Is DEAD SPACE Stomping Physically Possible?

TL;DR

Yes, the experiment suggests that Dead Space-style stomping is physically plausible for an average engineer using hulking boots. Kyle Hill and weapons master Thea tested a screen-accurate Dead Space boot with a weighted drop rig and pressure-sensitive film, ultimately shattering a skull and separating flesh from bone. Read on to see how the rig, pressure distribution, and staged tests supported that conclusion.

Transcript

when you and I played through Dead Space 1 and Dead Space 2 together you asked me a lot of sciency questions but by far the question you asked me the most was whether or not your average engineer could actually stomp his way through the usgs.com ishimura well today we're answering that question with this the necromos Saba 5000 patent pending I have... Read More

Key Insights

• 👻 The rig designed by the host and Thea successfully replicated the smashing force of Isaac Clarke from Dead Space.
• 🗯️ Pressure-sensitive film was used to measure the force applied by the rig, providing valuable insights into its capabilities.
• ☠️ The rig was able to shatter a skull and separate flesh from bones, demonstrating its effectiveness.
• ☠️ The design and pressure distribution of the rig were critical in achieving accurate results and surpassing the compressive strength of human bone.
• 🗯️ An engineer in hulking boots with a rig similar to the one tested could potentially replicate Isaac Clarke's smashing abilities.
• 💀 The forces applied by the rig were within the range of forces humans can produce, but only a fraction of the forces that can cause skull fractures.
• 💦 Thea's work in designing and building the rig was crucial to the success of the experiment.

Questions & Answers

Q: Is Dead Space stomping physically possible?

The experiment suggests that it is physically plausible for an average engineer in hulking boots to reproduce Isaac Clarke’s smashing ability. The tested rig shattered a skull and separated flesh from bone, though it only approximated a human stomp.

Q: How did Kyle Hill and Thea test Isaac Clarke’s stomp?

They attached a screen-accurate Dead Space boot to a smashing rig that could be raised to different heights and loaded with different weights. They then used the apparatus on test materials and accurately molded human body parts.

Q: How was the Dead Space stomping rig designed?

Weapons master Thea built it to drop a large amount of weight in one straight plane. The rig also allowed extra weight and bungees to be added so the falling boot’s load and velocity could be changed.

Q: Why did the experiment use pressure-sensitive film?

Ordinary force plates were not suitable for the loads produced by the rig. The film contained microvessels that changed color when broken under particular pressures, revealing where and how strongly the boot struck.

Q: Where did the boot produce the highest pressure?

The pressure-sensitive film showed strong pressure around the boot’s edges and some pressure near the center where the pole passed through the bottom. Concentrating weight on a small surface area dramatically increased the pressure.

Q: Did the rig reach pressures relevant to human bone?

Yes, parts of the apparatus produced pressure within the range associated with the tensile strength of human bone. The experiment identified this through color changes on progressively stronger pressure-sensitive films.

Q: Did the Dead Space boot rig successfully shatter a skull?

Yes, the rig shattered the tested skull and separated flesh from bone. This result supported the idea that a realistic Isaac Clarke could damage body parts in a way resembling the game.

Q: Why were different weights and drop heights tested?

Changing the weight and height let the team compare how hard the boot struck under different conditions. This helped them judge whether the apparatus could represent the stomping capability of a realistic engineer rather than relying on a single drop.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The host and his weapons master, Thea, create a rig to test the smashing force of an average engineer, replicating the actions of Isaac Clarke from Dead Space.

• They use pressure-sensitive film to measure the force applied by the rig, gradually increasing the weight and height to determine the smashing capabilities.

• The rig is successful in shattering a skull and separating flesh from bones, demonstrating that an engineer could potentially replicate Isaac Clarke's abilities.