Original NVIDIA PhysX Fluid Demo is nice indeed, but it is not using fluid simulation to it’s full potential – there is only two scenes, level geometry is way too basic and water flow is too simple.

That’s why our fellow reader, known as AquaGeneral, desided to pimp Fluid Demo a little, buy replacing original models and, thus, providing more interesting usage of fluid sim.

[08.01.2011] Update: new model – “Two Story Building” – available. Mod reuploaded.

Update #2: If you want to create custom level to yourself, please refer to PhysX Fluid Demo Modding Guide.

Three new variants of initial “Pumping Station or something” scene were added:

1 – “Building”

2 – “Pool”

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Siemens PLM Software, a business unit of the Siemens Industry Automation Division, has announced a new integrated machine design solution aimed at creating value for companies that develop and market machine tools and production machines – Mechatronics Concept Designer.

For physics simulation MCD solution is relaying on PhysX SDK:

Mechatronics Concept Designer also includes a state-of-the-art modeling and simulation capability based on NVIDIA PhysX technology. This physics engine, developed with the PhysX SDK from NVIDIA, is similar to the software technology used in many of today’s modern video games. This groundbreaking approach to simulation makes it easy to quickly create and interactively validate alternative design concepts.

In addition, the user is able to interact with the digital machine model while the simulation is running, providing the ability to test the effects of different inputs in real time. The ability to model real-world physical behavior in the virtual world, based on simplified mathematical models, enables early concept verification that helps detect and correct errors when they are least expensive to resolve.

Actually, this is not the first time PhysX SDK is used for serious simulation frameworks, for example, you can recall Microsoft Robotics Developer Studio, also featuring PhysX integration.

Several nice videos were uploaded on YouTube by user named Phrogz42 (and further finding are indicating that Gavin Kistner, Product Designer for PhysX Max and Maya plug-ins, is hiding behing this nick) – they are showcasing usage of PhysX 3ds Max plug-in for simulation of several complex obejcts – mostly chains of various types.

But much more interesting details were revealed by autor today, as responce to our question – PhysX plug-in v2.06 Alpha (current version, available for public, is 2.01) was used to create those demonstrations.

Most simulations were running on sub-realtime performance, due to highly increased iterations count, but stability is impressive, not to mention that almost no joints were used – each chain link is compound obejct, consisting of several rigid body primitives/convex meshes.

Take a look at description of “PhysX Chain Braid” video – “each chain link is a single rigid body with eight automatically-derived convex hulls comprising 160 verts (per link)” – it seems convex decomposition algoritm has finally made it to PhysX plug-in.

We’ll keep an eye on Phrogz42’s channel and will let you know, if something interesting will appear.

Mir Vadim has revealed a new version of his advanced fragmentation and destruction simulation plug-in for 3ds Max, knows as RayFire Tool.

New features in version 1.51:

• Rebars support. Rigid and Glue.
• Radial Fragmentation type.
• And the best feature so far, RayFire Studios .

As you may remember from out PhysX from Inside Out article, RayFire Tool is relaying heavily on PhysX SDK for complex simulation features.

You can view pretty impressive RayFire Portfolio here. And don’t forget to check out a new website.

Mafia II Benchmark video featuring NVIDIA PhysX comparison by nvidia

Official PhysX comparison video for Mafia II. Initial video sequence is nothing special (just benchmark run), but composing level makes me envious

Cryostasis BFG Ageia PPU PhysX Test by TRStrider74

This video is comparing Cryostasis PhysX performance with/without additional Ageia PhysX card and main ATI GPU. After watching this I’ve moved Cryostasis to GPU/PPU games section, as it seems to run well enough.

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Autodesk has announced today, that  2.x PhysX plug-in for 3ds Max is going to be included into Subscription Advantage Pack for 3ds Max 2011 and 3ds Max Design 2011.

Description:

Create more compelling, dynamic rigid-body simulations directly in the 3ds Max viewport. The multi-threaded NVIDIA® PhysX® engine supports static, dynamic, and kinematic rigid bodies (the latter for rag doll simulations), and a number of constraints: Rigid, Slide, Hinge, Twist, Universal, Ball & Socket, and Gear.

Animators can more quickly create a wider range of realistic dynamic simulations, and can also use the toolset for modeling: for example, creating a randomly placed landscape of rocks. Assigning physical properties – friction, density, and bounciness – is as simple as choosing from a set of initial preset real-world materials and tweaking parameters as required.

Update: Intesting details were revealed by Kenneth Pimentel, Director of Visual Communications Solutions at Autodesk, on CGTalk.com forums

We can also announce an ongoing partnership with nvidia around PhysX. We entered into the partnership a little late to show much results in this pass, but the partnership is significant and on-going. I think you’d be surprised at the number of research threads we’ve kicked off together.

This is specifically to avoid what happened with Reactor. I think we learned our lesson.

PhysX SDK as default physics solution for most Autodesk products ? Why not

And yet another PhysX article has arrived today – this particular one from PClab.pl is mostly focused on GPU PhysX effects analysis and comparison.

Almost every single modern title with hardware accelerated PhysX content (except for Sacred 2 and Darkest of Days) was reviewed, and detailed description of extra PhysX content both in form of text and comparison videos were included. For example:

Mafia II

Batman: Arkham Asylum

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Interesting technical article, called “PhysX: Lust, Last oder Frust?” has emerged on Tom’sHardware.de today. It’s purpose is to revisit recent events in GPU PhysX (and CPU execution of PhysX effects) area – thus, basic knowledge of this topic is required.

Update: english version available

x87 vs SSE question gets updated with new CPU instructions tests of Mafia II:

(note: graph is called "vtune_metro2033", so some mistakes may take place)

As new PhysX SDK 2.8.4 with SSE2 compliler option is yet in beta, and Mafia II is based on SDK 2.8.3 – it is still relying on x87 instruction set.

Author correctly remarks, that moving from X87 to SSE usage won’t magically boost performance by 2x times, like several websites are promising, more likely 10-20 % or even less in real applications.

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New PhysX System Software v. 9.10.0514 (timestamp – 31.08.2010) has appeared on the web as part of leaked 260.52 GPU drivers and official 260.63 Beta drivers.

Current release notes are unknown.

You can download PhysX System Software 9.10.0514 from here (26 mb, virustotal report)

Alternative download from physxfiles.com

Recently released Ranger Pack DLC (will be downloaded automatically via Steam, if auto-update is enabled) for Metro 2033 has brought us not only new Hardcore mode, new achievements and new guns, but also a nice standalone Benchmarking Tool.

It uses intensive firefight sequence from Frontline level, and has well-thought-out interface with lots of settings and additional features, like framerate graphs generation after the test.

Benchmark can be used to measure GPU PhysX performance, since it includes some effects affected by “Advanced PhysX” option, like grenade explosions and particles from bullet impacts (5000+ particles in most intensive scene).

In addition, cloth simulation (several banners at benchmarking sequence start – around 1700 cloth vertices in total) supports GPU acceleration too.

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