[ODE] ODE for 2-d rigid body dynamics / collision detection

[Josh Singer]

Hi folks,

I'm new to ODE + this area generally, apart from my somewhat abortive
attempts to write an engine myself -- frustrating but enlightening. I've had
a play with some of the code and it looks great. But I think I have somewhat
different requirements to the typical user and wonder if anyone would like
to comment whether ODE is a realistic choice of tool for these.

The main strangeness is that I want 2-d simulation only! A way to do this
seems to be to use joints to constrain all ODE objects to stay within a
plane. This could be done by having each free body attached to a special
invisible "rod". The body would be frictionlessly hinged to the rod and
would never collide with it. Each rod would have a frictionless slider joint
to a "turntable" which would be fixed to the immovable plane by another
frictionless hinge. I think this would stop the free body from ever leaving
the plane, but otherwise allow it to move freely within the plane, apart
from tiny deviations, which I don't mind.

Is this likely to work?

Is there a preferred alternative way to stay 2-d?

Or should I be looking at another engine entirely?

cheers,

josh