Overview

MSPhysics is a real-time physics simulation extension for SketchUp.

MSPhysics allows doing physics simulation of groups and component instances, where each object can be assigned a specific shape, specific states, density, contact properties, magnet properties, script, and more. These features allow complex interactions between objects and the physics world. The parameters of the physics world, such as gravity, update timestep, and solver model, can too be adjusted.

MSPhysics also allows interconnecting objects with joints (constraints) for establishing mechanical interactions between objects. MSPhysics has 14 joints: Hinge, Motor, Servo, Slider, Piston, UpVector, Spring, Corkscrew, BallAndSocket, Universal, Fixed, CurvySlider, CurvyPiston, and Plane. Each joint can be assigned its specific properties, such as minimum and maximum position/angle limits, as well as controllers for controlling position, angle, speed, linear or angular friction, and other. The controllers themselves can be stimulated with a use of a slider controller, keyboard key(s), joystick, and/or a desired script. This flexibility allows creating and inventing many things, such as vehicles, robots, and instruments.

MSPhysics also comes with a reliable Replay animation tool, which allows recording simulation and exporting to SkIndigo, KerkyThea, or a sequence of images.

In many ways, MSPhysics resembles its predecessor SketchyPhysics. First of all, MSPhysics is not a new version of SketchyPhysics. MSPhsyics is written entirely from scratch, integrating the latest Newton Dynamics Physics SDK and heavily basing on a C++ extension. Both are capable of achieving same things, in one way or the other; however, MSPhysics is significantly faster and goes further, especially with a lot of the features described above. MSPhysics has a by far more advanced and a well documented scripting API, allowing users to write more proficient scripts for their models. Another difference is having advantage over user input. In SketchyPhysics there was a struggle in creating keyboard and mouse controlled games. Whenever simulation would run, there had to be an active control panel window to redirect user input, that is to prevent the interference of SketchUp's keyboard shortcuts. In MSPhysics, however, the control panel is not necessary. MSPhysics utilizes AMS Library, which on the Windows side, allows taking control over user input and switching SketchUp fullscreen. Imagine playing FPS games in SketchUp, in fullscreen mode, without having various keyboard commands taking control over the simulation. All that is possible with MSPhysics.

Compatibility and Requirements

Microsoft Windows XP or later / Mac OS X 10.6+
SketchUp 6 or later. SU2017 64bit is recommended!
AMS_Library 3.5.0+

ThirdParty Libraries

NewtonDynamics 3.14
SDL 2.0.5
SDL_Mixer 2.0.1
jQuery 1.12.4
Ace 1.2.6
Chosen 1.7.0
dhtmlxSlider 4.6