#how things work

[askagamedev]

My Twitter is melting down over Tears of the Kingdom having a chain wrap around a wheel to lift a door open. Can you explain why senior programmers are calling this “black magic”?

Physics simulation starts off simple when you have simple situations, but each additional factor creates additional layers of complexity that the simulation might not handle all that well. Let me try to give you an example of such.

Let's go with a basic physics problem - I am standing still and drop a ball I am holding in front of me. What should happen? The ball starts with a velocity of 0, gravity pulls it downward, and it falls over time. Creating a general equation to simulate this is not that difficult - it's pretty basic physics.

Now let's add another layer of complexity. I'm still holding the same ball, but now I am standing on a mine car that is moving at a constant velocity along a straight rail. I drop the ball over the edge of the mine car. What should happen? The movement of the ball should take the movement of the mine car into account in addition to gravity, causing it to move differently from the above example. Creating a general equation to simulate this result is much more difficult.

And then we add another layer of complexity. I'm holding the same ball and standing on the same mine cart, but instead of the mine cart moving at a constant velocity, the cart got a big initial push and is now slowing down. In addition, we're no longer on a straight rail, but we're actually going in circles along a circular rail. I drop the ball over the side of the mine cart. What should happen? How many different factors must the physics simulation take into account in order to calculate the result correctly?

We can make this even more complex. Instead of dropping the ball, let's throw the ball. Instead of it being a ball, let's make it bola - a rope with balls on either end - that we're twirling over our heads before we release it. And we'll be doing the release while on an accelerating mine cart on a circular rail.

What the engineers on Tears of the Kingdom did was build a physics simulation system that can elegantly handle multiple layers of complexity. That's an impressive engineering feat, which is why so many skilled engineers are impressed by it. It's very similar to the fawning over the rope physics from the Last of Us Part 2 a few years back, and for the same reason - it's an exhibition of physics simulation elegantly handling multiple layers of complexity.

[Join us on Discord] and/or [Support us on Patreon]

Got a burning question you want answered?

Short questions: Ask a Game Dev on Twitter

Long questions: Ask a Game Dev on Tumblr

Frequent Questions: The FAQ

#game physics #how things work #game programming #simulation for simulation''s sake #game dev flexing

[stone-cold-groove]

Say aaaaaah.

#vintage animation #vintage educational films #educational films #animation #how things work

[garfield-milk]

#made this in 2020 #now im bisexual and aromantic lamoooo #how things work #still love zukka tho #zukka

[thoughtportal]

How Things Work: If the coop model can succeed in Minneapolis, that would significantly undermine the power of Uber and Lyft's threats to pull out of other cities in the future. Do you interact directly with those companies at all? Do they view you as a threat? Do they try to actively hold you back, or do they mostly leave you alone? What's your message to regular people about why they should use you, rather than those ubiquitous apps? 

Forman: We're somewhere between the "first they ignore you" and "then they laugh at you" phases. People should use us because on average, we're a little cheaper than Uber, and drivers make 10% above the minimum wage. And it's worker-owned. We're building lasting power in this industry in a democratic, worker-controlled organization.

How Things Work: For people who can see the logic of a driver's cooperative, what's the best way to help—in Minneapolis, and also in cities that don't have such a thing yet? 

Forman: For people who want to help—please download the app and share it with friends. We just created a new feature where you can see how many drivers and riders have been recruited in your area, and you can easily share the app with a QR code and other tools. Also, we certainly need funds to get this done. If you can, donate a bit to the effort to build a co-op in Minneapolis.

#article #how things work #ride share #co-op #worker owned #labor vs capital #capital vs labor #venture capital #labor movement #minneapolis #technology #tech

[nocternalrandomness]

Airliner Cabin Ventilation

#aviation #infographic #how things work #cabin ventilation #airplane air conditioning #aircraft #packs

[divine-nonchalance]

#bashar #joy #fear #ascension #the nature of reality #what is reality #what is real #matrix #belief #identity #identity choosing #how to be healthy #clarity #how things work #how does life work #how to live #how to be happy #how to heal #healing #creation #how to live simply #the fundamental principles of existence #truth #how to navigate life #how to joy #everything is neutral #Youtube

[beautiful-basque-country]

This might be a stupid question but please note I do not live in Spain... Are certain parties only available in specific autonomous regions? Like for example, is EH Bildu only available in Euskadi + Nafarroa, and BNG in Galiza? Or can someone in Madrid vote for either of those 2 options?

Kaixo anon!

That's not stupid at all! ^_^

Like in so many countries, Spain has electoral districts. For the so called general elections - the ones to choose the president of Spain - the district is the province, and it's up to each political party to decide in what provinces / districts it can be eligible.

Some big parties - PP, PSOE, Cs, Vox, Podemos - can be voted for in every province. But some other - more focused on a region or nation - can only be voted in certain provinces.

Why? Because quite a few votes condensed in a single district are more valuable than many many votes scattered all over them. So these parties - ERC, PNV, EH Bildu, Coalición Canaria, BNG, and many more - choose their provinces / districts of influence to optimize results.

#euskadi #euskal herria #basque country #pais vasco #pays basque #politics #spain #elections #how things work #anons

[bitletsanddrabbles]

PSA: How To Open “12 Days Of ___” Sets

As a retail worker, I’m seeing more and more Christmas items that are like Advent Calendars, but instead are “12 Days Of ____” 12 Days of Coffee, 12 Days of Jam, etc.  Now, I know a lot of people are just going to buy them, completely ignore the whole ‘theme’ and open them all at once, same as Advent Calendars, and that’s fine! No judgement here if you want all of your chocolate/coffee/jam/whatever at once.

However, I have run across a few people trying to figure out which date to start opening their items on, because the items themselves never tell you. No one’s been over annoyed by it, of course, but there is a slight air of ‘Well, I guess I need to pull out my phone and go to the calendar app’.

If you are one of these people, allow me to save you some trouble. The date on which you should start opening these items is:

DECEMBER 25TH

That’s right! Christmas day is actually the 1st day of Christmas and it goes from there! 3 seconds on Google will back me up. 15 seconds on Google will present you with five different reasons for it which seem to contradict themselves, but don’t actually if you stop and think about it. I’d usually be able to explain this to you in reasonable detain, but it is not yet 9am and my tea hasn’t kicked in, so I’m just going to go with the simplest version, which is what I tell people at work because we have to get through the line:

It’s the time between Jesus being born and the three magi making it to see him.

More or less. I’m sure someone will come along and correct me with a ten page detailed analysis - assuming, of course, anyone even notices this thing. Because that’s how Tumblr works.

So now you know! Also, every time the television says “This year, there are TWENTY FOUR days of Christmas! We’ll be playing Christmas movies EVERY DAY until Christmas!” you can have a headache and go “That’s Advent, guys. It’s always been that way. Just...stop. Please.”

#christmas #twelve days of christmas #how things work #twelve days vs advent

[edaworks]

My family, all recreational boaters, watermen, regatta participants, and sailors: Let’s Teach You About Watercraft!

Me, age 10: /not paying attention, gets hit by boom as it comes around/

Me, age adult: Guys - I’m writing fiction about video game characters, please Teach Me About Watercraft for reference

My family: srsly

One relative: does this somehow involve that game that lets you visit Point Lookout

Me, age adult: actually yes. I need to know about /checks phone/ downeast style lobster boats

My family: haha you mean Chesapeake deadrises of course

Me, age adult: no, no I do not

My family:

#fanfiction #research #how things work #confusing the hell out of my dad for Father’s Day #fallout #fallout 4 #fallout 3 #oneifbyland

[askagamedev]

Why is ranged combat so much more common for the biggest action games than melee? What are the design benefits of having a gun or things that work like a gun?

It's generally easier to prototype and develop ranged combat that feels good than it is for melee.

Melee combat lives and dies by the animations and systems we build. If my character swings her sword in a horizontal arc, it creates very different expectation for a hit reaction than stabbing or chopping. A player will probably realize near-instantly if the reaction animation doesn't match the type of attack properly and it will make the combat feel cartoonish, breaking immersion. The melee animations are also performed extremely close to the camera, so the player gets full view of all of the details. We need many different attacks and many synchronized hit reactions in order for the melee combat to look right.

Ranged combat, on the other hand, does not usually carry this kind of action-reaction animation expectation. Shooting animations are generally simple and small motions. Playing a hit reaction can be as simple as a flinch or just falling over. Hit reactions are limited to hit location and typically don't need to take the motion of the weapon into account. Enemies that play hit reactions are also usually smaller on screen and further away, meaning less overall player scrutiny. We can sometimes just get away with turning on ragdoll and not even need a specific hit reaction.

Really, it comes down to the fact that animation and system requirements of making a good melee combat system work are more expensive than making a good ranged combat system work. Since the act of shooting and the act of getting hit are significantly distinct from each other, ranged combat is much easier to get working than melee combat where the hitting and the getting hit are inextricably linked. Combine this with the fact that melee combat is, by necessity, up close and immediately visible and you have a noticeably higher bar for acceptable quality from a melee combat system.

[Join us on Discord] and/or [Support us on Patreon]

Got a burning question you want answered?

Short questions: Ask a Game Dev on Twitter

Long questions: Ask a Game Dev on Tumblr

Frequent Questions: The FAQ

#combat design #system design #game feature breakdown #how things work

[stone-cold-groove]

Frequency.

#vintage educational films #educational films #how things work

[uniofnottingham]

At the University of Nottingham, we have about 3.5 million archive documents and 80,000 printed items in our Manuscripts and Special Collections Store. Here are some things in there that just make sense (to us).

#uni of nottingham #archives #libraries #history #how things work #things that make sense

[elsarunia]

Teile deinem Herzen mit, dass die Angst zu Leiden schlimmer ist als das Leiden selbst. Und kein Herz hat jemals gelitten, wenn es auf der Suche nach seinem Traum war.

Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than suffering itself. And no heart has ever suffered while searching for its dream.

Powiedz swojemu sercu, że strach przed cierpieniem jest gorszy niż samo cierpienie. I żadne serce nigdy nie cierpiało, gdy szukało swojego marzenia.

#fotografia #nature #artiseverywhere #chill vibes #chillout #fotograferen #my art #sunday #sunlight #homesweethome #just thinkin #about the world #how things work #whyyyy #question everything #ask me questions #give attention #give answer #try your best #nevergiveup #look up #love #peace

[professor-dumbledope]

What happens inside the body during CPR.

#video #videos #cpr #first aid #chest compressions #survival #survivalism #facts #resuscitation #cpr resus #twitter #how things work

[sylvies-kablooie]

i do unironically think the best artists of our generation are posting to get 20 notes and 3 reblogs btw. that fanfic with like 45 kudos is some of the best stuff ever written. those OCs you carry around have some of the richest backstories and worldbuilding someone has ever seen. please do not think that reaching only a few people when you post means your art isn't worth celebrating.

#i often wonder about how many things would be considered classic or high art had they only received the marketing #how many short films that were made for class could have been the most powerful thing you'd ever seen? if you'd seen them? #“you know the greatest films of all time were never made” etc etc #but like. these works of art ARE being made. it's just enjoyed by a smaller audience with equal impact though #i think about this one furry i used to follow on insta who had the coolest worldbuilding ever. it's been years. #thought prompted by that sketch of nimona from ten years ago that was just for a character design #posted to the creator's tumblr and now it's nominated for best animated feature film at the oscars #and by the genuine emotional reaction a fan comic made me feel. how much work had gone into it. how beautiful it was to me. #idk what to tag this but i hope whoever needs to hear it does #writing #writer #fandom #fandom culture #artist

[bixels]

Baffled.

#personal #not art #like how do you arrive at this conclusion #what beliefs? #the man may be a total grouch but if there’s one thing he HATES it’s Japanese nationalism #Japanese nationalists famously HATE his work especially the wind rises which criticizes imperial Japan and calls out the invasion of China #don’t ask for context on the first part of the tag I’m not answering