parts).

I have a couple of questions regarding this which it would be great to hear an answer about:

* Is the quantisation of the physics loop dependent on the processor speed (if not how do you 'pad' out the timing to stop a faster processor running it at a higher speed)
* What is the 'real' time step between updates?
* Is the physics engine running on its own independent thread, so can be passed off to another processor for parallelisation?

Also it would be great to hear more about your collision detection, and some of the algorithms which are used within the game (I'm guessing velocity verlet for the evolution of the velocity?).

Thanks,

Delphi

[epicor]

While im sure some found these 2 diaries to be informative, it gave me 0 information about your game. Bottom line is i don't care HOW your physics engine works. I care THAT it works and how it effects gameplay.

IE - will the physics be 0g based or will there be an artificial friction?
Will missile type objects (if there are any) be deflectable/destructable?
Will you use hitboxes (more dmg to engines than empty hull) or will it be 1 dmg amount per shot?

[Lomsor]

Originally Posted by epicor

Will the physics be 0g based or will there be an artificial friction?

Did you ever see the gameplay trailer? There you can see if they have it and when you can't see it from the gameplay trailer you don't deserve this information.

Originally Posted by epicor

Will missile type objects (if there are any) be deflectable/destructable?

There will be missiles. They seem to explode on the shield. Watch the gameplay trailer. It's more information then the whole forum all interviews and the official website can offer all together.

Originally Posted by epicor

Will you use hitboxes (more dmg to engines than empty hull) or will it be 1 dmg amount per shot?

Watch the gameplay trailer. There will be diffrent sections of the ship. Left wing right wing left engines right engines and cockpit. And 4 part shield front left right back.


Sorry but harsh questions harsh answers.

[epicor]

Originally Posted by Lomsor

Did you ever see the gameplay trailer? There you can see if they have it and when you can't see it from the gameplay trailer you don't deserve this information.

This just shows space flight, not physics. I never once saw someone spin on the spot so they could use forward momentum to carry them while firing backward.

Originally Posted by Lomsor

There will be missiles. They seem to explode on the shield. Watch the gameplay trailer. It's more information then the whole forum all interviews and the official website can offer all together.

Well, ya they would explode on shields wouldn't they? I mean can you shoot them down before they hit their target. IE countermeasures

Originally Posted by Lomsor

Watch the gameplay trailer. There will be diffrent sections of the ship. Left wing right wing left engines right engines and cockpit. And 4 part shield front left right back.

There are different labels (one specifically labelled 'weak spot'), but there is no footage showing whether hitting these various areas causes different types or amounts of damage. Labels don't necessarily mean variance in damage, but the ABILITY to hit that spot.

[Lomsor]

Originally Posted by epicor

This just shows space flight, not physics. I never once saw someone spin on the spot so they could use forward momentum to carry them while firing backward.

YOU SEE NO! IT DOESN'T HAVE REALISTIC PHYSICS. Was this so dificult?
There will be special maneuvers you can see some of them in the debut trailer we don't know if you can still fire while in this maneuvers, when yes you prabably can fire backwards.

Originally Posted by epicor

Well, ya they would explode on shields wouldn't they? I mean can you shoot them down before they hit their target. IE countermeasures

We don't know. I also want to know whats in pandoras box. But JGE did it. Showed friends and family, they said its crap and now theyr screwed.

Originally Posted by epicor

There are different labels (one specifically labelled 'weak spot'), but there is no footage showing whether hitting these various areas causes different types or amounts of damage. Labels don't necessarily mean variance in damage, but the ABILITY to hit that spot.

The cockpit is the weakspot if you destroy it the player is dead. There you got your weakspot. If you destroy the engines the ship can't move anymore and so on.

[dragnl0rd]

Ouch, lomsor... just... harsh.

You are correct in that the gameplay demo is extremely limited regarding the physics demonstration, targetting nodes, collision with projectiles, etc etc.

@epicor: Unfortunately these are all questions that we can do nothing more than speculate on until either part 3 of the physics diary or until beta. Until then I wouldn't worry too much about it.

[epicor]

Originally Posted by dragnl0rd

Ouch, lomsor... just... harsh.

You are correct in that the gameplay demo is extremely limited regarding the physics demonstration, targetting nodes, collision with projectiles, etc etc.

@epicor: Unfortunately these are all questions that we can do nothing more than speculate on until either part 3 of the physics diary or until beta. Until then I wouldn't worry too much about it.

This is exactly what i was saying to begin with. While the diary may have been helpful to those interested in general game engine theory, it really gave us no information about this particular game and how we should expect it to play.

As for the whole ouch bit... not really. Lomsor you are talking out your ass. Show me where we have a gamedoc saying anything i asked in hard text, or visually displayed on a video and ill recant, but right now none of this stuff has been displayed.

All the stuff you replyed about is you trying to verify X with the absence of Y. ie - they didnt display 0g physics so you assumed it didnt exist. Maybe they just didnt use that technique during the recordings. Then that last bit had only little to do with what i asked. Its a tertiary matter that a weakspot will kill pilot. It doesnt answer questions related to tactics and aiming. Though while im on the subject, where did that info come from? I thought i had read most of the material and i don't remember seeing what you just posted.