Coaster Dynamics: Tell Me More



Coaster Dynamics
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Restarting the Ride Simulation
The motion of an object, like a roller coaster car, is governed by laws of motion that form a mathematical model which can be used to predict how the system will behave. This type of system is called a "state-determined" system because its behavior can be accurately predicted based solely on its current "state." The future motion of the car depends only on the present, without regard to the past.

For example, at any moment in time, a roller coaster car will be traveling at a particular speed and direction. Based on that information, along with any known forces acting on it (from the roller coaster track or gravity), its future motion can be determined. It does not matter how the car reached its current speed -- only what the current speed and forces are.

Because of this fact, the ride simulation in
Coaster Dynamics can be paused at any point on the track and then later restarted from that point.

When a simulation is paused, the physical parameters describing its motion (position, forces, and velocities) are stored. When restarted, the simulation is re-initialized with the previous values -- and the simulation will then continue as if it had not been paused.

If the track is modified beyond the point where the simulation was paused, those changes will not affect the motion at the stopping point. So, any modifications to the track occurring beyond the point where the simulation was paused will not affect the ability to restart the simulation.

On the other hand, if the track is modified prior to the point where the simulation was paused, it will change the motion at the stopping point. Thus, if the track is changed ahead of the point where the simulation was paused, the simulation cannot be restarted properly. Instead,
Coaster Dynamics will automatically generate the new track, and then begin an entirely new simulation.