Discreet has begun shipping Reactor, a new physics plug-in that is its latest integrated extension for 3D Studio Max 4.
Reactor, developed by Havok, Inc, incorporates technology that realistically simulates cloth, rope, liquid, and hard-/soft-body objects that collide, bounce, break, and stretch. Features in Reactor include rope dynamics that simulate any deformable chain from realistic hair to knots of climbing ropes; cloth dynamics that give objects elasticity, weight, and planar and flexion stiffness; rigid and soft bodies that offer solid- and soft-object simulation for everything from collapsing walls to landslide, and soft-body control over mass, friction, and deformation; and real-world simulation of fluid surfaces including buoyancy and ripple reflection.
For game developers, film and video producers, and web developers who want to add realistic, dynamic simulations to their 3D Studio Max 4 scenes, Reactor includes a real-time dynamics simulation previewer, providing an interactive viewing window. Game developers can integrate a dynamics library directly into a game title.
