Bioware Goes PhysX.

[Kunaak]

the Maker of games such as Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Neverwinter Nights and Baldurs Gate, is making the move to implements Ageia PhysX into thier next gaming engine, and that should mean, that alot of games coming from them, could very well support some level of enhcanced Physic support, if you have a PPU.

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2006/11...to_new_engine/

“There’s no reason to reinvent the wheel when you have a world-class, easy-to-implement physics solution such as AGEIA’s PhysX technology. AGEIA PhysX will deliver mind-blowing physics action for games using BioWare’s next-generation game engine," said Ray Muzyka, CEO of BioWare.

[Metroid]

Good to hear that. I think other companies should take this as an example and adopt the same to deliver to customers a new experience in games.

[nn_step]

Here comes the physics revolution. Lets just hope the competition makes the most perfect design the winner. Or better yet, two compatible Rivals
Then the consumers win

[exhausted mule]

i hope amd jumps in on this. that'll be competition.

[Kunaak]

the thing thats still the big mystery to me is...

we all know both ATI and Nvidia have various Physics set ups they plan on implementing into thier motherboards and videocards... like crossfire + physics, but will these physics options, be the same as the Ageia Physics options, so all games can benifit from the same Physics programs... or will this get disasterous, where Ageia has thier version of physics, Nvidia has their own... and ATI has thier own, and if your game is programmed with the right physics... then your screwed with the default low end physics?

I really hope theres a physics standard, that will work with all physics cards and set ups, otherwise, this is just gonna be a disaster.

[DTU_XaVier]

I was thinking the exact same thing.. But I suppose there'll be a standard of sorts, if nothing else, AMD and nVidia will have to buy in on Ageia's tech... They were there first at any rate...
Otherwise we'll just have to wait for an update to the Havok Engine

Best Regards

[thephenom]

the thing thats still the big mystery to me is...

we all know both ATI and Nvidia have various Physics set ups they plan on implementing into thier motherboards and videocards... like crossfire + physics, but will these physics options, be the same as the Ageia Physics options, so all games can benifit from the same Physics programs... or will this get disasterous, where Ageia has thier version of physics, Nvidia has their own... and ATI has thier own, and if your game is programmed with the right physics... then your screwed with the default low end physics?

I really hope theres a physics standard, that will work with all physics cards and set ups, otherwise, this is just gonna be a disaster.

There will be a physics standard by Microsoft, but we won't see any of it at least until 2008. Until then you'll see a battle of multiple physics API whether it's AGEIA, Havok, Nvidia's or even homebrew ones like the one used in Crysis.

Until there is a standard API, physics is not going to be as widely adopted as we would like to see.

[dinos22]

i am really against another card we have to stick in the system to get things going faster

just freaking sell the tech to nvidia or ati and be done with it

or at least let GFX card manufacturers integrate the chip on the VGA board rather than another card man

[Fr3ak]

As far as I know nvidia uses Havok FX. AGEIA use their own stuff and I dont know what AMD will use, but I think I saw some papers saying Havok FX aswell.

Nvidia originally planned to use a dual video card setup, whereas ATI came up with the crossfire + physics setup.
Nvidia can also use a 3 video card setup as well. It also works with 2 cards in SLi, where according to the game situation both cards do graphics or one does graphics and the other card physics.
According to a interview with a nvidia guy (cant remember who, sorry) the drivers for physics support will come out in Q3. He didnt say what year, but from what he said after that I assume 06.
It would be great to have some more details on the whole physics stuff. They are developing for quite some time now and I would really like to see some demos or further information about it.

[pissboy]

the thing thats still the big mystery to me is...

...will these physics options, be the same as the Ageia Physics options, so all games can benifit from the same Physics programs... or will this get disasterous, where Ageia has thier version of physics, Nvidia has their own... and ATI has thier own, and if your game is programmed with the right physics... then your screwed with the default low end physics?

Us old folk had the same issues with 1st gen 3d accelerators, 3dfx with glide, powerVR, and S3 with S3D. Later on a pair of standard APIs, Direct3d and OpelGL, were used. It'll work itself out in another generation or two.

[Poodle]

i hope amd jumps in on this. that'll be competition.

They have jumped on it. (Ati=Amd)

[krille]

I like BioWare and all, and I like the initiative with HW accelerated physics, but right now it's probably best to wait and see what all actors will bring and lateron what'll turn out to prevail. I'm still leaning towards waiting for second gen and some more standardization.

Btw, will this "next-gen" engine be used for Mass Effect?

[XSAlliN]

i hope amd jumps in on this. that'll be competition.

Take a look at this review.

we all know both ATI and Nvidia have various Physics set ups they plan on implementing into their motherboards and videocards... like crossfire + physics, but will these physics options, be the same as the Ageia Physics options, so all games can benefit from the same Physics programs... or will this get disastrous, where Ageia has their version of physics, Nvidia has their own... and ATI has their own, and if your game is programmed with the right physics... then your screwed with the default low end physics?

I really hope theres a physics standard, that will work with all physics cards and set ups, otherwise, this is just gonna be a disaster.

That depends on customers taste, since we don't have any cards from ATi/nVidia to make a comparison with Ageia it's hard to tell based on demos from internet - at middle of 2007 things will look different.

i am really against another card we have to stick in the system to get things going faster

Actually whit Ageia things go slower, you have less FPS but a different enviorment - based on Physic.

As far as I know nvidia uses Havok FX. AGEIA use their own stuff and I dont know what AMD will use, but I think I saw some papers saying Havok FX aswell.

ATi uses Havok FX as well, and here's a demonstration video.