Blog

For the new DigitalRune Geometry library we have created a simple 3D character controller example (including source code).

A character controller, as understood in this context, is a game engine module that computes the movement of an avatar in a game. The input for the character controller is the desired movement (e.g. “move forward with 5 m/s speed”, or “jump”) and the output is the new corrected avatar position in the 3D game world. The character controller has to apply gravity, avoid penetration of walls and other solid objects, handle stepping up/down slopes and stairs, and more.

This blog post contains our collection of references for Collision Detection: website links, a list of collision detection libraries, list of books. This post will be updated from time to time.

If you know other useful links, please let us know and we will include them in this blog post.

Collision Detection Websites

This is a collection of various links about collision detection and related topics. 

• Collision Detection on Wikipedia
• GAMMA research group
  Website contains a brief description of several libraries.
• Geometry Algorithms
  Collection of geometry algorithms: clipping, intersections, etc.
• …
  

Here is a list of physics engines. This blog entry will be updated from time to time. If you know other useful links, please let us know and we will include  them in this list.

• 3Impact
  Game engine with dynamics.
• AERO
• AgX Multiphysics Toolkit 
• Animats - Falling Bodies
  Ragdoll physics.
• BEPUphysics
  3D physics engine designed specifically for the XNA Framework
• …

Like my brother Helmut, I finished my master thesis in 2005. The thesis goes through all the steps necessary for animating characters in games. I thought it might be of use to someone who is just starting with this topic – so I might just write a blog post and put it back online for download.

If you don’t know how to create class diagrams for the XNA classes in Visual Studio, here is a quick summary of the process.

When I learn a new API I like to look at the API using different views: example code, API documentation, and class diagrams. When we started to learn XNA, we created class diagrams for the XNA framework. This helped a lot in getting an overview and seeing relationships between types.

I haven’t seen XNA class diagrams publicly on the internet. So it might help if I post our class diagrams here.

Here is a list of books related to rigid body dynamics and game physics.

This is a collection of links about game physics, especially rigid body dynamics, and related topics. 

• 3D World Simulation - Martin Baker
  3D world simulation knowledge base by Martin Baker containing a 3D physics section.
• Brian Beckman’s The Physics of Racing
  The how's, why's and wherefore's of punting a car around a track...
• Classical Mechanics
  Online course.
• Computer Simulations in Physics
  Physics Simulations page by Maciej Matyka. Mainly about soft bodies and fluids.
• Chris Hecker's Rigid Body Dynamics Information
• …

This is a collection of various links about character animation and related topics.

Libraries and Products

• annosoft Lipsync
• Cal3D - 3d character animation library
  A skeletal based character animation library written in C++. Open Source (LGPL).
• …

In 2005 I finished my master thesis about rigid body dynamics. It shows how to build a rigid body physics engine for interactive 3d applications. I am sure it is a good starting point for everyone who wants to learn about game physics.