PhysicsVariableSettingsComponent

A singleton component with simulation tuning values copied from Physics settings and LOD at bootstrap. Internal systems read it every fixed step for friction, push-out, and substeps.

Unlike PhysicsFixedSettingsComponent, these fields are plain struct data on the singleton — you can change them at runtime with SystemAPI.GetSingletonRW<PhysicsVariableSettingsComponent>() if you need live tuning (for example adjusting air drag or substep count from gameplay code).

Component fields

Field Type Default (authoring) Description
EnvironmentSettings EnvironmentSettings see below Global damping and push-out behaviour
SubstepsCount byte 1 Physics substeps per inner fixed-step iteration (1–4)

EnvironmentSettings

Field Type Default Description
AirFriction float 0.5 Global linear air friction applied to dynamic bodies
AirAngularDrag float 0 Global angular air drag
PushOutPower float 1 Multiplier on penetration push-out strength
PushOutType PushOutType Position Whether push-out writes velocity or position

PushOutType enum values: Position, Velocity.

SubstepsCount

LittlePhysicsSystemGroup reads SubstepsCount to decide how many inner loops run per time-scale iteration. Each substep uses a fraction of the fixed delta (LittlePhysicsTimeComponent.DeltaTime).

Example: time scale 2 and SubstepsCount = 2 → 4 full physics passes per Unity fixed update.

Runtime example 

ref var variable = ref SystemAPI.GetSingletonRW<PhysicsVariableSettingsComponent>().ValueRW;

variable.EnvironmentSettings.AirFriction = 0.2f;
variable.SubstepsCount = 2;

Changes take effect on the next read inside the fixed-step loop. They do not rebuild the fixed settings blob or reallocate native buffers.

Lower SubstepsCount or very loose environment values can increase penetration and instability. Raising substeps costs more CPU per fixed tick.

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