Following Geeks3D report on that recent driver update disables PhysX hardware acceleration not only for Nvidia GPUs, but for Ageia PPUs as well (if non-Nvidia graphics card is present in the system) we’ve desided to perform small investigation.

Test methodology is simple enough: we’ll use certain sample from PhysX SDK 2.8.1 Build 13 to identify if Ageia PPU is working and initializing properly with different PhysX drivers on several systems with Nvidia and ATI GPUs.

Used PhysX System Software – 8.09.04 (last one with direct PPU support) and newest 9.09.0814 installed above 8.09.04 (PPU won’t be recognised on pure 9.09.0814 drivers)

GeForce System #1 – GTX275 + Ageia PPU

PhysX driver 8.09.04                                                         PhysX driver 9.09.0814

GeForce System #2 – GTX295 + Ageia PPU (thanks to JeGX from Geeks3d)

PhysX driver 9.09.0814

As you can see, in both cases Ageia PPU was recognised properly by the system, and hardware acceleration is working too (test applications indicates that both scene and cloth simulations are running in hardware)

What will happen if we’ll try same scenario, but now with ATI GPU installed in the system ?

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Thanks to Gavin Kistner, Nvidia PhysX plug-ins manager and designer, we can now take a print of what features and improvements 2.0 PhysX plug-ins (currently in development) will have over current generation DCC tools

Following overview is related to PhysX Plug-in for 3DS Max, but we think Maya plug-in feature set won’t differ much.

There’s a proper PhysX toolbar providing access to commands and simulation control, and a proper panel for setting global parameters.

The new plug-in has been heavily overhauled to better support Max workflow. Rigid Bodies are created as modifiers (constraints are still separate helpers). You can change attributes of the modifier, or the underlying geometry, and changes are automatically reflected in the simulation.  There are sub-object modes in the modifier for visualizing and controlling the Initial Velocity and Spin directions. We have a much better presentation of all attributes.

The physical mesh shapes (Sphere, Box, Capsule, Convex Hull) wrap around the geometry nicely by default. You can regenerate a convex hull with specified inner (deflation) or outer (inflation) offset. You can convert a convex hull to an Editable Mesh, tweak vertices, and get those changes reflected on the shape.

If all works as planned, it should be pretty clear and easy how to use multiple physical meshes for a single object.

The D6 joints have been heavily worked on to be more useful. The visualizations are improved. For a minor convenience, there are toolbar buttons to create a joint with common presets (e.g. Hinge, Ball & Socket, Sliding, etc.). The presentation of the attributes has been greatly simplified and clarified in the new rollouts.

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Time for another PhysX related videos overview. This week Batman Arkham Asylum hardware PhysX content is still top discussed theme, and new videos are emerging fast every day.

Batman AA – PhysX by benchmarkpl

This video is showing dynamic cloth paper stuff in action with different PhysX (High/Normal) settings.

Batman Arkham Asylum Benchmark – PhysX Comparison by bloody2k

Another built-in benchmark overview, but this time with side-by-side comparison scheme followed by classic Batman show music.. nice.
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8monkey Labs devteam has prepared first patch for Darkest of Days title.

Some release notes highlights:

• Added support for more mouse buttons
• New PhysX system software (in fact it’s old 9.09.0814)
• Fixed crash in “Rebel Yell” mission
• Fixed ATI driver crash in Pompeii part 1
• Fixed “save while dead” bug from zeppelin mission
• Fixed bug where starting a new game immediately after finishing an old one resulted in all missions staying complete
• Fixed benchmark/load screen interaction issues
• PhysX particle code safeties

You can download Darkest of Days 1.04 patch here

New 64-bit ready version of PhysX System Software is released. It contains updated .dlls for SDK 2.8.1 and runtimes for new SDK 2.8.3.

Another feature – installation paths are changed now, so all vital libraries and files are stored in “..\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\PhysX” folder instead of “..\Program Files\AGEIA Technologies” – this also makes PhysX drivers more compatible with Windows 7 OS.

Yon can download newest PhysX 9.09.0914 driver from our server, or just wait until it appears at nvidia website.

Mirror Link: Rapidshare

We are proud to present our new PhysX comparison video – for Batman Arkham Asylum retail PC version. Currently, this title has most impressive, advanced and complex hardware PhysX effects from all GPU PhysX games line.

Our Batman: Arkham Asylum PhysX mini-site is located here.

As PC version of Batman: Arkham Asylum finally comes out, various PhysX related videos starting to emerge, and yes – we are preparing our full-scale comparison video too.

Batman Arkham Asylum Gamplay and Sweet PhysX by Cal627

Good video, showing various scenes with hardware PhysX effects – cloth, smoke, rigid bodies, etc.

Batman Arkham Asylum – Benchmarks & Nvidia Physx by PCGamesHardware

Three different PhysX settings (High vs. Medium vs. Off) are compared in this video, using benchmark, built into Batman title.
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It’s disputable issue, is Batman Arkham Asylum that long-awaited killer-ap for hardware PhysX technology, but one is undoubtedly – supplementary PhysX effects are very well done, and can greatly increase overall game immersion level. Unfortunately,  heavy PhysX content requires appropriate Nvidia GPU, to help you understand which one – we’ve prepared an overview of PhysX benchmark articles, available on the web.

[17.09.09] Batman Arkham Asylum: PhysX or not PhysX by Revioo.com

Worth viewing article as it contains PhysX comparison videos, and benchmarks with variety of hardware (main – 9800GTX, GTX275, GTX280, dedicated – 8600GT, 9800GTX, GTX275)

[17.09.09] Batman Arkham Asylum Physx Preview by Chris Ray

This article is focused on multi-GPU (SLI, Tri-SLi, quad-SLI) configurations, and include some comparison PhysX screens too.

[21.09.09] Batman: Arkham Asylum – PhysX benchmarks with comparison shots and video by PCgameshardware.com

Contains comparison screenshots and video for in-game benchmark, and some perfomance testing for different PhysX settings as well.

[22.09.09] Batman Arkham Asylum — pořádná akce s PhysX by PCtuning

Massive and interesting overview – benchmarking results with decent amount of AMD and Nvidia GPUs, and even CPU influence tests.

[25.09.09] Batman nVidia PhysX Analysis by DriverHeaven

Probably, best article available currently. Decent descriptive part (videos included), and great benchmarking with various configurations (different CPU, varied PhysX GPU setups) tested.

[25.09.09] Optymalne karty graficzne do Batman: Arkham Asylum. PhysX, porównanie wersji PC, X360 i PS3 by benchmark.pl

Article with a small part related to GPU PhysX perfomance.

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Maybe some of you already heard about PhysX “trick”, that allows GPU PhysX effects in Batman Arkham Asylum to run with decent framerates (~30) on fast CPU ?

There is no magic or hack here, as in this metod MaxPhysicsSubsteps parameter value is reduced to 1 (instead of 5 by default), that result in faster simulation speed, but greather decreased calculations quality.

TheElMoIsEviL has uploaded video to YouTube, that shows how well this trick works:

In the second part of this video, you can notice how papers (simulated by cloth, actually) get stuck in Batman’s character model,  their vertexes are jumping and jittering all over the screen – that’s result of simulation quality trimming.

Use this solution or not – it’s up to you, but if you want to see complex PhysX effects at their best, I’ll need appropriate Nvidia GPU, without alternatives these days.

Second part of world first PhysX SDK textbook is available – unfortunally, only in Japan.

Written in collaboration with Nvidia PhysX team, those manuals are not just translated PhysX SDK documentation, but complete guide, that covers most features and aspects of game physics implementation via PhysX SDK engine.

You can order your copy at Amazon.co.jp