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Physics engine overhaul!
Posted by Data in Cortex Command - April 6th, 2007

So we thought we’d push a build out this last weekend, but then we came up with this and that to add, and then all of a sudden there’s a serious need to overhaul the core physics code! In essence we’re going to try to squash some of the old core physics engine problems like sinking objects and inconsistently mushy terrain.

So, along with a whole lot of other major improvements (e.g. scenes are very easy to make now, no more silly contours), we’ll take some more time to really get into overhauling the physics integrator and collision response code.

In the mean time, here’s a little surrealistic teaser:

New background?!

UPDATE:
For the curious, this describes one of the things we’re actually doing to the physics engine:
http://www.gaffer.org/game-physics/fix-your-timestep/
It, combined with a lot more bugfixing and tweaking in collision response code will help prevent MovableObject-Terrain sinking, as well as MO-MO interpenetration and consequent explosions. We’re also considering swapping out the integrator, but not sure yet if it’s something we can retrofit into the current way the engine works.

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143 Responses to “Physics engine overhaul!”

  1. Fedexbox - # April 6th, 2007 at 2:04 am

    Badass, LAWL FIRST POST!

  2. Grif - # April 6th, 2007 at 2:05 am

    OH HELL YES NO MORE F***ING CONTOURS.

  3. BreenedandScrooned - # April 6th, 2007 at 2:07 am

    Ooh…sounds good. Nice new background, too.

  4. spog - # April 6th, 2007 at 2:17 am

    oooooooooh!

  5. The-Masses13 - # April 6th, 2007 at 2:34 am

    Damn. And I was looking forward to a new build this weekend.

    And does this mean we’re getting the scene editor?

    If so; YAY!

    And is that the default background now? It looks great.

    - The-Masses

  6. Cow_Man - # April 6th, 2007 at 2:35 am

    Does this mean the end of AI dancing to your brain? If it is, then it was a good idea to give AI specific paths otherwise they would just pile up, but if they’re going to be smarter, should it be made that only one AI character move at one like humans do?

    I also like the sound of the simple to use map editor and the background looks awesome.

  7. PredatorKing (GMI) - # April 6th, 2007 at 2:38 am

    Collisions will work better in the next build? *Literally explodes with excitement*

  8. Zashlam - # April 6th, 2007 at 2:54 am

    Woah. That’s awesome, Data. I love the new background, and can’t wait for the Scene Editor and improved physics you’re talking about.

    Great job, Data!

  9. Me - # April 6th, 2007 at 2:55 am

    Yeah the background looks great.

  10. MaximDude - # April 6th, 2007 at 3:15 am

    I so like it! ITS TEH OWN!!!DATA J00 ARE KING!
    Will this mean everythings gonna be fudged up? Or this will have no affect on mods ot anything, just the physics
    Anyway, even if its gonna get fudged, I dont really care… MUST HAVE BUILD NOW!!!!!!! *Drools*

  11. Droon - # April 6th, 2007 at 3:17 am

    i Wonder when its coming out??

  12. TSRabbit - # April 6th, 2007 at 4:45 am

    Sounds great guys! Take your time on the build, we want it polished! So what will we be seeing with the physics overhaul? Bodies staying in ragdoll for longer?

  13. lazyfaith - # April 6th, 2007 at 4:54 am

    love the background, will the scene editor work then?

  14. CapnBubs - # April 6th, 2007 at 5:43 am

    Looks very cool, really can’t wait to play with the new physics. Fixing the mushy terrain will be great!

  15. Digital66 - # April 6th, 2007 at 6:16 am

    Yay!!! NO MORE CONTOURS!!!! W00T’S

  16. jayhayhayhay - # April 6th, 2007 at 7:21 am

    nice…. im lovin the work data

  17. mooseproduce - # April 6th, 2007 at 7:46 am

    THIS IS AWESOME

    The random sinky physics and other movement oddities have always been my biggest beef with the game… plus, I assume this means that CPUs will no longer be able to tunnel into your base with lame skeletons. :D

    Are you going to fix jetpacks so that they always work? Because about 50% of the time I spawn an actor who has jetpacks, they only let him glide.

  18. Blob - # April 6th, 2007 at 7:47 am

    W O W ! ! !
    DATA You are the best of the best!!!
    It sounds good and it looks good, IT IS AWESOME!!!
    I must have IT!!

  19. Axxel - # April 6th, 2007 at 8:18 am

    “Are you going to fix jetpacks so that they always work? Because about 50% of the time I spawn an actor who has jetpacks, they only let him glide.”

    It’s not a bug. If he’s too heavy (ie, if you’ve stuffed too much heavy weapons on him), he won’t lift.

  20. Batesman - # April 6th, 2007 at 8:20 am

    When this comes out I’m gonna keep the last build in another folder for all my mods. I have tons of mods and I’m sure everybody else does too, so I recommend you do that too!

  21. Batesman - # April 6th, 2007 at 8:24 am

    Sorry for double post, but I forgot something.

    ZOMGGGGG!!!! I CAN’T WAIT THIS IS GONNA BE SOOOO COOL!!!

  22. The maker - # April 6th, 2007 at 8:48 am

    10 post!
    We want the build… *thinks of maximdude*

    in the next month or maybe year

  23. iwillcontrolyou - # April 6th, 2007 at 9:12 am

    Oooh..like the new background…
    Can’t wait!

  24. Kurrus - # April 6th, 2007 at 9:21 am

    The scenes are now tile-based? That’s kewl. Hope the future scene editor will work that way.

  25. divix - # April 6th, 2007 at 9:32 am

    oh the bg is so beautiful

    nice work

    but whats the rocket in the middle for?

    make it possible the add emitters to objects!!

    plsssssss!!!!!!

  26. Nikola(Nikica) - # April 6th, 2007 at 10:24 am

    Yeah really nice background nice work Arne!!!

    And go work on the game Mr.Data i really want the build now!!!

  27. Thanatos - # April 6th, 2007 at 10:30 am

    Amazing work data. What are you going to focus on whith the new physics engine? And take your time, we have what we need for now to play it, take the time to work out bugs, glitches ect. Good luck with it data.

  28. anonymous - # April 6th, 2007 at 10:35 am

    will this mean if you mine out the bottom half of the base then the roof will fall on your head?

  29. Shocks - # April 6th, 2007 at 10:39 am

    I like that the rocket is actually level on the concrete and isn’t sunk in really, and tile based wootness!

  30. Foogooman - # April 6th, 2007 at 10:43 am

    OH SNAP! That’s amazing, this should be one heck of a build! I’M EXCITED TO THE MAX.

    Be right back, need to change pants.

  31. Prod - # April 6th, 2007 at 11:22 am

    Tiles? YES! Tiles make the world go ’round, now I don’t have to worry about those… (Thinks about last ban) er, DUMB, skeletons.

  32. anonymous - # April 6th, 2007 at 11:29 am

    any answers to my question anyone?

  33. Galaxy613 - # April 6th, 2007 at 11:30 am

    I absolutly can not wait for this build. :D So great steps…

  34. Durza - # April 6th, 2007 at 11:37 am

    Can’t wait data, you rock!

  35. Kokits - # April 6th, 2007 at 11:39 am

    “will this mean if you mine out the bottom half of the base then the roof will fall on your head?”

    Ooh… that sounds cool. I have wanted that before, but imagine how hard it would be. And if you make a tunnel with a digger, and you exit the tunnel in a different place, then all that dirt would fall.

    Hmm… when you use the digger, some of the particles disappear while others are just thrown away. If we use your idea, than all the particles that would fall would have to be coded so that they don’t disappear. This sounds like a good idea. Now I want that!

    I’m glad that the physics are getting an overhaul, the engine did need some kinks worked out. Take your time Data!

  36. p3lb0x - # April 6th, 2007 at 11:47 am

    *salivating*

  37. robburdon - # April 6th, 2007 at 11:51 am

    what? is? that? picture? about?

  38. Block - # April 6th, 2007 at 12:03 pm

    Could you please, please, explain what are you going to do with the physics engine?

  39. Purple - # April 6th, 2007 at 12:57 pm

    Will the new ease in making scenes crush the hopes and dreams of any scenes in the building process before the newest build is released?

    Also, did you get that PM from Grif about custom materials, and the colours they use in the MAT.bmp?

  40. numgun - # April 6th, 2007 at 1:07 pm

    Overhaul?! YAHHHOOOOOO!!!!

  41. gnat - # April 6th, 2007 at 1:30 pm

    Prom did an awesome job on the new background/cloud art.

    Good luck on the new physics engine, can’t wait to see it in action.

  42. Peni - # April 6th, 2007 at 3:50 pm

    Fuck yeah niggaz! Dis gamez gonna pwn da schniznit bitches!

  43. UndeadHawk - # April 6th, 2007 at 4:17 pm

    Seems you havent really succeded on the physics part yet seeming that large piece of concrete with a rocket on is freaking floating in the air!! >:-E

    :P

  44. Mr. B - # April 6th, 2007 at 4:42 pm

    Really cool background, I think it might look better with more of an orangey-mist look, instead of the blue. Like what the sky on mars looks like, if it was meant to be that desert-y.

  45. sylverone - # April 6th, 2007 at 5:17 pm

    1. It’s a PREVIEW. They’re still working on it.
    2. The concret is part of the foreground of the “level”. It isn’t a physics object.

    Nice new background!

  46. sylverone - # April 6th, 2007 at 5:26 pm

    Sorry for double comment, but I have a request. To reduce lag caused by certain mods, could there be a system variable added that erases any particles that exceed a certain user-set speed? That would help keep some of the rather… extreme mods from freezing the game.

  47. makeshifter - # April 6th, 2007 at 6:30 pm

    and again you have proven my link true data. WOOT!

    “Seems you havent really succeded on the physics part yet seeming that large piece of concrete with a rocket on is freaking floating in the air!! >:-E”

    ummm he would have to make the scenery an object to. which would cause anything under it would soon deteriorate its self. besides you should be happy that the ground it editable at all. in most games the scenery is a static object which means that the place never changes. take halo for example. if you get shot all that happens is a blood splot is thrown on the ground. which disipears shortly. same with bomb markings and bullet holes. this game has it so the terrain is desructable. but is suppose he could fix that. but you’ll also have to wait even longer.

    all who vote wait longer for an awesome build say aye!

  48. makeshifter - # April 6th, 2007 at 7:12 pm

    hmmmm no one. thats what i thought.

  49. SgtBob - # April 6th, 2007 at 7:34 pm

    Makeshifter, it was a joke?

    Geez.

    Aye, btw. :D

  50. Juggz - # April 6th, 2007 at 7:42 pm

    Very nice background image, keep it.

    And better physics and scene editor?
    Im going to die from enjoyment when this comes out

  51. makeshifter - # April 6th, 2007 at 8:08 pm

    im sorry i take coding seriuosly

  52. joemikkel - # April 6th, 2007 at 11:12 pm

    Wooot, this is going to be my most anticipated build so far! I’ll try not to go crazy like last time, tho.
    Cool background, too.

  53. owensworth - # April 7th, 2007 at 12:04 am

    Makeshifter, stop being so uptight.

  54. NMae12 - # April 7th, 2007 at 3:08 am

    “will this mean if you mine out the bottom half of the base then the roof will fall on your head?”

    THAT WOULD BE AWESOME, i was actually talking about that yesterday in desert strike when them damn skeletons mine through a mountain and dont die

  55. Zashlam - # April 7th, 2007 at 3:12 am

    Great job, Data. I’m really excited for this build. Can’t wait for the new physic tweaks.

    Keep it up, Data!

  56. Shalafi - # April 7th, 2007 at 3:33 am

    Yes! I knew that the delay would worth it.

  57. robburdon - # April 7th, 2007 at 4:51 am

    Who mentioned tiles first? It doesnt say it in the post so im guessing that it is made up hype. or am i stupid?

  58. TSRabbit - # April 7th, 2007 at 4:58 am

    Erm, check the progress part of the forums, you’ll find it there. Not made up.

  59. robburdon - # April 7th, 2007 at 8:31 am

    oh ok. whoops im really out of it today.

  60. whef - # April 7th, 2007 at 9:31 am

    Man this looks good, I love the new background to! And the scene part of it sounds really good! keep it up!:D

  61. Kokits - # April 7th, 2007 at 10:23 am

    Yeah, tiles are gonna rock.

  62. someguy - # April 7th, 2007 at 12:21 pm

    ba da bop ba baa, im lovin it

  63. KarvaBopi - # April 7th, 2007 at 2:58 pm

    That thing that prevents the enemys from sinking to ground and getting to your brain by dancing on top of it, if you block the entracnces how in the hell they then get in ? even if they have walking paths still they can go trougth or will they use diggers /=)

  64. Linkeltje - # April 7th, 2007 at 2:58 pm

    Great background! Maybe the clouds need some more realism as well now? Oops I guess you have enough on your mind now ;-)

  65. lazermaniac - # April 7th, 2007 at 7:23 pm

    The enemies will now wield their own diggers, Karvabopi.

  66. Foogooman - # April 7th, 2007 at 8:13 pm

    Is it out yet? >.>

  67. Zcool31 - # April 7th, 2007 at 8:51 pm

    From that screenshot:
    If you were to suddenly take control of that rocket, and try to fly it straight up, would the exhaust particles pile up and go to the right, as though that section of environment was a pipe, and kill whatever is to the right of those blocks?
    That would really rock.
    Also, If you fill a rocket up with those little shells (the ammo for the cannon) would they fly out and act as a cluster grenade when the rocket explodes? That would really rock also.

  68. Foogooman - # April 7th, 2007 at 8:59 pm

    Is it out now? >.>

  69. Sp00n0wn3r - # April 7th, 2007 at 9:08 pm

    come on this is TORTURE! >.

  70. Juggz - # April 8th, 2007 at 2:05 am

    It’ll probably be another week or two atleast.

    He is rebuilding the WHOLE physics engine.

  71. joemikkel - # April 8th, 2007 at 3:08 am

    Not to bother, but I have a question : will bullets with 0 mass now actually behave like they’re weightless?

  72. Juggz - # April 8th, 2007 at 3:59 am

    A bullet with 0 mass is impossible…

    So there would be no point in making it possible in game

  73. Shalafi - # April 8th, 2007 at 4:25 am

    What JOEMIKKEL wants is a bullet that is not affected by gravity (so it wont be ballistic); but it should have some mass, because without mass it won’t have any kinetic energy (and won’t do damage).

  74. DrDerekDoctors - # April 8th, 2007 at 6:46 am

    Ooh, interesting that you’re banishing the mushiness to a degree (and hopefully the ol’ ceiling-pacing-AI-victories as a result). Very muchly looking forward to how the new version feels.

  75. Murahdus - # April 8th, 2007 at 7:25 am

    Wow! I can’t wait for the next build :)
    BTW, some sort of airstrike would be fun. For example buy something that ignites or blows up in fearsome ocean of flames when it hits the ground, inside the dropship and open the doors like normaly and muahahahaa, burn in the flames of my napalm strike you scums with green heart next to your energy counter! :D
    nothing beats the smell of napalm at the morning… :)

  76. Juggz - # April 8th, 2007 at 7:36 am

    The Kinetic Mod already does a damn good airstrike

  77. makeshifter - # April 8th, 2007 at 8:50 am

    guys if you have 0 mass if possible it would not move it would be indestructible nothing could move it. and it wouldn’t be possible to see if it was born it would stay there for all eternity. all the forces apply to mass if there is no mass there are no forces

    also HAPPY EASTER TO ALL WHO CELEBRATE IT

  78. Tyrone - # April 8th, 2007 at 9:01 am

    “guys if you have 0 mass if possible it would not move it would be indestructible nothing could move it. and it wouldn’t be possible to see if it was born it would stay there for all eternity. all the forces apply to mass if there is no mass there are no forces”

    If it was born? What the fuck are you talking about?
    You sound like an eight year old.

  79. Robburdon - # April 8th, 2007 at 9:32 am

    no it wouldn’t. a beam of light has no mass but it is affected by the laws of physics. And course we could see it. unless it was invisible or magick.

  80. Murahdus - # April 8th, 2007 at 10:00 am

    i havent really taken too much attention on mods, but thanks for the tip juggz

  81. Monster_94 - # April 8th, 2007 at 12:50 pm

    I want full version!!!But were i can download it?

  82. joemikkel - # April 8th, 2007 at 1:15 pm

    Yea, so I wanted to make a gun that shoots bullets that slowly travel across the map indefinitely… Plus, bullets with no mass CAN exists. IN THE FRIGGIN GAME! It’s not like i’m asking Data to rewrite actual laws of physics. Oh, and if something had no mass it would in fact move as fast as possible - at the speed of light. Thus, we can come to the conclusion that light is something with 0 mass. Lastly, i’d like to say that (sorry for the rant) grammar IS important! I had to read your message three times before I understood it, makeshifter.

  83. Foogooman - # April 8th, 2007 at 1:16 pm

    ……………now? >.>

  84. makeshifter - # April 8th, 2007 at 1:37 pm

    when i said born i meant created so whatever. also thats what math says its has never happened and probably will never happen so we don’t know

  85. lazermaniac - # April 8th, 2007 at 2:14 pm

    I hope Data fixes the problem with pre-placed enemy actors or actors that are created in different ways than being ordered from the menu. One good example of this is the popular Metal Slug armor suit mod. If the Marco actor it ejects when destroyed survives, he just stands there. He doesn’t fire at the enemy and you can’t select him. It’s the same for the enemy actors that are placed in the map by the mapper. Another suggestion I had was to make a boolean variable that defines whether or not the actor can be selected and whether or not its health is shown. I’ve seen quite a few actor-based land mines out there that would work perfectly fine if it wasn’t for the huge friggin’ health display above them.

  86. MaximDude - # April 8th, 2007 at 2:25 pm

    Data, I reall yahte enemy dropships landing directly over my base squishing all my actors, are you going to add something that will prevent that, or, somehing I can mess with to prevent that?

  87. Galaxy613 - # April 8th, 2007 at 4:15 pm

    I wish there was a maximum distance away from your brain you can deply your troops… then you’ll never have to worry about them deploying their troops over your head. :)

  88. Shalafi - # April 8th, 2007 at 4:34 pm

    Things like the two last comments, which are only minor tweaks, could be easy made once the game is finished. (they’re not important for the development, which is the current step)
    I think that Data prefers us reporting important issues that can affect the Physics Engine (the most important of CC).

  89. Dobodo4 - # April 8th, 2007 at 5:25 pm

    Either that, or some kind of territory control. If you have control over a certain area for a few seconds or minutes, you can then have drop ships and rockets deliver Stuff there.

    This may be a bit to complicated for Cortex Command, but it might make the rounds last longer and be more fun.

  90. Foogooman - # April 8th, 2007 at 5:54 pm

    I want the new build :(

    Percent done?

  91. BreenedandScrooned - # April 8th, 2007 at 8:10 pm

    “I want full version!!!But were i can download it?”

    The full version isn’t out yet.

  92. The maker - # April 8th, 2007 at 8:19 pm

    I wouldn’t ask the percent done Foogooman :(
    Beware of Maximdude

  93. makeshifter - # April 8th, 2007 at 10:03 pm

    need game now or in three days from now. a.i.m.s starting soon. i don’t think i could go on if it was released during a.i.m.s.

    yes i know thins is immature but ill be damned if this is going to happen

  94. bob-23-111 - # April 8th, 2007 at 10:54 pm

    Sorry but whats aims?

  95. PredatorKing (GMI) - # April 9th, 2007 at 2:59 am

    I think me means AIDS. *puts on tinfoil hat*

  96. MaximDude - # April 9th, 2007 at 3:33 am

    @The Maker, I have a full arsenal of steel chairs here, prepare to be hit on the head through the internet! LAWL

    I wonder is theres some way to make this hude cap thing over the bunker… Maybe using the plasma door somethow… Hmmm… If it works, it could be a force fild that blocks everything that comes from the outsede while letting everythig from the inside go outsede… Thatd be some good defence

  97. makeshifter - # April 9th, 2007 at 7:55 am

    not aims, A.I.M.S. Arizona’s internal measuring standards or something like that. its a test to make sure that we actually learned something in each class. it lasts three days and it gets harder every year. every day i come home exhausted and won’t be able to play cortex command

  98. JeCa - # April 9th, 2007 at 8:52 am

    Hey, maker, Photons (or whatever they’re called in english) has 0 mass, and since I can look at my computer monitor for the moment, I take it as a sign that they /do/ move. At the speed of light is my guess.

    Abd I’m sorry to say this, but I’m probably one of the few people here who actually would’ve prefered to get two builds, one with the new HUD(plus the rest) and one with the new physics. Now that guy’ll never see the new version. :/ But that’s just for me, and either than that I’m really looking forward for this version. Spent a week in spain and got a pleasent surprise when I heard about the new plans.

  99. Robburdon - # April 9th, 2007 at 9:56 am

    LMAO, steel chairs.

    i swear The maker is doing it on purpose..

  100. The maker - # April 9th, 2007 at 10:30 am

    Mabye i am mabye i’m not

    But i’m leening towards NOT!

  101. Foogooman - # April 9th, 2007 at 11:24 am

    The anticipation is excruciating.

  102. MaximDude - # April 9th, 2007 at 11:54 am

    *Woosh* *Steel chair flies twards The Maker* *Exit woosh* *The Maker, pwnt through the internet by a steel chair*

  103. Carp - # April 9th, 2007 at 12:16 pm

    If a bullet had zero mass, it would be a photon, and go fast enough to be modelled as a line segment. You could do lasers via 0-bullets, but that sounds like it’d be ugly coding. What would be neat (if possible) would be laser weapons (might have odd effects on terrain, depending on how that’s handled in next build).

    On an unrelated note: an idea for the name of the planet. Since the game has a brain controlling several bodies at once, a reference to the part of the brain responsible for that (I’m thinking proprioception here) might be in order.
    I’m not sure what part of the brain that it, but a little Wiki’ing led me to the cerebellar vermis. Would some variant of that work as a planet name?

  104. The maker - # April 9th, 2007 at 12:23 pm

    … me not post anymore

  105. Robburdon - # April 9th, 2007 at 12:42 pm

    I’m finding this really funny. Maximdude I an suprised you actually threw the chair. I thought this day would never come…

    @carp. Yes you are clever.

    lasers could have interestiong effects like lowering the gib level on whatever shot at, making it easier to kill stuff, and if you hold it down long enough the actor would just gib of fall apart.

    The cerebellar vermis’ main function is self awareness (Proprioception) and that is what the brain in CC does. It is aware and in control of its neighboring parts, egg robots skellies..

    cerebellamis (i just put the words 2gether and it sounds a bit like a spell or something.)

    or just vermis. dunno what the word means, but it sounds alright.

    more names,

    Phobia - my general internet alias, means fear
    Deimos - i think greek for panic, also one of the 2 moons of Mars, along with
    Phobos - deriditive from phobia, probs greek/latin

  106. BreenedandScrooned - # April 9th, 2007 at 12:47 pm

    Ugh. He just wanted to know if negative mass bullets would float instead of falling.

  107. Joe Mikkel - # April 9th, 2007 at 1:10 pm

    Thanks breened. This is the game i’m talking about, not real life. BTW, bullets with 0 mass behave like reguals bullets right now - and as was made evident by this huge discussion, they shouldn’t.
    @ makeshifter - make sure to review your physics well before you take that test ;-)

  108. Carp - # April 9th, 2007 at 2:58 pm

    Did some more knocking about the Wiki. How about:

    Planet Aurum (Latin for gold), in the Cerebello (from the brain) system. Or possibly Verme (from the (cerebular) vermis, although “vermis” means worm)

  109. Kaito - # April 9th, 2007 at 4:10 pm

    AWESOMENESS

  110. Foogooman - # April 9th, 2007 at 4:46 pm

    The update is like

    Programmer talk ——>
    me (’.')

  111. makeshifter - # April 9th, 2007 at 4:59 pm

    you know maybe i should of asked my brother he actually IS a phisasitst. besides my strong point is psychology. any way this game is going to rock.

  112. Munchkin - # April 9th, 2007 at 5:15 pm

    I personally like “Planet Aurum” it sounds good and fits.

    The next build does look like it will be awesome.

    The programmer talk is also beyond me.

    And also I would like to know where I could find doors for cortex command I looked and did not find anything.

  113. PredatorKing (GMI) - # April 9th, 2007 at 8:35 pm

    Also, guess what I’m gonna do with the dropship once the build with fixed physics is released? Dropship drive by!

  114. Munchkin - # April 9th, 2007 at 10:07 pm

    Question:

    Will you fix the problem that if a, say, bloke of concrete is hanging in mid air (see picture) it will fall to the ground till it is in contact with something that is not in mid air?

    Savvy?

  115. Murahdus - # April 10th, 2007 at 12:26 am

    @ crap - I’m no rocket scientist, but isn’t laser light, and if it’s light then it would last forever until it hits something right? And because we have sometimes shot our selfs in the back if you shoot in cortex command, think about what the laser would do. It would just go around and around until it hits someone or something, right? :D

    About the planet name, i dont really have ideas, but Aurum and Cerrabellamis sound good.

  116. MaximDude - # April 10th, 2007 at 4:31 am

    So Data, hows it going? Anything got fudged? We should know…

  117. Shalafi - # April 10th, 2007 at 6:03 am

    UMM Data, can’t you release a CC Beta Build 14, and host both CC13 and CC Beta 14 so we can see what’s going on?

  118. Foogooman - # April 10th, 2007 at 10:16 am

    We need another teaser shot :(

  119. JeCa - # April 10th, 2007 at 11:47 am

    [quote]@ crap - I’m no rocket scientist, but isn’t laser light?[/quote]

    Yep. Or if you want, light is a stream of photons, which also is a kind of electromagnetic radiation, I.e (partly, only accounts for gamma) the same kind of energy emerging from radioactive materials. Sadly I’m not good enough at english to explain the difference between normal light and laser light.

    And one question about the physic changes (no, I’m not a programmer), will the changes increase or decrease the lagg (taken that you won’t change the way the game takes advantage on the comps hardware)?

  120. Axxel - # April 10th, 2007 at 2:05 pm

    “Will you fix the problem that if a, say, bloke of concrete is hanging in mid air (see picture) it will fall to the ground till it is in contact with something that is not in mid air?”

    No, don’t, it’s not a problem. I think it’s cool. My brother and I played the coop mode today, and we dug a huge tunnel all around our bunker, so it was like a flying island. Pure pwnage :D

  121. Munchkin - # April 10th, 2007 at 2:48 pm

    Well I see your point in a way, what about an option? please.
    It could make really cool battle fields to have half broken down bunkers and what not.

  122. Carp - # April 10th, 2007 at 3:23 pm

    Question: How do people dig tunnels without them collapsing in real life?
    Depending on the answer, it might be an interesting dynamic to add, allowing for (nearly) floating bases when carefully supported, and for ruined bases when not so carefully. I could even see sending troops with diggers to undermine enemy bases. As always, this is less than likely to be easy to do. Still a neat idea, tho.

  123. Shalafi - # April 10th, 2007 at 4:04 pm

    I think that the best solution for the collapsing tunnels is just to create static materials (as all ground right now in cortex command, which is not affected by the gravity) and dynamic materials, which are afected by the gravity and fall. So, if we have a tower made of dynamic material and the lower level of static, if we destroy the lower level it will fall. Also, if you prefer a map all made of static like the ones that have CC right now, you can have it.

    But I don’t think that CC could support dynamic materials, as it wouldn’t run in normal computers. I haven’t seen any game that supports that (except hardware accelerated, like AGEIA).

  124. Munchkin - # April 10th, 2007 at 5:17 pm

    No, Shalafi, I don’t really agree because that would give too many possibilities for glitches and problems.

    Carp, I agree with you undermining bases would be very fun, which goes with the idea that maybe you could tell your guys to dig from one point to another making tunnels for you.

    And by the way carp, real life tunnels are supported by wooden…supports that hold up the ground while the diggers dig.

    Savvy?

  125. Munchkin - # April 10th, 2007 at 6:26 pm

    Sorry for the double post but I just noticed the forums are dead silent…

    Maybe it is the silence before the storm.

  126. Juggz - # April 10th, 2007 at 6:55 pm

    The tunnels in CC have a background in case you didn’t noticed, therefore in a 3d space they must be round :D

  127. Foogooman - # April 10th, 2007 at 7:05 pm

    You’re all forgetting that Cortex Command takes place in a 2d portion of a 3D world. When you destroy land, you can see a graphic of more land behind it. This is what keeps it from falling. Same with bases, they have things behind them that support them.

  128. Kokits - # April 10th, 2007 at 8:07 pm

    Hey, did anyone read the link Data posted?

    What all did it say? Halfway through I realized that I had no idea what it meant.

  129. Shalafi - # April 11th, 2007 at 1:31 am

    Foogooman is right, CC ground is supported by the extra ground in a deeper Z level (in 3D).
    Munchkin, I also don’t like the dynamic materials, I just suggested that because I think it is the best way it could be done if Data wants to (I don’t realy think Data wants, and I think that everyone prefers wheeled vehicles). I really like the Worms ground style, despite it is unrealistic, it creates funny and chagenging matches and is predictable (you can’t spect how the other would act)

  130. Shalafi - # April 11th, 2007 at 1:37 am

    Kokitis, the link talks about physics engine timing. The system explained is better than current CC timing system, and Data us working to implement it. I really hope that it’ll improve the lagging when lots of things are in movement (like a big bomb, which generates hundreds of particles flying).

  131. Carp - # April 11th, 2007 at 9:54 am

    Hmm. Keep in mind, though, that the Z support keeping ground in place isn’t steel or anything. Even as a 2d slice, I think the engine should support a little dynamic ground, enough to make undermining a nuiscance if not a method of base destruction.
    Ooh! Ooh! maybe there could be a “sticky” concrete gun which could spew concrete that becomes static terrain on contact. It’s a somehow more CC solution to caveins than wooden supports.

  132. dallas - # April 12th, 2007 at 5:17 pm

    cool bg and i wus thinking if you shud mack a ninga with its guns and crap with it

  133. Zcool31 - # April 12th, 2007 at 7:27 pm

    I read the code, and that’s some nice code, I never would have thought to put it like that. In my apps, it just stops simulating when you alttab out. Otherwise, this approach only works if your machine can handle the engine, otherwise the lag would just accumulate perpetually.

  134. Robburdon - # April 13th, 2007 at 3:36 am

    Aye. I think i understood that.

    @Zcool31, that is what the time-delta-damper does. It stops lag building up.
    Anyway, why bother when we could just put CC on the graficz card?

  135. Bandaid - # April 14th, 2007 at 9:50 pm

    We are all nerds

  136. RoflersUnited - # April 18th, 2007 at 8:36 pm

    ITS COMING OUT WHEN THEY RELEASE IT!

  137. RoflersUnited - # April 18th, 2007 at 8:37 pm

    cool bg and i wus thinking if you shud mack a ninga with its guns and crap with it

    @Dallas:Wtf use english….

  138. Joseph - # April 18th, 2007 at 10:44 pm

    Does this mean we’ll be able to walk around with out fear of tripping and dying?

  139. Anonymous - # April 20th, 2007 at 6:53 am
  140. Anonymous - # April 20th, 2007 at 6:57 am

    Hell, I spend my time to have 1000000 “?” (exactly) in my clipboard and it only supports 65335 (2^16 - 1) characters long :(

  141. Xmenmatt - # April 22nd, 2007 at 9:54 am

    So not sinking objects could mean cars and wheeled veicles?

  142. Spamking - # April 22nd, 2007 at 10:08 am

    Oh. I see. New physics. Um… what the flying f*** is a timestep? Oy, oy… I think we need an English-Programmer dictionary on this website. Anyway, no more digging skeletons would be awesome, and so would that idea of pipes Hey, with a narrow enough passageway, you could crush a clone in a pipe thing with a falling rocket, and have the blood fly out at very high speeds… a blood cannon!

  143. Carp - # April 24th, 2007 at 3:40 pm

    Any gamer worth the food ey eats knows that a timestep is the indivisable unit time of a game’s physics engine, the “pixel” of time if you will. Ideally, it matches the framerate or syncs nicely. The code data linked to is for when it doesn’t.

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