Have you tried this yet? I ask because *.x maps (I presume are Direct X objects) should load and work (collision etc) like all the regular objects.
If I missed the boat here - ignore - but otherwise - your loaded "map" (I presume landscape or some sort of mesh to walk on (e.g. .x map) will work with sparky's dll and "Stock" collision as well.
As for ODE - I know not - but I read enough about newton to know that you need to place some sort of "physics" primitive to act as the "Surface". Making that "jive" with a landscape is one of the MAIN reasons I decided to use homegrown "sorta physics"
My tanks need to climb hills and the like - and I've yet to see a decent way to go about mixing "bumpy terrain" with a physics engine. I know it can be done - I saw a newton "car" driving demo - (seemed to have a regular matrix though - no smooth hills - so could be primitive tragles or something matched to the funky terrain) But I'm curious how you make out here because I'm not totally opposed to giving a physics engine a try.
Jason
