The point-stick-triangle physics described in the previous post is very good for quickly defining articulated bodies, but it is not appropriate for simulating large numbers of colliding rigid bodies. I am experimenting with different methods to handle these cases: here is a screenshot of a standard box collision test using ODE (Open Dynamics Engine) integration. We can use our old system for special physics like characters and plants, and ODE for large numbers of simpler objects.

Here is a link to a video of the new physics in action.