well I've just started using Newton through Ogre3d (ogreNewt wrapper) and it's very nice and easy too. Keep in mind I've never really used ODE.
Anyway it's a C lib so wrapping is easy, built in coldet, fast convex hull collision for dynamic object which automatically builds the hull given an object, per poly materials, custom joints (for 2d contraints), bounancy, working trimesh... other stuff.
As for 2d you really still have to give the physics engine 3d primitives because it can't detect against an infinitely thin plane on it's side, but it IS slower using 3d in 2d but really it's fast enough not to care (plus are there any 2d only physics engines?). Plus when the 3d engine arrives you could reuse it without much hassle.
here's a few forum topics
http://newtondynamics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1821
http://newtondynamics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=860 (OLD)
I also found something called AmazonPhysics for just 2d stuff (unfinished but opensource)
http://www.freedevs.net/forums/viewtopic.php?p=1734&sid=7bcc0987b93668548e69edc8d215925f
Anyway it's a C lib so wrapping is easy, built in coldet, fast convex hull collision for dynamic object which automatically builds the hull given an object, per poly materials, custom joints (for 2d contraints), bounancy, working trimesh... other stuff.
As for 2d you really still have to give the physics engine 3d primitives because it can't detect against an infinitely thin plane on it's side, but it IS slower using 3d in 2d but really it's fast enough not to care (plus are there any 2d only physics engines?). Plus when the 3d engine arrives you could reuse it without much hassle.
here's a few forum topics
http://newtondynamics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1821
http://newtondynamics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=860 (OLD)
I also found something called AmazonPhysics for just 2d stuff (unfinished but opensource)
http://www.freedevs.net/forums/viewtopic.php?p=1734&sid=7bcc0987b93668548e69edc8d215925f