Blender is pretty good when it comes to modeling, sculpting, and rendering, but when it comes to simulations—whether it is rigid bodies, fluids, or even smoke and fire—many people feel like it is not quite up to the task. So let’s talk about what’s going on with Blender simulation tools, what challenges you might face, and whether it is really a dealbreaker, meaning you need to find another software for doing simulations, or whether there are some workarounds that you can use to generate good simulations with Blender.
Table of contents
Understanding the Basics of Blender Simulation
If you’ve spent any time in Blender, you probably know that its simulation tools aren’t exactly designed to mimic real-world physics, I mean with perfect precision. Instead, Blender relies on game engine-style physics, primarily through the Bullet Physics engine, to deliver results that look good enough for many applications.
Think about it this way—the simulation system is built to be fast and user-friendly so it can handle a lot of heavy lifting without bogging you down with super complex settings.
Blender’s Real-Time Simulation Approach
But that speed and simplicity come at a cost. Many of you have noticed issues like unpredictable bounces, non-determinate IC behavior, and even particles that act like they’ve got a mind of their own. Take for example a physics simulation where you set a sphere bouncing in a box—you would expect the ball to keep bouncing in a predictable, endless pattern, I mean if you set everything to be perfectly elastic. But instead, you might see it suddenly slow down or even start bouncing higher and higher out of nowhere.
This happens because Blender’s simulation system samples states between frames rather than calculating every infinitesimal change. It is like trying to capture a smooth video with a handful of snapshots—you miss a few details and sometimes the results look a bit off.
Challenges in Blender Physics Accuracy
Now why does that happen? I would say Blender simulation tools are largely based on approximations. For example, when two objects collide, the software doesn’t solve the full calculus behind the impact—it just estimates how much they should bounce off each other. This is why sometimes we see the classic teleporting objects or bounces that are just not physically accurate.
In some forum threads, you might have seen comments about how Blender physics sometimes behave as if objects are pushed out of collision in different ways based on tiny initial differences. It is a bit like when you’re trying to stack something precariously and even a slight nudge can make all the difference.
Common Workarounds in Simulation Blender
The physics engine in Blender is designed to be a good compromise between performance and realism, but that means you’re not going to get the high-fidelity simulations that you will see in specialized software such as Houdini.
For many of us, especially hobbyists and indie creators, Blender simulation capabilities are more than sufficient. If you want to simulate a bouncing ball or create a fun fluid effect for a short film, Blender will probably do the job easily. But if you are trying to push the envelope—say you’re aiming for ultra-realistic fluid simulations or intricate CFD work—the limitations become more apparent.
Simulation Nodes and Recent Improvements
Of course, some folks argue that Blender simulation tools have improved steadily over the years and that the future updates might address many of the current issues. And with the introduction of simulation nodes in Blender 3.6, we have actually seen tangible enhancements in how simulations are set up and managed.
While these nodes have opened up new possibilities and made workflows more flexible, workarounds remain a necessary part of the process, especially for achieving realistic results.
Comparing Blender 3D Simulation with Alternatives
You will see numerous artists comparing Blender simulations to those in Houdini, a dedicated computational fluid dynamics software, such as OpenFOAM, EmberGen, LiquidGen, and so on. The consensus seems to be that Blender, while great for getting started and producing decent results, when it comes to large-scale, precision-demanding simulations, you might need to accept some compromises or look at alternatives.
For example, in fluid simulations, many artists have noted that Blender’s Mantaflow used to be unpredictable when working at real-world scales. While it has improved over time, some users still experience occasional issues like unexpected bursts of motion or flames that rise unnaturally.
Add-ons to Learn Blender Simulations the Right Way
One common workaround suggested by experienced 3D artists is to simulate at a larger scale and then scale the results down, though this can add an extra step to the workflow. That said, these behaviors are less common than before, with the recent versions of Mantaflow making it more stable and reliable.
Generally speaking, of course, this is just one way to tackle fluid simulation issues. Fortunately, forums, tutorials, and community discussions are packed with useful insights, and chances are you will find some workaround or solutions for most problems and bugs.
If you’re already comfortable with Blender and you only need simulation occasionally, you might consider using add-ons like Flip Fluids for liquid simulations or maybe RBD Lab for rigid body simulations and other stuff as well. Or you can use software such as EmberGen for smoke and fire—these tools can offer and deliver results that are closer to what you would expect from high-end software and they integrate relatively smoothly back into Blender.
Balancing Limitations with Artistic Freedom
The idea here is to use Blender for everything else like modeling, texturing, rendering, and then import your simulation data once it’s been computed elsewhere.
Despite these limitations, it is important to remember why so many of us still choose Blender in the first place—I mean its accessibility, community-driven development, and overall versatility make it a really powerful tool even if its simulations aren’t perfect. Many artists in the community have developed clever hacks and workflows to get the most out of the software.
And honestly, if you’re not working on high-end visuals for blockbuster movies, generally speaking, Blender is more than good enough when it comes to simulation capabilities—that is if you take advantage of the add-ons.
Final Takeaways on Blender Simulation Tools
Let’s also not forget that the simulations are just one part of a much larger system. Whether you are working on animations, video games, or architectural visualizations, the ability to iterate quickly and integrate various aspects of a project often outweighs the occasional quirks in physics behavior.
I mean, in a way, it is all about finding the right balance between ideal technical performance and the practical reality of making art. So what should you take away from this?
If you are just starting out or if you rely on Blender for most of your work or your projects, don’t be discouraged by its limitations when it comes to simulation—because as I said, there are many alternatives out there, whether it be within the software using add-ons or some external software such as EmberGen, LiquidGen, and so on, which are affordable for most people I guess.
And if you need a lot of simulation work for professional projects for clients, you might consider learning a better simulation software such as Houdini, which I think is going to be a great investment in your future.
Conclusion
Blender simulation features—ranging from basic rigid bodies to the more advanced simulation nodes—offer a practical and creative environment for a wide range of users. While not always the most accurate, these tools give hobbyists, indie creators, and professionals alike a strong foundation. With a bit of patience, community insight, and clever workarounds, you can absolutely learn Blender simulations the right way and achieve impressive results using Blender 3D simulation tools.
