An Investigation of Bullet Behavior In Silico

by Matthew Bradberry

Submitted : Spring 2010

The foundation of a “physics engine” in computer games is rooted in calculus and physics used to simulate real world interactions between, players, objects, and fluid dynamics. The quality of many games is based on the realism it provides the players, and modeling physics is a major portion of that effect. The primary content of this paper discusses specific examples of what goes into calculating these physical effects in the form of bullet trajectories. The majority of the examples include weights of the projectiles(bullets), initial velocities of the bullets, angle of gun positioning relative to the shooter, wind velocity, and air densities and how all of these factors affect whether or not a given shot qualifies as a “headshot,” which is a specified range of location in which the bullet must land.

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