Mafia II Demo: PhysX Usage
While you are waiting for Mafia II Demo, planned to be released just in a few hours, you can read the preview of APEX/PhysX content, prepared by Techgage in their “Taking a Look at Mafia II and its PhysX Use” article.
Demo includes “Benchmark” mode, and that’s how it’s look like:
Update: Our PhysX Comparison video using built-in benchmark. In addition, APEX comparison and showcase videos roundup.
Update #2: Tweaking PhysX in Mafia II – huge fps increase without noticable difference.
Update #3: Mafia II Demo – PhysX Benchmarks roundup
Update #4: Mafia II GPU PhysX profile – comparison video, screens and other additional info.
APEX/PhysX Features:
- Physically simulated clothing for main character and additional characters
- Custom wind simulation that creates a more dynamic movement of clothing as the characters walk around and interact with the environment.
- Force fields from explosions and interact with clothing, making those explosive moments even more immersive
- Up to 3,000 unique particles on screen at any given time (10,000 at High settings).
- Particle effects including dynamic collision, mass and kinetic simulation, and force fields from explosions that move and displace particles along its path.
- Destruction particle debris from cement, wood, glass, dirt, and more
- Weapon impact that creates dynamic smoke and kinetic persistent particles
- Garbage moves and exists in the world of Empire Bay and reacts to effects like force fields and character interactions
- Tire burnout while driving produces dynamic smoke and particles including fluid movement simulation and particle velocity and trajectory
- Character clothing on all character models is rendered entirely on the GPU when using a dedicated PhysX card which can be anything from a GT 240 to a GTX 480.
With APEX set to “Off”:
- Clothing on character models is not realistically generated but graphically simulated. It does not interact with the physical world.
- Particle debris is sprite based and does not contain physical properties. Particles will not interact with the environment and are not persistent.
- Smoke is staticly generated with no physical properties and will not interact with the physical world.
P.S. Judging by demo, additional APEX PhysX content is optimized for CPU execution better..
..than previous games, like Dark Void.
Unfortunately, still not enough for decent fps and comfort gameplay (at least, with our C2Q 9400 CPU).
PROBLEM: Strange. According to PhysX Visual Indicator, PhysX effects in Mafia II are running on CPU, even if GPU PhysX is enabled in drivers – with this newest 09.10.0512 System Software.
I wonder if that’s the reason of low fps. Can anyone confirms this ?
SOLUTION: you need to reinstall PhysX drivers.
Uninstall current one, than install PhysX_10.05.12_9.10.0512_SystemSoftware package manually,
from \Steam\steamapps\common\mafia ii – public demo\3rd
I didn’t even know the demo was coming out today. Good to hear
AquaGeneeral (QUOTE)
AquaGeneeral
10 Aug 10 at 10:40 am
AquaGeneeral
Well, it was released on Steam few minutes ago)
Zogrim (QUOTE)
Zogrim
10 Aug 10 at 10:45 am
“Character clothing on all character models is rendered entirely on the GPU when using a dedicated PhysX card which can be anything from a GT 240 to a GTX 480. ”
Well its good to know they didnt decide to use software/CPU rasterization for the clothing…
But unless they are using a new version/unpublished APIs, I imagine that PhysX still has to traverse the CPU before doing the graphics… (so a bit misleading there:-)
David Black (QUOTE)
David Black
10 Aug 10 at 10:56 am
As I read before, there will be implemented clothing via CPU but only for main game characters.
mareknr (QUOTE)
mareknr
10 Aug 10 at 11:47 am
Well, judging by demo, APEX effects are implemented pretty well on CPU.
In built-in benchmark they are consuming about 70% of CPU resources, on all four cores (APEX enabled, GPU PhysX disabled from drivers) – that’s good news.
Bad news – not CPU, not even single GPU can’t handle intense APEX scene with comfort fps – its around 10-15 fps and 20-25 fps accordingly, even on APEX medium – at least on my C2Q 9400 and GTX470.
So, it seems dedicated GPU is a necessity
But.. effects are pretty cool
Zogrim (QUOTE)
Zogrim
10 Aug 10 at 12:19 pm
Correct me if im wrong, but the physx runtime that came with the demo seems to remove support for ati/nvidia hybrids. Anyone know when we can expect a fix/update for this? =)
FoShoBear (QUOTE)
FoShoBear
10 Aug 10 at 1:20 pm
Zogrim on which resolution did you test the demo? I hope it’ll run well on my GTX460(1GB GS GLH). I have GT240 as dedicated PhysX card but I thing it won’t be enough for APEX high… Or am I wrong? My configuration is:
Phenom II X4 940 3GHz
5GB RAM
Gainward GTX460 1GB GS GLH
Gainward GT240 512MB
I hope that it will be enough for 1920×1200 and APEX high.
mareknr (QUOTE)
mareknr
10 Aug 10 at 1:47 pm
Zogrim on which resolution did you test the demo?
1280×720p, as I was planning to record some video without bothering with rescaling and stuff)
However, demo may have some problems with GPU PhysX – take a look at last screenshot I posted.
FoShoBear
Anyone know when we can expect a fix/update for this?
No news from GenL yet.
Zogrim (QUOTE)
Zogrim
10 Aug 10 at 1:55 pm
no GPU PhysX with NVIDIA PhysX 9.10.0512, look at GPU-Z no physx
IROKEZ (QUOTE)
IROKEZ
10 Aug 10 at 3:21 pm
and one more thing, http://physxinfo.com/news/3422/mafia-2-official-pc-specs-dedicated-physx-gpu-recommended/
NVIDIA PhysX driver: 10.04.02_9.10.0522. Included and automatically installed with the game.
9.10.0522 not 9.10.0512
IROKEZ (QUOTE)
IROKEZ
10 Aug 10 at 3:23 pm
1. run GPU-Z, no Physx
2. go to(c:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\mafia ii – public demo\3rd\)
3. run PhysX_10.05.12_9.10.0512_SystemSoftware.msi, uninstall physx
4.run again PhysX_10.05.12_9.10.0512_SystemSoftware.msi install physx
5. run GPU-Z, Physx oh YES
6. run Mafia 2
IROKEZ (QUOTE)
IROKEZ
10 Aug 10 at 4:16 pm
IROKEZ
Yep, just found it myself
Zogrim (QUOTE)
Zogrim
10 Aug 10 at 4:17 pm
Zogrim, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!
This work!!!!
Alex (QUOTE)
Alex
10 Aug 10 at 4:19 pm
Alex =(
IROKEZ (QUOTE)
IROKEZ
10 Aug 10 at 4:21 pm
IROKEZ
Didnt work for me? still no physx
FoShoBear (QUOTE)
FoShoBear
10 Aug 10 at 4:33 pm
Nevermind, guess it doesnt apply to hybrids ^^
FoShoBear (QUOTE)
FoShoBear
10 Aug 10 at 4:37 pm
Doesn’t work for hybrids…
gnash (QUOTE)
gnash
10 Aug 10 at 4:38 pm
Not sure if some of the messages were replying to mine or not.
But my point was that currently it is impossible(or nearly) to set PhysX up in a way which is entirly GPU driven. ie the CPU always does part of the work in between physics simulation and rendering.
(hopefully one day this will not be the case).
David Black (QUOTE)
David Black
10 Aug 10 at 4:46 pm
heyyah mates, i played on my GTX260 OC (700/1400/1100) in 1920×1080 with 4xAF and Physx HIGH and NO PROBLEM ! its run GREAT, 30 – 35FPS in hard scenes, 50 – 60 in city !
MicrO (QUOTE)
MicrO
10 Aug 10 at 5:04 pm
hey wtf, i had in bench with my GK 23,2 AVG fps .. u with GTX480 too ?
lol
MicrO (QUOTE)
MicrO
10 Aug 10 at 5:05 pm