In addition to other changes and enhancements, existing PhysX SDK integration is now using 64-bit PhysX solver.

Moreover, it seems now Cebas is more focused on their own rigid body solver called ShapeCollision 2:

The new ShapeCollision operator incorporates, for the first time ever, true Multi-Core (CPU) support for most parts of its collision detection and overall solving. The accuracy of the solver has been enhanced beyond belief and the stability that you derive is unmatched by the old ShapeCollision or any PhysX simulation.

Speed is always an issue in complex physics simulations, PhysX delivers already fast game quality physics but it is not good enough for the Hollywood style of effects, which need way more accuracy than PhysX can deliver. Thanks to a much more enhanced multi-core (CPU) support that SC has to offer, the simulation times can be reduced by a factor, as much as, 10 times when compared to the good old ShapeCollision!

However, it seems good grain of salt is needed here

A Live Oak tree is hand drawn on-the-fly directly in the SpeedTree 5.1 Modeler. After the tree is created in less than 1 minute, full physical interaction is provided instantly via the APEX Vegetation Module.

Rigid body skeleton is generated automatically during authoring process, and special leaf particle emitters are used to add some more realism.

If you’re interested in more in-depth details about APEX Vegetation features, you can watch presentation called “APEX Vegetation with the SpeedTree Modeler” from recent GDC 2010.

Update: main PhysX and APEX session are now available as slide decks and video records

APEX Clothing with 3ds Max by Gavin Kistner, Product Designer, NVIDIA

Gavin gives a quick overview of 2.0 PhysX plug-in for 3ds Max, and uses superhero character with cape to explaing full clothing authoring process. Personal love Gavin’s manner of talking.. funny guy

Physically Simulated Clothing By CCP (EVE Online) Using NVIDIA APEX by Vigfus Omarsson, Lead Technical Artist, CCP; Snorri Sturluson, Senior Software Engineer, CCP; Monier Maher, APEX Product Manager, NVIDIA

Include overall cloth sim benefits overview from CCP, clothing tools pipeline features demonstration with Maya, and, of course, authoring process with pretty female character. While authoring was done in Maya, actual simulation was running in “CCP engine” window, as stated by Vigfus.

APEX Vegetation with the SpeedTree Modeler by Michael Sechrest, President and Co-Founder, Interactive Data Visualization (IDV), Inc.; Lou Rohan, Senior Software Engineer, NVIDIA

Modelling, compiling and SDK pipeline overview related to APEX Vegetation integration with SpeedTree 5.1. Some trees get hurt and broken, all with physically correct behaviour

APEX Destruction using PhysX Lab by Bryan Galdrikian, Senior Apps Engineer, Physics R&D, NVIDIA

Detailed description of PhysX Lab Tool features and options. As in other APEX presentations, destruction authoring process is fully explained, using stanford bunny model and several other objects.

Rigid-body and ragdoll simulations can now be calculated using the Nvidia PhysX plug-in, a feature of particular benefit to games customers using the PhysX middleware.

As you may notice on the screenshot, PhysX SDK 2.8.3 is used for the integration, and apart from rigid body solver plug-in provides cloth simulation features.

Autodesk Softimage is well known 3D modeling, animation, rendering, and compositing solution. Rigid body physics system in Softimage has moved to PhysX SDK with version 5.0, and old physics core wasn’t upgraded since than.  However, according to latest press-release, upcoming Softimage 2011 will finally include updated PhysX components

PhysX 2.8.3 — Helps artists create meshless deformations in ICE with the latest NVIDIA PhysX rigid body library. Provides new support for springs and dampers. New library also offers accelerated performance when using the optional addition of an NVIDIA CUDA enabled graphics processing unit (GPU).

Interesting detail – since hardware acceleration support is promised with clear definition of PhysX SDK as “rigid body” solution, it seems that GPU rigid body solver is going to be used.

Update: confirmed via Softimage wiki – “Support for CUDA acceleration for PhysX Rigid Body Dynamics (including ICE)”

Update #2: official press-release from Nvidia

You can read session descriptions via provided links, but actually not only this has catched my eye. Nvidia GDC 2010 page was updated with schedule of presentations, that are going to be demonstrated at Nvidia booth #1702 at March 12-13

Those include such intriguing topics like:

Unity for Engineers – are they planning to demonstrate update physics system in Unity 3.0 ?

Authoring Runtime Animation with NaturalMotion Morpheme 2.3 – I’ve heard that Morpheme is going to be integrated with APEX Clothing, is that it ?

Softimage 2011 Enhanced with PhysX – next version of Softimage will include updated PhysX SDK integration ?

Streamlining PhysX Content in Max – is it related to rumored new physics system in XBR ?

Sadly I can’t visit GDC myself, but I’ll try to provide you with any open or insider information I’ll be able to gather

Or first, pilot article, is dedicated to RayFire Tool – awesome destruction plug-in for 3ds Max. Mir Vadim, RayFire Tool sole developer, has answered some of our questions about  RayFire history and PhysX SDK role in plug-in development.

Read The Article - PhysX From Inside Out: RayFire Tool

P.S. I’ve counted on small interview firstly, but Mir Vadim has sended a huge post-mortem like material – must read for every RayFire user and admirer.

Thanks Mir !

Finally, Vadim Mir has released new version of RayFire Tool, plug-in for advanced destruction simulation.

RayFire 1.5 is now based on 2.0 PhysX plug-in for 3ds Max, which allows  to use PhysX solver for both 32 and 64-bit versions of 3ds Max.

Promo Reel, which gathers all the best RayFire shots, is presented above.

Vadim Mir announced yesterday, that beta version of new RayFire Tool 1.49, built on 2.0 PhysX plug-in with 64-bit support, is ready to use. Details in quotes below:

Due to some new PhysX plugin restrictions some old features are not available atm, that is why it is 1.49 Beta. For now there is no Glueing and Imposible to use Grouped objects. But the most needed features like dynamic simulation and Interactive demolition work fine.

Also, since Nvidia still didn’t release PhysX plugin for public, you will need to get it and install manually. You can get it here:
http://developer.nvidia.com/forums/…90&st=0&start=0

For first 1-2 weeks 1.49 beta will be available only for licensed users.
To get it, please email to me with request and I will add it in your customer area.

P.S. Do not uninstall older 32 bit RayFire versions.

Source: cgsociety.org

PathEngine, pathfinding and agent movement middleware toolkit, was updated to version 5.23.

Apart from other changes, like memory footprint and loading time optimisations, PathEngine 5.23 adds support for automatic ground meshes processing and building from third-party physics provider scene data – PhysX SDK and Havok.

PathEngine middleware was used in certain games, like Titan Quest, Stormrise and Pirates of the Burning Sea, and is going to be implemented into Metro 2033 and Just Cause 2.