[ODE] simulation steps in a game

[madmax@red-falcon.net]

Hi!
I'm just trying to integrate ODE into my hobbyist 3D game engine.
At the moment the physics simulation is tied to the frame rate; so a frame rate of 50 fps corresponds
to 50hz simulation.
I just wondered, what framerate is necessary for smooth and stable physics. Shall I double the number
of simulation steps if the framerate drops below a minimum, say, 50Hz, thus doing 2 simulation steps
per rendered frame. Or do you use ways of making the physics simulation independent of the rendering.
(threads ?)

Stephan Kaiser