Very simple couple of questions -

1) Could you have a very simple ~2D driving physics engine like Generally's in a 3D game engine like LFS? E.G. by having only placeholder calculations for third dimension.

2) How simple exactly, code-wise, can you make such barebones driving physics in a 3D context like a modern big budget game like GTA or Battlefield with a large number of other graphics and physics-driven systems leaving only minor amount of resources available for driving physics?

2b) The specific goal is to have the bare minimum elements for steering vehicles around: a range of sliding from neutral to complete oversteer. No need for complex sim-level suspension or traction variance with contact patch size or pressure, etc. Just bare bones steering/sliding/thrusting dynamics where you can either steer or slide around a corner like in Generally.

@2 : Most Budget games like GTA are having "fairly" simple car physics, when you make it too complicated, it will take more work to make a new car.

Most of the budget games are using similar game engine's. in these game engine's you can make game elements. the elements makes the game "special".

If you want to take a look at the basics of game engine's , you might want to take a look at Unity 3d. this is a free game engine.

@2b: http://unity3d.com/support/doc ... /class-WheelCollider.html

1) I can't imagine this working in any nice manner. Better to have a simple fully 3D driving model, IMO.

2) Surprisingly simple, if you wish. Totally depends if you want things to work the same as real life, or just kinda similar. The latter option opens up many more possibilities.

The Unreal engine comes with a super simple driving model, although I find the tyre model built in to PhysX (nxWheelShape) is pretty damn atrocious. I could write something simpler yet easier to drive.

Really, very simple vehicle physics can be achieved with high school physics. One of the hardest parts to simulate accurately are the tyres behaviour. This can in an arcade game be replaced with nothing but a few constants, and it won't feel realistic but it will be driveable..

Quote from Breizh :

Very simple couple of questions -

1) Could you have a very simple ~2D driving physics engine like Generally's in a 3D game engine like LFS? E.G. by having only placeholder calculations for third dimension.

This is known as '2.5D'. A 2D game engine using a 3D graphics engine. It's widely recommended as an easy switch from 2D to 3D coding so there should be a fair amount of material around if you google.

Generally ftmfw!!!

Thanks guys.