Ragdoll PhySUCKS

Sorry for the late post, guys. I've been lazy recently but I'm back...just for you.

Don't you gamers hate it when you reach Chapter 3 and start to notice that both your allies and enemies always die in the same 4 or 5 animations? No matter how they're disposed of - bullet wound, frag explosion, frying pan - they all seem to die in the exact same few ways: drop to their knees and grab their chests, or perform a ROFLcopter-like squirm in pain while muttering "This isn't what I signed up for."

Well, this is where ragdoll physics come in to play. We should all know what it is but...

"a collection of multiple rigid bodies tied together by a system of constraints that restrict how the bones may move relative to each other. When the character dies, his body begins to collapse to the ground, honouring these restrictions on each of the joints' motion, which often looks more realistic."

Thanks for that input, Wikipedia, as slightly nonsensical as it was.

But anyway, ragdoll physics are pretty much common for games these days but are they really "more realistic"? Sure there are some great moments like when you shot that guy mid-run once and he did some flying no-hands cartwheel...or, or that other guy who fell of a ledge and got his leg tangled within the railing leaving his arms to dangle widly. Fun times, remember?

BUT NOT REALISTIC.

If I wanted non-serious slapstick humour, I would have played LittleBigPlanet or, better yet, attack my sister unprovoked and see how the day would end.

Basically, before we play in a world where every single person is a master of extreme Yoga, games should adopt GTA IV's euphoria animation engine. Either that or be inspired by this moron:

[Image: http://th06.deviantart.net/fs29/300W/f/2010/026/b/8/b8e92cb5de6c4741561b76e2eb3ecee8.jpg]

[Quote: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ragdoll_physics]

[Video: Portalenz]