BeamNG.drive

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The Science of Destruction: Understanding BeamNG.drive’s Soft-Body Physics

 

The core of BeamNG.drive’s incredible realism is its unique soft-body physics engine. This isn’t like other games where damage is pre-scripted or simplified. Here’s how it works:

Vehicles as Node-Beam Structures:

  • Imagine every car in BeamNG.drive is built from a complex internal skeleton made of thousands of nodes (points in space) connected by beams (elastic connections).
  • These beams act like springs, dampers, and breaking points, mimicking real-world materials (steel, aluminum, glass).

Real-Time Deformation:

  • When your vehicle hits something, the physics engine calculates how these nodes and beams react instantly.
  • If a beam’s strength is exceeded, it will bend, stretch, or even snap.
  • This causes the vehicle’s body to crumple, deform, and break apart in a realistic, localized way. A fender bender will look different from a head-on collision because the forces are calculated specifically for that impact.

Functional Damage:

  • Damage isn’t just visual; it’s functional. If your suspension bends, your steering will be affected. A flat tire will make the car veer. A damaged engine might smoke or stop working.
  • This means every impact has real consequences for how your vehicle drives.

Progressive Destruction:

  • Damage builds up over time. A small hit might cause a dent, but repeated stress on that area will lead to more severe deformation and eventual breakage.

Why it Matters:

  • This deep simulation makes driving feel incredibly realistic and crashes incredibly satisfying to watch.
  • It turns the game into a crash test simulator, allowing you to experiment with destruction in unparalleled detail.

BeamNG.drive’s soft-body physics sets it apart, offering a truly dynamic and authentic vehicle destruction experience that continually surprises and engages players.

Rating

Graphics and Sound
5
Controls
5
Gameplay
5
Lasting Appeal
5
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