Cinematic Physics..

DigiQ8

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Newell then went on to announce that Valve had hired former Weta employee Gray Horsfield - the brains behind the destruction sequences in The Lord Of The Rings trilogy and King Kong - to implement a new physics mechanic called Cinematic Physics, which is set to generate some staggeringly realistic in-engine demolition sequences, augmented by a revamped particle system and shadow buffers. Newell showed us one such visual spectacle in which a towering bridge disintegrated beneath a helpless Alyx, who hung on for dear life while calling to Gordon for help. -- CVG

:O
 
Do they run a simulation and record what happens then simply replay it back as animation or are all the physics calculations done in real time?
 
I hope it will be something like real time dynamic breakpoints and simulated materials (bending metal, blowing up walls etc).
 
Now this sounds awesome. Wonder if we'll be able to get some of it for editting in the SDK for machinima.
 
the brains behind the destruction sequences in The Lord Of The Rings trilogy and King Kong - to implement a new physics mechanic called Cinematic Physics, which is set to generate some staggeringly realistic in-engine demolition sequences, augmented by a revamped particle system and shadow buffers.

Wow, sounds great.

By the way, can someone actually tell me what it is?
 
"The idea behind this is to give players the opportunity to experience in-game physics in action on a grander scale. As an example of Cinematic Physics in action, a clip from Half-Life 2: Episode Two was shown of a huge bridge collapsing across a vast ravine."

Hopefully we’ll see this in the Episode Two trailer next week
 
If my name wasn't Samuel, I wouldn't think this is cool.
 
I used to have nothing to look forward to once HL2 came out, nothing excited me nearly as much, ill be honest, when they first accouned ep1 i still didnt feel that same exctiement, but then the week before the release, it got me the same old feeling going, now its starting NOW with all this weeks juicy facts, i need these trailers NOW!
 
They're releasing it in Spring on purpose. :(

There are new trailors coming?
 
The new physics engine links key animations to physics as well as other enhancements. You see this being used in the EP2 trailer, when Alyx losses her grip on the poll - Her lowerbody is not animated when she slips, it's ragdoll'd.

"Endorphin" ring a bell? That's a good example.
 
The new physics engine links key animations to physics as well as other enhancements. You see this being used in the EP2 trailer, when Alyx losses her grip on the poll - Her lowerbody is not animated when she slips.

"Endorphin" ring a bell? That's a good example.

Oooh. Nice. Thanks for that info.
 
The new physics engine links key animations to physics as well as other enhancements. You see this being used in the EP2 trailer, when Alyx losses her grip on the poll - Her lowerbody is not animated when she slips, it's ragdoll'd.

"Endorphin" ring a bell? That's a good example.
yay nice ^^
thanks smash !
 
The new physics engine links key animations to physics as well as other enhancements. You see this being used in the EP2 trailer, when Alyx losses her grip on the poll - Her lowerbody is not animated when she slips, it's ragdoll'd.

"Endorphin" ring a bell? That's a good example.

That's really called a reply.
 
The new physics engine links key animations to physics as well as other enhancements. You see this being used in the EP2 trailer, when Alyx losses her grip on the poll - Her lowerbody is not animated when she slips, it's ragdoll'd.

"Endorphin" ring a bell? That's a good example.



How do you know? My guess is its an animation. There's no way valve has completley altered the physics engine to include that, unless they bought a new version of havok.
 
How do you know? My guess is its an animation. There's no way valve has completley altered the physics engine to include that, unless they bought a new version of havok.
Valve oringally had the original Havok, although they massively modified it in order to improve the engine and the feature list is more similar to that of Havok 2.
Out of all of this i'm guessing many Valve employee's used this as a great learning experince in designing physic engines.

In other words, Valve may have the experince to alter there physic engine to include such a thing.
 
The new physics engine links key animations to physics as well as other enhancements. You see this being used in the EP2 trailer, when Alyx losses her grip on the poll - Her lowerbody is not animated when she slips, it's ragdoll'd.

"Endorphin" ring a bell? That's a good example.

Hmm.. odds of seeing enemies flinch from bullets/explosions based on physics instead of baked animations? Animation blending with physics is in Havok 2 and creates much nicer impact animations. Realistic reaction from enemies on bullet impacts is something HL2 lacked a bit.
 
How do you know? My guess is its an animation. There's no way valve has completley altered the physics engine to include that, unless they bought a new version of havok.
The original source where I got my info was pretty clear, almost word-for-word of what I said: Links key animations with physics. I can't remember where I read it, but Gamespy sort of talks about it.

Gamespy: "...Although Newell didn't go into great detail on what that meant, it seemed that the idea is to use the Source engine's physics capabilities to drive larger [Not necessarily meaning in mass] cinematic moments that might traditionally have to be scripted from start to finish..."



During the July 2006 Electronic Arts Summer Showcase press conference, it was revealed that former Weta Digital employee Gray Horsfield, special effects destruction lead on The Return of the King and King Kong among other roles, is building a "Cinematic Physics" system for Source. So there, yes, it's a heavily modified Havok physics engine - Maybe even no longer Havok?
 
Holy shit. Valve the greatest strikes again!
 
Does this mean they're throwing out Havok? Me's Q_onfuzled.
 
Sounds great. Can't wait to see Gordan blow shit up and see them crumble to the ground :D
 
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