by Christopher Gearhart·Simulation
Images © Christopher Gearhart. Used for product review; image policy.
This addon earns its place in the superhive library for handling object collisions interactively during arrangement, with support spanning Blender 2.79 through 2.83.
Arranging 3D models that represent real-world objects gets tricky when the layout needs to be reproducible in reality, since the models can't collide or intersect. The Interactive Physics Editor is a Blender addon built to handle that arrangement work without tweaking each object by hand.
During an Interactive Physics Session, objects dynamically shift out of the way of the object or objects you are transforming, keeping them from passing through one another. The session is indefinite and can be committed or cancelled at any time, so you can keep adjusting until the arrangement is right.
Objects can be locked on any or all three axes for location and rotation, and the collision margin can be adjusted mid-session. Static objects can be set to 'Passive' to stay stationary, and per-object friction is available. Gravity direction and intensity can be controlled, and collisions can use concave or convex shapes. The addon supports Blender 2.79 through 2.83, is released under the GPL license, and comes with daily support by email and Blender Market inbox.
Interactive Physics Editor - Real-World Object Arrangement is best for blender users arranging multiple 3D models that need to stay collision-free for a layout reproducible in the real world.
Interactive Physics Editor - Real-World Object Arrangement is completely free to download and use.
The Interactive Physics Editor supports Blender 2.79 through 2.83. Version 1.1.5 fixed critical backwards-compatibility issues with Blender 2.79 and added support for Blender 2.83, while earlier updates brought support for 2.80, 2.81 and 2.82. That same release also remapped 'Close Session' to SHIFT+RETURN instead of plain RETURN to stop keymap operations from overlapping. If you're working outside this version range, check the developer's page for the latest compatibility details before installing.
The Interactive Physics Editor works through an Interactive Physics Session. As you transform one or more objects, the surrounding objects dynamically shift out of the way to prevent them from passing through one another. The session is indefinite and can be committed or cancelled at any point, so you can keep refining the arrangement. You can also adjust the collision margin during the session and choose between concave or convex object collisions, giving you control over how the shapes interact.
The Interactive Physics Editor is listed as free in this catalog. The addon is released under the GPL license, and daily support is offered by the developer through email and the Blender Market inbox. Licensing terms can change over time, so it's worth checking the developer's page for the current details before you download. A demo video is also available if you want to see more before installing.
The Interactive Physics Editor gives several ways to constrain movement. Individual objects can be locked on any or all three axes for both location and rotation, so they only move where you allow. Static objects can be set to 'Passive' to keep them stationary during a session. Per-object friction is available as well, and gravity direction and intensity can be controlled. Together these let you decide which objects stay put and which respond to the physics as you arrange the scene.
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