About JoltPhysics

A native 3D physics extension that brings Jolt Physics to GameMaker.

JoltPhysics combines a Windows x64 native bridge with a GML high-level runtime. It exposes rigid bodies, collision shapes, constraints, layers, sensors, contacts, raycasts, characters, cloth, and debug drawing through GameMaker-friendly managed values.

What it provides#

• Dynamic, Static, and Kinematic rigid bodies.
• Primitive, convex, mesh, heightfield, compound, and reusable shape resources.
• Material and motion properties, forces, impulses, and transform access.
• Collision layers, sensors, contact events, and filtered raycasts.
• Constraints, paths, virtual characters, cloth simulation, and debug visualization.
• A managed default world with fixed-step updates and safe generational handles.

Architecture#

Current platform#

The present native extension targets Windows x64. Other GameMaker targets are not currently supported by the packaged bridge. Platform coverage may expand later, but projects should not assume cross-platform compatibility yet.

High-level and low-level API#

Most games should begin with jolt_start(), high-level body creators such as jolt_box_create_dynamic(), and jolt_update(). The low-level world/handle functions remain available for advanced ownership or diagnostics, but they require manual lifecycle and error handling.

What JoltPhysics does not do automatically#

• It does not render bodies as game art.
• It does not automatically bind every GameMaker instance to a body.
• It does not automatically synchronize instance transforms each frame.
• It does not choose gameplay units, collision layers, or ownership rules for your game.
• It does not replace GameMaker objects, rooms, events, or input handling.

Core lifecycle#

jolt_start();

var ground = jolt_box_create_static(0, 0, -0.5, 20, 20, 1);
var body = jolt_box_create_dynamic(0, 0, 4, 1, 1, 1);

jolt_update();
var position = body.get_position();

jolt_stop();

Verified operation contracts#

These contracts distinguish units, return values, errors and lifetime according to the current implementation. Check results: false, 0 and undefined can mean different things for different methods.