The Open Dynamics Engine (ODE) is a
physics engine
A physics engine is computer software that provides an approximate simulation of certain physical systems, such as rigid body dynamics (including collision detection), soft body dynamics, and fluid dynamics, of use in the domains of computer gr ...
written in C/C++. Its two main components are a
rigid body dynamics
In the physical science of dynamics, rigid-body dynamics studies the movement of systems of interconnected bodies under the action of external forces. The assumption that the bodies are ''rigid'' (i.e. they do not deform under the action of a ...
simulation engine and a
collision detection
Collision detection is the computational problem of detecting the intersection (Euclidean geometry), intersection of two or more objects. Collision detection is a classic issue of computational geometry and has applications in various computing ...
engine. It is
free software
Free software or libre software is computer software distributed under terms that allow users to run the software for any purpose as well as to study, change, and distribute it and any adapted versions. Free software is a matter of liberty, no ...
licensed both under the
BSD license
BSD licenses are a family of permissive free software licenses, imposing minimal restrictions on the use and distribution of covered software. This is in contrast to copyleft licenses, which have share-alike requirements. The original BSD lic ...
and the
LGPL
The GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL) is a free-software license published by the Free Software Foundation (FSF). The license allows developers and companies to use and integrate a software component released under the LGPL into their own ...
.
ODE was started in 2001 and has already been used in many applications and games, such as ''
Assetto Corsa
''Assetto Corsa'' (Italian for "Race Setup") is a sim racing video game developed by the Italian video game developer Kunos Simulazioni. It is designed with an emphasis on a realistic racing experience with support for extensive customization an ...
'', ''
BloodRayne 2
''BloodRayne 2'' is an action hack and slash video game developed by Terminal Reality for PlayStation 2, Xbox and Microsoft Windows. It does not follow on directly from where '' BloodRayne'' finished; instead, it takes place 60 and 70 years l ...
'', ''
Call of Juarez
''Call of Juarez'' is a first-person shooter video game series created by Paweł Selinger in 2006. Released primarily on Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360, there are four games in the series; '' Call of Juarez'' (2006), '' Call of ...
'', ''
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
''S.T.A.L.K.E.R.'' is a first-person-shooter survival horror video game series developed by GSC Game World. The series is set in an alternate version of the present-day Chernobyl Exclusion Zone in Ukraine, where, according to the series' backs ...
'', ''
Titan Quest
''Titan Quest'' is an action role playing hack and slash video game developed by Iron Lore Entertainment for Microsoft Windows. It was published by THQ in 2006. It was released on Steam in 2007, and later ported to mobile devices by DotEmu an ...
'', ''
World of Goo
''World of Goo'' is a puzzle video game developed and published by independent game developer 2D Boy. The game was released on Microsoft Windows and Wii platforms on October 13, 2008, with releases on Nintendo Switch, Mac OS X, Linux, and var ...
'', ''
X-Moto'' and ''
OpenSimulator
OpenSimulator is an open-source server platform originally launched in 2007 for hosting virtual worlds and metaverse environments. It is largely compatible with the virtual world ''Second Life'' but full compatibility is not a design goal.
Fe ...
''.
Overview
The Open Dynamics Engine is used for simulating the dynamic interactions between bodies in space. It is not tied to any particular graphics package although it includes a basic one called ''drawstuff''. It supports several geometries: box, sphere, capsule (cylinder capped with hemispheres),
triangle mesh
In computer graphics, a triangle mesh is a type of polygon mesh. It comprises a set of triangles (typically in three dimensions) that are connected by their common edges or vertices.
Many graphics software packages and hardware devices can ...
, cylinder and
heightmap
In computer graphics, a heightmap or heightfield is a raster image used mainly as Discrete Global Grid in secondary elevation modeling. Each pixel stores values, such as surface elevation data, for display in 3D computer graphics. A heightm ...
.
Simulation
Higher level environments that allow non-programmers access to ODE include
Player Project
The Player Project (formerly the Player/Stage Project) is a project to create free software for research into robotics and sensor systems. Its components include the ''Player'' network server and the ''Stage'' robot platform simulators. Although ...
,
Webots
Webots is a free and open-source 3D robot simulator used in industry, education and research.
The Webots project started in 1996, initially developed by Dr. Olivier Michel at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ( EPFL) in Lausanne, Switzer ...
,
Opensimulator
OpenSimulator is an open-source server platform originally launched in 2007 for hosting virtual worlds and metaverse environments. It is largely compatible with the virtual world ''Second Life'' but full compatibility is not a design goal.
Fe ...
,
anyKode Marilou an
V-REP
ODE is a popular choice for robotics simulation applications, with scenarios such as mobile robot locomotion and simple grasping. ODE has some drawbacks in this field, for example the method of approximating friction and poor support for joint-damping.
See also
*
OPAL
Opal is a hydrated amorphous form of silica (SiO2·''n''H2O); its water content may range from 3 to 21% by weight, but is usually between 6 and 10%. Due to its amorphous property, it is classified as a mineraloid, unlike crystalline forms ...
– the Open Physics Abstraction Layer, originally built on top of ODE
*
Physics Abstraction Layer – The original Physics Abstraction Layer
*
Newton Game Dynamics
Newton Game Dynamics is an open-source physics engine for realistically simulating rigid bodies in games and other real-time applications. Its solver is deterministic and not based on traditional LCP or iterative methods.
Newton Game Dynamic ...
*
Bullet
A bullet is a kinetic projectile, a component of firearm ammunition that is shot from a gun barrel. Bullets are made of a variety of materials, such as copper, lead, steel, polymer, rubber and even wax. Bullets are made in various shapes and co ...
– another open source physics engine used in commercial games and movies
*
Chipmunk
Chipmunks are small, striped rodents of the family Sciuridae. Chipmunks are found in North America, with the exception of the Siberian chipmunk which is found primarily in Asia.
Taxonomy and systematics
Chipmunks may be classified either as ...
– a similar physics engine intended for 2D applications
*
Vortex (software)
*
Project Chrono
Project Chrono is a physics engine developed by University of Wisconsin-Madison and University of Parma and members of its open source community. It supports simulating rigid and soft body dynamics, collision detection, vehicle dynamics, fluid- ...
References
External links
* Bitbucket
ODE project pageOpen Dynamics Engine (ODE) Community Wiki* (Old
Official ODE Homepage* (Obsolete
Python-ODE Bindings (pyode)The ode4j project, a Java port of ODEThe ODE.NET project, a C# wrapper for ODE
Computer physics engines
Free computer libraries
Software using the BSD license
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