UNITY is popular multiplatform development tool, used in many titles, from numerous iPhone games to major one like Interstellar Marines.

Internal physics system in Unity is using custom driverless version PhysX SDK – unfortunately, since main SDK core is very old (2.5, afair), it’s missing not only recent updates and bugfixes, but some features like fluids, cloth, forcefields and even GPU-acceleration. While Unity Technologies were keeping PhysX un-updated for years in a matter of “combability”, such renovation was actually needed by developers.

And, finally – recent announce of long awaited Unity 3.0 engine promises not only iPad and Ps3 platforms support, deferred render, built-in lightmapping system and unified editors, but “major updates to Unity’s.. physics features“

No details were revealed, but Tom Higgins, Unity Product Evangelist, made a short sneak-peak

We are upgrading PhysX but will be saving the specifics until later, let’s just say it will have some juicy new features for sure!

We’ll try to keep an eye on this, so stay tuned.

Group of enthusiasts is working on interesting project – classic Unreal 1 engine enhancement with real-time physics, based on PhysX SDK. Current version supports only primitives like boxes and spheres, convex meshes and several joint types, but result is already impressive:

Future plans include vehicles integration, soft bodies and possible ragdoll support. You can download beta version of PhysX mod for Unreal v. 227 here

Hope this project will be more successful than this abandoned PhysX integration into Half Life 1 engine.

Interesting video appears on YouTube today – it’s showcasing PhysX SDK integration with Meng Game Engine by Mindware  Studios. Meng was the technology behind recently released painkiller-style game called Dreamkiller.

Video is demonstrating some advanced physics simulation – tearable and pressure cloth, metal cloth based deformables, dynamic hair, and ragdolls, blended with animation using joint motors.

However, we haven’t spotted anything but ragdolls and rigid bodies in actual Dreamkiller game, so perhaps more complicated features are reserved for future projects.

Update: unfortunately, video seems to be removed by user.

You may be familiar with NxOgre – complex and pervasive PhysX SDK wrapper for Ogre 3D engine, used already is serious commercial games, like Zombie Driver.

User Caphalor, who founds NxOgre “bit too big” for his purposes, decided to create small and simple alternative wrapper, and called it compactly – OgrePhysX

Library is based on PhysX SDK 2.8.3 and supports following features:

- PhysX initialisation
- bind scene nodes or other “PointRenderable” implementations to actors
- mesh cooking
- shape parameter system
- raycasting, sweeps
- contact report

OgrePhysX discussion thread | OgrePhysX Google Code page

Physics simulation component of Esenthel Engine was translated recently to PhysX SDK 2.8.3, which allows developers, among other things, to create 64-bit applications.

In addition, new SDK features, like hierarchical cloth solver or cloth constraints, can help to advance clothing simulation via Esenthel even further (current status is shown on a video below).

Even developed by one man – Grzegorz Slazinski – Esenthel is “complete game development suit“, which includes graphics renderer, physics, GUI, networking, animation system, etc.

User’s opionions on this engine are fairly positive.

Source: Esenthel forums

We are keeping an eye on promising PhysX SDK based projects, like RayFire Tool, PhysXforQuest wrapper, and – pXent PhysX SDK wrapper for 3D GameStudio engine. This time a new impressive feature was added – realtime generation of fragments for dynamic fracturing and destruction of objects.

Of course, it’s still not APEX Destruction level, but close enough.

We’ve already wrote about pXent some time ago – that’s PhysX SDK wrapper for 3D GameStudio engine. Christian Kahler, pXent developer, has uploaded an interesting video today, showing that even complex PhysX SDK features like SPH-fluids, softbodies and cloth simulation can be easily implemented by one man.

PhysX SDK wrapper for 3D GameStudio (A7) engine - pXent has entered final development stage and is available for purshase in basic setup (rigid bodies, ragdolls, materials system, complex vehicles).

Price for standart edition is set as 15,00 €, meanwhile demo is available for free.

pXent homepage

Discussion at 3DGS forums

Video, showcasing PhysX SDK integration into indie Neutron 3D engine was added to YouTube recently

As you may see, implementation includes rigid bodies, joints, tearable cloth and softbodies.

Recently, PhysX SDK wrapper for Quest 3D engine was updated to version 1.0.6.

Release Notes