AV physics and collisions best practices

[Quarrel Kukulcan]

Is there an established best physics LOD mesh for an AV? Perhaps even a stock standard one someone uploaded somewhere? I presume it's something like simple boxes around each major limb.

The "collision bones" in the Bento skeleton aren't used for any collision purposes, are they?

[Wulfie Reanimator]

The collision shape of avatars depends on the state of the avatar.

A free-standing avatar is top-heavy and coffin-shaped.

A ground-sitting avatar is a pyramid with a flat top.

An avatar sitting on an object is somewhat "wall"-shaped.

http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/File:Avmeshforms.png

http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/File:Ray_cast_example_07.png

[Quarrel Kukulcan]

Is the physics LOD on mesh AVs/clothing ignored, then? I should make it a single triangle?

[Wulfie Reanimator]

24 minutes ago, Quarrel Kukulcan said:

Is the physics LOD on mesh AVs/clothing ignored, then? I should make it a single triangle?

Yes, attachments have no physics shape that's used.

That said, I would still highly recommend that you use a solid cube instead of a single triangle. You won't win anything by going the triangle route, it's not "less laggy" by any measure.

[OptimoMaximo]

7 hours ago, Quarrel Kukulcan said:

I presume it's something like simple boxes around each major limb.

The avatar itself is phantom, no physics at all. There is what is commonly known as character controller, a box or capsule, that envelops the avatar and that is the object subject to the physics and responsible for the whole agent movement in 3d space. 

7 hours ago, Quarrel Kukulcan said:

The "collision bones" in the Bento skeleton aren't used for any collision purposes, are they?

Their complete name is collision volume bones, for two reasons:

Volume refers to the fact that their scale represents the volume of the skinned mesh section those bones control the shape of. 

Collision refers, instead, to the broken animation functionality known as IK (inverse kinematics) which, theoretically, would enable these bones to be used as collision detectors and ik chain target for such effect. Currently this feature is broken and works only with the default animations.