Physics Engines - xBigEllx/realistic-block-physics-mirror GitHub Wiki
A physics engine within Realistic Block Physics determines the method used to perform block physics calculations. Depending on your playstyle or performance requirements, a specific physics engine may have more of an appeal to you.
For Realistic Block Physics version 1.12.2-3.0.0 and onwards, each dimension can be configured to have its own physics engine via the configuration of world definitions.
At the moment, Realistic Block Physics offers three physics engines to choose from. By default, the mod is configured to use the realistic engine in the Overworld and The Nether, and the simple engine in The End.
The realistic physics engine aims to provide the most "realistic" physics experience. Although there are areas where it is not able to accurately compare to real life, it provides the most challenging experience for players.
The simple physics engine is for those who want a more casual experience. Blocks in this physics engine will only fall if they are not connected to anything - the size and complexity of your structures does not matter. The one exception to this is with blocks that have been configured as unable to attach to other blocks, such as sand by default.
Important
Due to the possibility of extremely large structures when using this engine, there is a hard limit on the number of blocks that can be scanned for support. In the event that a scan has ended prematurely due to this, the structure will be deemed as supported. This is why the island in The End does not collapse, despite it not being supported by anything beneath.
The legacy physics engine is mainly used for compatibility with older versions of the mod, so as to not cause damage to existing worlds. This applies to anyone who has downloaded and played the mod prior to version 1.12.2-2.0.0 (2020/2021).
The below table provides a brief overview of each physics engine and their features.
Difficulty
How difficult it is to build complex structures that are properly supported.
Physics Speed
How fast the engine is able to perform physics calculations, mainly due to its complexity.
Hanging Blocks
Whether the physics engine allows blocks to hang from the bottom of other blocks for support.
Beam Stress
Whether the physics engine takes into account block weight when placing blocks above beams. Blocks that exceed the support strength of the beam will cause the beam to fall at that point.
Pillar Stress
Whether blocks are able to crush blocks beneath them when building up in a pillar. This is calculated based on the configured `Strength` property of blocks.
Compatibility
Determines the level of compatibility between each physics engine. This is useful to know when changing the physics engine for an existing world, although, this is highly unrecommended.
A physics engine with a compatibility level less than or equal to that of the current physics engine means it can cause damage to your world when changing to it. A compatibility level that is higher than that of the current physics engine means that it should be safe to change to.
| Engine | Difficulty | Physics Speed | Hanging Blocks | Beam Stress | Pillar Stress | Compatibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
realistic |
Hard | Slow | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | 0 |
legacy |
Medium | Fast | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | 0 |
simple |
Easy | Medium | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | 1 |