Hey all, I originally conceptualized this interactive concept for a client, which ended up falling through, so I never got the chance to try and develop it. Here are the comps: So the general idea is you grab a limb, and swing the guy around into environmental elements. It would only be 2D, with the Z axis being "faked" simply by scaling the figure to give the illusion of depth. While I have no need to actually develop this, I'm still curious enough to want to take a stab at it for fun, but I've never coded/implemented/worked with a physics system of any kind before. I'd be developing this in Actionscript 3.0 (Flash). So I'm looking for any helpful advice regarding the easiest possible way to implement some sort of small-scale, basic 2D ragdoll engine. I can port whatever code is necessary if there is an existing, robust, very minimalistic engine... or if you think there's a better, home-brewed version I can bust out, I'd love to hear it. It's only the math & physics & theory behind the ragdoll physics that I'm a stranger to (while the collision detection would be very simple for this, as well as every other programming aspect of the project). The figure itself would simply be sprites cut up at joints (forearms, upper arms, torso, thighs, shins, and head) and would really only need to be rotated on its 2D axis.

Google turned up This so I know it can be done. The "Rubber Woman" works in the same way as you dscribe, clicka nd drag a limb, or drop her to see the physics work.

Inverse kinematics is the name of the game, and
Here are my first few search results.

having thought about it, I recon you could get away with just line vs line collision. One line for each edge of the collision area, which I assume is a square. Treat each end of each limb as a particle, and use an approximation to calculate the force on that limb, from reflection, the energy enforced by the mouse, and the direction its being pulled by the other limbs.