The Physics Asset Editor is an integrated editor that is part of the Animation Editors in Unreal Engine. It is specifically designed to manipulate Physics Assets for Skeletal Meshes.
A Physics Asset is used to define the physics and collision used by a Skeletal Mesh. These contain a set of rigid bodies and constraints that make up a single ragdoll, which is not limited to humanoid ragdolls. They can be used for any physical simulation using bodies and constraints. Because only a single Physics Asset is allowed for a Skeletal Mesh, they can be turned on or off for many Skeletal Mesh components.
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Character Physics Asset |
Vehicle Physics Asset |
A Physics Asset can be set up for any Skeletal Mesh for simulation. These are two examples of their usage; a humanoid character and the Buggy from Epic's demo Vehicle Game.
Creating Physics Assets
There are two ways that Physics Assets can be created for your Skeletal Meshes:
On import by having Create Physics Asset enabled.
![On import by having Create Physics Asset enabled]()
Click image for full size.
By creating a Physics Asset using the Content Drawer and selecting a Skeletal Mesh to use.
![Usie the Content Drawer and select a Skeletal Mesh]()
Click image for full size.
The first time the Physics Asset is selected, a window to set how bodies and constraints should be generated will open:
![A window to set the how bodies and constraints should be generated]()
Opening the Physics Asset Editor
The Physics Asset Editor can be opened in several different ways:
By double-clicking the Physics Asset in the Content Drawer.
![By double-clicking the Physics Asset in the Content Drawer]()
By using the right-click context menu and selecting Edit....
![By using the right-click context menu and selecting Edit]()
By selecting the Physics tab in the Animation Editors selection tabs.
![By selecting the Physics tab in the Animation Editors selection tabs]()
The dropdown menu next to the Physics tab can be used to select any Physics Asset located in the Content Drawer that is using the currently opened Skeletal Mesh.
![The dropdown menu can be used to select any Physics Asset]()
