About Wesley Paugh

Wes is a developer for TribeMind Studios and our physics specialist.

E-Mail: WesPaugh [at] Gmail [dot] com

But wait, there's more...

9 August 2006. Wednesday. 3:01 pm.

So, after staring at this equation

v2 =v1 + (-(1 + e)v * n) / ( n * n * (1/mA + 1/mB) + ((rAP * n)^2/IA + (rBP * n)^2/IB) )) / m

for more than an hour, I figured out that I need to emulate a normal vector (n, in the equation) in order to tell if the intersecting objects are moving toward or away from the point of intersection.

The next three steps have become apparent.

1. Find the instantaneous velocity in rotational and translational capacities relative to the point of intersection.

2. Using these velocities calculate the instantaneous change in momentum of each object relative to one another based on the principles of Newton's Law of Restitution.

3. Use simple harmonic motion as applied to string theory to optimize and then normalize the pneumatic propulsion of the inertial moment vectors of each object relative to the inherent compressional dimension of the edge.

Okay, maybe that third step isn't necessary. Maybe I don't exactly have a clue what I just wrote. At least it sounds impressive.

Peace out

Update: You know that breakdown I haven't had yet? I'm putting my money on 3 o'clock tomorrow afternoon.

Happy and I know it

8 August 2006. Tuesday. 7:06 pm.

Well, my collision detection algorithms now entirely work!

Turns out the flaws were human error, and machines are still perfect little number-crunchers we've always known... exactly what they want us to think.

Most of it was scripting typos on my part, not the actual internal subsystem design (don't fall asleep on me now), but just me falling asleep while using my own code.

Don't doze and debug?

So collision response is still icky. One or two more basic physical concepts and I should be ready to press forward, just in time for that looming Friday deadline that officially marks... the end of the co-op. Yup, ten weeks later, and I haven't had any all-night-coding induced breakdowns... yet.

Signing off

Physics Man sighted!

4 August 2006. Friday. 2:42 pm.

Well, we've got it, so I might as well try out this new-fangled technology Eric has blessed us with.

I happen to be Physics Man's unofficial photographer, and took this Paint photograph of him before his epic battle with the villainy of the Ogre eariler this week.

Superman is to Kryptonite as Physics Man is to...

2 August 2006. Wednesday. 3:49 pm.

I started today by throwing this pen at a wall for a while, just to see if it would make Andy come over and bug me. It's all going perfectly to plan.

So, today I have sluggishly trudged through debugging the code that flew off of my fingertips yesterday. Call it the balance of nature.

I am proud to say that my collision detection algorithms... almost.... kind of, sort of ... are doing exactly what they should be! I've at least seen it work, anyways.

Tune in next week for more debugging and then collision response!

Charge!

31 July 2006. Monday. 2:02 pm.

Well, it's week nine! Crunch time as always, it's time I got moving on this physics stuff.

The algorithms are slowly evolving in my mind. Can I tell if two lines intersect? Yes, if I have their slope and y-intercept. How? ::writes an algorithm:: Good! Now, can I tell the slope and y-intercept of two lines? Yes! ... if I have two points on the line. How? ::writes algorithm:: Can I find two points on a line at a given time? ...

Fun stuff, that physics!

Now how do I do that with a circle?

A note on majors

26 July 2006. Wednesday. 12:51 pm.

Hmmmm, I'm beginning to view college and my choice of major in a new light.

If you haven't read my bio yet (weep) I'm a Software Engineer. This differs from computer science in a surprisingly vast way.

Example (Note: exaggerations a plenty)

Imagine a duo of engineers building a bridge. One might see how support structures will need to be built, make sure the bridge is built on time (and won't kill anyone if corners need be cut), and deal with changes like "Oh, I forgot to mention, we need it to cross the Atlantic." Another might invent ways of making the concrete to be used as sturdy, low cost and easy to make as possible.

To make a long story short (too late), I'm going to learn a lot about making concrete.

Reading?!

24 July 2006. Monday. 4:57 pm.

Well, my physics does seem to be a bit rusty. Luckily I have acquired books on the topic and am quickly refreshing my elementary knowledge, which was ironically gained in my post-secondary schooling.

I now face those oh-so-difficult questions: What is a tensor? Why must rotation be represented using nine variables? How much of this reading will actually apply to our game?

So this morning I have begun analyzing the requirements of the physics system of the game and am trying to define boundaries where my engine should end and suspension of disbelief should begin. I tried outlining a loose design (which looks admittedly similar to some of the aformentioned open-source packages), but it seems I must know more about the context in which I will be working, though I will keep an overall subsystem design in the back of my mind.

So then, back to it. Physics Man, Away! ::cue theme music::

Physics Man!
Physics Man!
Got great abs!
And a tan!
Evil dudes
He will beat!
With the Force
of GRAIVTY!
.......
PHYSICS MAN!

Physics Fun Friday

21 July 2006. Friday. 2:43 pm.

Though not mentinoned specifically in my bio, I am currently in charge of the physics portion of our game. I have taken the last two and a half weeks to look at possible solutions, including various open source packages that might fit the bill.

After pondering the possibilities, I found such popular protocols a perpetual pain to propogate persistent progress and pleasantly plead not to put such pesky packages in place of potentiallty powerful patterns to perform our particular physics.... Okay, so physics doesn't have a hard 'p' sound. Close enough, right?

In less awesome words, the game merits its own specific physics engine, so its own specific physics engine it shall receive!

Intros

21 July 2006. Friday. 2:21 pm.

Hi there! My name is Wesley Paugh, and I am a Software Engineer in practice and study at TribeMind Studios and the Rochester Institute of Technology, respectively.

So what do I do as a Core Developer for our groovy guild of game gurus? Put quite simply, most everything! At the start of my employment I have aided in the creative inspiration process that has fueled our current work and I will continue to work on various aspects of the core software running our first, and hopefully second and third games.

So what else, my avid reader, my bio-browser, my info inquirer, what else should you know about me? Once upon a time I was an accomplished DDR Freak. I am one of the few remaining unwavering Matrix fans. I like Pina Coladas and getting caught in the rain.

My path to TribeMind started about 14 years ago when my father loaded up Doom into our first computer, and I was forever more hooked on video games. First-person shooters (especially N64 era) will always hold a special place in my heart, but I've since expanded my tastes to survival horror, RPG's, and anything cheap at Gamestop.

Though initially I was thinking of only staying for the summer until classes start again, 7 weeks working with such a dedicated team have made me want to stay and contribute all I can to making this game and this company a success.