How does the Source Engine do it?!

[unholysavagery]

Well I asked this question on gamedev.net but they appear to be down, I need to know how the source engine creates ragdoll collision meshes. I know how they create static single object meshes but it confuses me how they create jointed ragdolls, does havok have the ability to actually create collision meshes from meshes with bones and apply the effect the bones would have on to the collision mesh?

I am using PhysX at the moment and I know it does not have that ability and this seems like a really complex feature that would not have very good performance, it seems unlikely that Havok would have this feature and that the source engine is using it. But I may be wrong, it may actually be what the source engine is doing and so it clearly has decent performance but I have no idea.

So does anyone know how they create the ragdoll collision meshes in the source engine?

[MarauderIIC]

No idea

[M_D_K]

I don't know how source does it but heres some stuff:

• Ragdoll Physics
• Joints with PhysX
• nVidia Dev forums
• nVidia Dev Zone - PhysX tips

And I couldn't find anything on havok