Gaming Physics
from the how-real-is-your-world? dept
An article over at the BBC about how computer game makers are suddenly using physics engines more and more to make things seem realistic. They no longer what people walking through walls or unable to kick a box out of the way. However, in some cases, things are a little too real. Apparently, in one game, players kept having their gun get caught on door frames and windows. It would be cool, of course, (and maybe already done? as I show my gaming ignorance) if you could adjust the physics in the game to your liking. Change the gravity. Change the friction. Suddenly your sliding and bouncing all over while playing Quake…
Comments on “Gaming Physics”
Physics
Mike,
Friction and gravity have been an element in FPS games for a while, at least since Quake II. There is nothing more disconcerting than jumping and continuing to ascend…makes for an interesting game.
It will be interesting to see what happens as more and more game elements become subject to more realistic applications of physics.
it's already here..
..you can already turn off/reduce things like gravity in Quake II derived games – like Half Life. no one ever really does it because games haven’t been designed with this feature in mind, so it’s not very much fun – ie, you can’t walk on the roof you just jumped onto because it was intended only to be scenery. it’s another situation where the features end up being a kind of cocktease – they don’t mean anything if they’re not used appropriatly by a skilled game designer. so what if you can shoot a Coke machine and throw cans at ppl? is that really more fun? Take Black and White as an example of a game with an incredible bevy of features we were all impressed with.. until we realized that they weren’t actually fit into any sort of game.
..the game market seems to be approaching a fork of some kind – i’d say between people who want a consistent driven game and those who want a kind of huge, expansive playground. sort of like an excersise class versus a gym membership.
..oh, and on the low-gravity tip, how about a game that simulates the battle rooms from Ender’s Game?
~Jon
Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3...
…has a moon physics cheat. It’s cool for five minutes then pulling off slo motion 7200’s gets kind of boring.
OTOH they have an expert mode that simulates real physics. It makes the game way more challenging and playable once you can finish it in your sleep in “normal physics”.