[ODE] Damping

[james at 6msoft.com]

Damping is more for simulating air friction. For instance, if you send a
ball flying at a high velocity and have a linear damping value on it, then
it should slow down over time. Angular damping is the same idea, something
is spinning, with angular damping, over time it will lose angular
velocity. It also helps prevent bodies from gaining energy and exploding.
Mass has nothing todo with it.

-James.

>> I thought I remembered there was a way to apply linear and angular
>> damping
>> values in ODE, but I can't see to find it anywhere in the docs or code.
>> Is
>> it possible its under a different name?
>>
>> [just in case there is any confusion, by damping I mean a value that is
>> set per-body or globally that resists motion]
>
> Hi there.  I don't a total beginner in ODE, so I could be speaking
> non-sense here, but wouldn't what you described be achieved by
> specifying an appropriate mass for the object?
>
> Maybe you need damping for springs in order to prevent them
> oscillating for ever. But again, that should be achieved by specifying
> an specific spring constant.
>
>
> --
> Pedro Teixeira
>