Thief

Physics Animation in Uncharted 4: A Thief's End

Uncharted 4: A Thief's End achieves high-fidelity character movement by integrating physics-driven animation with traditional key-framed techniques.

• Uncharted 4 utilizes a hybrid animation system that blends traditional key-framed techniques with physics-driven movement to maintain artistic control while ensuring environmental responsiveness.
• The development team integrated the Havoc physics engine to manage rigid bodies, constraints, and motors, preventing the 'floaty' movement typically associated with purely procedural systems.
• A script-based ragdoll profile system allows animators to independently manage mass, friction, and inertia, enabling nuanced character reactions like independent torso movement during high-speed sequences.