Physics Toybox Software Free

July 14, 2006 9:32 PM

SoupToys Toybox is a digital physics simulator for Windows that lets the user create semi-elaborate machines with real world physical effects (gravity, velocity, impact, etc). For a lengthier explanation, see here. Until today, the software was trial/purchase, but as of now, it's switched to freeware.
posted by lilbrudder (16 comments total)

I have been looking for something like this to play with for a long, long time.
posted by Jimbob at 9:56 PM on July 14, 2006

This thing is pretty cool. Although they don't mention the blaring music that plays when you open it. I hate that.

I'm always interested in software that's free for a limited time only too.
posted by bob sarabia at 10:01 PM on July 14, 2006

its almost like the incredible machine. neat!
posted by Mach5 at 10:03 PM on July 14, 2006

kinda like the Japanese PS1 game "Pane-kit", from 1999.

Here's a movie showing the thing in action.

I was going to do a fpp on this, but what the hell. I strongly believe that the next frontier in games is physics. Not exactly a bold prediction, but I've known for about a decade that what will make a game *really* fun is actually frangible environments.
posted by Heywood Mogroot at 10:18 PM on July 14, 2006

I found some excellent OpenGL demos a few years back, that offered you a 3D playing field, which you could throw things (bars, balls) around in. Does anyone know where I might find this sort of thing again? It was great stress relief, to set up a rack of virtual "pins" and bowl a virtual ball at them.
posted by Jimbob at 10:46 PM on July 14, 2006

Heywood - I completely agree; I'm sure you know this, but there are currently companies selling standalone physics cards, to run in parallell with your PC's standalone graphics processor card. Not many games take advantage of them yet, but I saw this amazing looking one which does.
posted by jonson at 10:59 PM on July 14, 2006

Great find, lilbrudder.

Heywood, I've heard "physics" and "AI". jonson, I think it should be possible at some point to make a graphics/physics combo card. They use a lot of the same math, so I would imagine it should be feasible. In fact, they are generally acting on the same objects, which you would expect could lead to some optimizations. Just my guess.
posted by Edgewise at 11:50 PM on July 14, 2006

This is great. I am five again.

I swear, I'm going to put my eye out with this thing... somehow. I'll find a way.
posted by Serial Killer Slumber Party at 11:53 PM on July 14, 2006

lilbrudder, you live up to the promise of your handle. I salute you!

[bows deeply, runs off]
posted by retronic at 1:54 AM on July 15, 2006

A slightly-related concept is Armadillo Run, which is a game wherein you are building simple machines/devices to get a ball to a target zone on the screen. Basic but functional graphics, good physics engine, rather interesting puzzles. They have a free demo you can try.

Armadillo Run is obviously inspired by Bridge Builder, from Chronic Logic. BB is simpler but has nicer graphics; you are trying to, shockingly, build bridges across open spaces that are strong enough to support a train. You have a limited budget, can face a number of different possible challenges, and in some cases must build drawbridges to let ships pass.

Both are pretty good. BB is much more polished, and might be a better place to start. Armadillo Run gets hard very quickly, and can be quite frustrating. BB will teach you some of the concepts that Armadillo Run uses.... once you're tired of BB, you think of AR as your graduation ceremony. :)
posted by Malor at 4:16 AM on July 15, 2006

Oh, I misremembered the name... Bridge Builder was an old piece of shareware, superseded by Pontifex and then Bridge Construction Set. BCS is probably what you would want, if you're interested in the idea.
posted by Malor at 4:21 AM on July 15, 2006

A physics game in which you use various blocks to build a machine that launches a rocket: Brain Strainer.
posted by caddis at 4:38 AM on July 15, 2006

Looks really cool.

How many of y'all have actually installed it and are playing with it?
posted by Gator at 4:55 AM on July 15, 2006

I'm playing with it, and it's fun. The only problem is that it runs on top of your other applications (or desktop), rather than in its own window, which I find very distracting. When you try to grab a ball, and end up dragging one of your Desktop icons instead, it gets frustrating.
posted by Jimbob at 5:22 AM on July 15, 2006

How many of y'all have actually installed it and are playing with it?

You'll be pleased to know I have devised a teddy-bear suicide machine. A beanie baby also meets an unfortunate fate through the machine's Golbergesque process.

I really need to get out more.
posted by Serial Killer Slumber Party at 5:37 AM on July 15, 2006

jonson, I think it should be possible at some point to make a graphics/physics combo card.

Why make a custom card? All the GPU really does is math, just repurposes it. Thus, GPU for Scientific Computing.

There's lots of ad-hackery going on with this idea, because the cost of entry is so cheap, and the possible results are very worthwhile. I read about (but can't find, dammit) a group that's running six of nVidia top end cards, two outputting display, and four doing math, to do some very math-heavy modleing in real time.

The IBM Cell processor is getting looked at for the same reason, and I suspect that somebody with the need to do lots of integer work is busing hacking on a Sun Niagara.
posted by eriko at 7:24 AM on July 15, 2006