Ragdoll Physics
Author
hi,
I am trying to understand the use and implementation of ragdolls in video games - and all I get till now is that they _liven_ death sequences. I've searched google but have failed to come up with a nice introduction to ragdoll physics. Could someone guide me to a couple of ragdoll resources ?
http://www.ioi.dk/Homepages/thomasj/publications/gdc2001.htm
This is an explanation of the method they use in Hitman. I've never written something using it, but it looks pretty good.
This is an explanation of the method they use in Hitman. I've never written something using it, but it looks pretty good.
The simplest (but still complex!) approach is to use a pre-built physics system such as ODE, Tokamak, or Havok. The first two sites in particular have some information on this if you dig enough.
Creating your own dynamics engine is an extremely complex task.
Creating your own dynamics engine is an extremely complex task.
Author
Quote: Creating your own dynamics engine is an extremely complex task.
you are right, it is extremly complex and I won't even attempt to do something like that. I am planning on using ODE in my current project. I felt _understanding_ ragdolls would've helped me implement them nicely.
Thanks for the link !!
Look through the ODE mailing list archives, I seem to remember seeing a few posts on this subject.
Quote:Original post by uavfun
Creating your own dynamics engine is an extremely complex task.
Not necessarily. The core part of my implementation here:
http://www.rowlhouse.co.uk/jiggle
is really very simple - especially if you strip out the complex stuff for object deactivation. Also the problem of writing a collision detection package is different (maybe harder) than writing a basic dynamics engine.
Writing it so that it is blindingly fast is more complex - but if you are happy for it to run at, say 50% of the speed of a commercial package, then you _can_ do it yourself.
Btw - the hitman approach looks easy, but my experience is that getting it to work fully is really hard, because of the hacky way you have to approach friction etc, much harder than using true rigid bodies.
If you really want to 'understand' ragdoll, or are at all interested in implementing your own, I recommend reading this:
Kinematic and Dynamic Simulation of Multibody Systems
Not an easy read but definately the most in depth guide to constained dynamics I've seen. And its free :). Hope this helps
Kinematic and Dynamic Simulation of Multibody Systems
Not an easy read but definately the most in depth guide to constained dynamics I've seen. And its free :). Hope this helps
Author
Motorherp, I have already attempted to read that _book_ (many chapters) but it really is for advanced physics engine developers - and maybe taking the _understanding_ thing a bit too far ;-).
The hitman physics article is impressive.
The hitman physics article is impressive.
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