This is where your static lifeless models become physical. Basically, Scythe is the tool that combines your physics and graphics.
A basic box collision is combined with a model of a crate to make a simple actor. Scythe allows you to smoothly edit and test your scene at the same time.
Engine independant
Scythe outputs to a physics format that can be used with any physics engine, or renderer.
Physics becomes an art
Scythe allows your artists to handle physics assemblies, not your programmers, resulting in more detailed and creative use of your physics capabilities.
Assemble complex structures that would be impractical to do programatically
Why does your physics engine have to be limited to crates and ragdolls? Create complex destructable vehicles, buildings, bridges and structures, make every inch of your game physical.
Effortless collision hulls
Scythe's Pro version can generate a dynamic concave hull, by combining convex meshes, in a matter of seconds.
In a matter of seconds, you can achieve something that could otherwise have taken hours, if at all.
Ragdoll editing and character attachments
Scythe Pro also includes a character editor. Ragdoll editing is only a part of this feature, you can also add extra physics objects, models and attachment points to parts of a character, such as armour and weapons.
In a future release, you will even be able to dress up a character in dynamic cloth.
Immediate preview simulation
At the push of a single button your creation will come alive and fall to the ground. The simulation shows you the effects of your changes instantly, allowing greater fine tuning of your constructs.
Continuously updated and supported
Scythe is regularly updated. New features are constantly added, plans include things like cloth and fluid support, new editing tools and behaviour settings.
Plugin architecture and SDK
The plugin system allows for custom import/export formats for models, physics formats, and also for the implementation of other physics engines.
Springs and motors can also be used to make more interesting things.
THE SCYTHE API
Full source provided
Scythe comes with the loader source code that will load the .phs file format. From then on it is just a case of using the data you have been given to create the appropriate physics objects and entities.
Example demos
There is also a standalone demo that demonstrates loading the data into a game for the PhysX and Ogre engines. If you use a different graphics or physics engine then this code is easily adapted for your own use.
SDK
If you wish to use another custom format you can create an exporter with the SDK.
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Also, it has to be said that modelling in Scythe is just darn fun.
PLUGIN SUPPORT
The physics file format
Scythe uses its own file format for physics entities, the .phs format. This references models externally instead of integrating them. While it means you need to pay attention to model paths, it leaves greater flexibility for editing models externally without affecting the physics file and allows for any model format to be used.
Model formats
While technically the .phs format is capable of using any model format you want, Scythe can only load models that it has a plugin for. The currently supported model formats are listed below, if your required fomat is not listed you can add support for it with the SDK.
Ogre .mesh
.3ds
Wavefront .obj
Physics engines
As Scythe exports to a proprietary format, it can be used by any physics engine. It is helpful however for Scythe's simulation mode to use your own physics engine, and to cater for variances in properties and settings across different engines. For this reason Scythe can support different physics engines, and you can add them yourself with the SDK. See the list of currently supported engines below.
