GDC 2010 (Game Developer Conference) is just about to start, and is going to be rich on PhysX related content this year. Apart from session on APEX Clothing integration with EvE Incarna we mentined previously, featured talks will include “Authoring Physically Simulated Destruction with NVIDIA APEX” and “Taking Fluid Simulation Out of the Box: Particle Effects in Dark Void“.

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

And yet another PhysX SDK textbook from Yoshikuni Okawa – PhysX & DirectX10. It’s like he got a cycle already, three months per new book.

Textbook is available for pushase at Amazon.co.jp

PhysX developers may be familiar with John Ratcliff – author of NxuStream (XML file format which is used to capture state of a PhysX SDK scene), Novodex/PhysX Rocket (physics demo application and editor) and other physics related researches.

In recent days John has updated his blog, known as John Ratcliff’s Code Suppository, with new usefull PhysX tools and code snippets:

PhysX2Obj – library that allows one to export a PhysX SDK scene as either a single Wavefront OBJ file in world space or a series of OBJ files in object space. Code has been compiled and tested with PhysX SDK 2.8.3 but should work with earlier versions of the SDK with little or no modification.

Library is available for download via Google Code page.

Tool with reverse purpose – Obj2PhysX - is going to be released shortly.

NvCoreDump is a windows 32 bit DLL which allows any PhysX 2.8.3 based project to perform an NxuStream XML compatible core dump in a single function call.

Rather than including all of the NxuStream source code in your application, instead you can simply demand load this tiny DLL and save it out.  The value, purpose, and benefit is to take simply add the ability to export the contents of the current PhysX SDK in any application by simply adding this tiny code snippet and the DLL.

Project is available for download via Google Code page.

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We are glad to inform you, that after a month of unavailability due to some “server issues”, binary PC version of  PhysX SDK 2.8.3 is available for download via Developer Support Center.

If you are experiencing trouble with registration of PhysX Developer account, please refer to our registration guide.

You may notice, that SDK version is now 2.8.3.21 (previous one was 2.8.3.15) – these release includes some minor bugfixes, mostly related to console versions.

As we mentioned before, recent materials from post-CES 2010 special GF100 breifing by Nvidia revealed certain in-depth details on PhysX Technology current status.

Now, thanks to Acrofan, we have now complete video record (20 min) from that briefing, covering part with PhysX SDK and APEX Toolset description, recent improvements on console PhysX versions, engine features and developer tools details, etc.

BTW, at 9:40 they were using graph from our Popular Physics Engines comparison article, and PhysXInfo was called “very cool website”

Yoshikuni Okawa is working like a machine – only few months passed and new PhysX SDK textbook is ready (left one on a pic below).

Book is available for preordering at Amazon.co.jp

November’s Nvidia Developer Newsletter #49 has brought some very interesting material – 50 min. long video of “Creating Immersive Environments With NVIDIA APEX” session from SIGGRAPH 2009 conference.

It contains in-deph overview of all APEX Modules (FYI, APEX is artist focused framework on top of PhysX SDK), new details and demos, never shown before. Must watch for PhysX developers and people who are simply interested in PhysX future.

Download video (197 mb.)

Browsing certain forums we’ve realised that recent changes in PhysX SDK access procedure weren’t clear enough for some developers, and they now experiencing problems with PhysX dev. account registration.

Thus, we’ve decided to put-in small registration guide and contacted Nvidia PhysX team to recieve some commentaries.

STEP 1. Go to PhysX Developer Support Center and click “Sign in” (upper-right corner)

STEP 2. Click “Request a New Account Button”

PhysXInfo.com: What are requirements for participants in general ?

PhysX SDK Manager: Our only requirement is that developers complete the registration form completely and accurately. In general, we reject most accounts because they do not provide a real name but in other cases, developers try to get cute with answers to questions and then we reject them. PhysX has real value in game development or simply studying about game development; therefore, we require that they register with accurate and complete information, they keep the information current, and that they log into their account within any 6 month period. If they provide email address which are not accurate, then we will also delete their account.

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Accessibility of PhysX SDK binary PC version was changed recently. PhysX SDK is still free but no longer available for public download,  to get access to SDK and tools you must register an account at PhysX Developer Support website and wait until it’ll be approved. As we were told, that will help Nvidia to “have more insight into how it (SDK) is being used.”

Actually, that’s how things were organized in Ageia times. Support forum, as well other PhysX pages will remain on their current places.

Our PhysX Developer account registration guide

Driven by Joe Andresen from SUN Microsystems, this 51-minute long video lecture is part of Sonoma State University colloquium. Talk is covering some aspects about how PhysX SDK works in standart game engine environment as physics engine,  how to organize engine pipeline and rendering system correctly, etc – might be interesting for starting programmers.

Source: CSUSonoma