RigidBody2D mode purpose?

Question

What do the different modes accomplish for this node? In the editor it can be set to Rigid, Static Character or Kinematic. I've found that the mode cannot be Rigid if you want to scale the body at runtime (Kinematic works) -

Answer 1

They allow you to get the behavior of those types, while keeping it a RigidBody, allowing you the option to override its _integrate_forces()

Static and Kinematic are as you would expect, Character behaves mostly like a RigidBody, but stops angular rotations, so your character can stay upright when moving up slopes.

Comments

Do you have to set a different mode to override _integrate_forces()?

Edit: no you do not, _integrate_forces() requires a state parameter, which I think I was messing up.

Answer 2

There's a brief but sufficient explanation in the help for RigidBody integrated in the engine. Did you read that?

Comments

Property: mode

Set the body mode, from the MODE_* enum. This allows to change to a static body or character body.

Unfortunately it doesn't explain much about what the different mode implies, and how
changing mode is different from using a different body type node.