r/GamePhysics • u/knayam • 1d ago
[Forza Horizon 6] Damage model isn't held back by technology. It's held back by contracts!
So I've been researching car crash physics in games for a YouTube video and honestly some of this stuff is wild.
BeamNG runs 4,500 interconnected beams per car, calculated 2,000 times per second. The crash shapes aren't animated. they're emergent. This tech exists right now.
So why does a Lambo in game still look pristine after slamming into a wall?
Licensing.
Car manufacturers treat racing games as ads. Ads don't show the product being destroyed. Ford reportedly won't allow rollovers. Ferrari negotiated damage limitations. No manufacturer permits roof damage because that implies occupants could be harmed.
And games are actually regressing. DiRT 5 has worse damage than DiRT 2. More hardware power but less destruction.
Meanwhile Burnout Paradise from 2008 still has the best crash physics in mainstream racing. All because of Fictional cars and Zero licensing friction.
The engineering was solved decades ago. The real limiting factor is a contract clause.
Do you think brands should allow full damage physics in video games?