NVIDIA has uploaded new portion of video tutorials, covering various aspects of APEX Destruction authoring process using PhysXLab tool.

First set of tutorials is explaining creation and usage of Fracture Maps – simple black-and-white images, that can be used to specify fracturing pattern for cut-out fracturing mode.

APEX Destruction: Fracture Maps (Part 1) – Photoshop

APEX Destruction: Fracture Maps (Part 2) with PhysXLab

Second set of tutorials is showcasing multi-FBX import feature. If multiple parts of one object are imported at once, PhysXLab will recognize them as “depth 1″ chunks – thus, it is possible to pre-fracture asset in whatever manner you need (with Voronoi fracture, for example) before using it in PhysXLab.

APEX Destruction: Multi FBX (Part 1) – Prep in 3dsMax

APEX Destruction: Multi FBX (Part 2) – with PhysXLab

Supplementary files (models, textures, etc) for APEX tutorials can be downloaded here.

Previously released tutorials:

• APEX Destruction authoring with PhysXLab (Slice Fracturing, Cut-out Fracturing)
• New tutorials provide in depth view of APEX Destruction usage in UDK (Fracture Materials, Form Extended Structures, Impact Damage)

Batman: Arkham City, sequel to award winning Arkham Asylum title and second GPU PhysX game this year, has finally hit the shelves worldwide.

Update: Batman: Arkham City – GPU PhysX Profile

As usually, we are proud to present you our PhysX review and comparison video, showcasing extra physical effects that can be found in PC version of the game.

Can't view the video ? Watch alternative variant on Vimeo

Some technical details, like difference between PhysX settings, were already revealed in our preview article, so let’s give a score to different aspects of GPU PhysX implementation and compare them to previous Batman: Arkham Asulum title:

All effects are done accurately, with diligence – you will not see jerky or buggy behaviour (within physics engine limitations, of course), art is fine, almost everything is configured correctly. However, some particle effects could be done better – for example, it is not appealing to see when glass shards are jumping all over the place like they were made out of rubber.

PhysX effects are scattered all over the game and accumulated in a places you will visit during main storyline (for example, you won’t see dynamic paper sheets on a random street).

Overall amount of extra physics content is similar to Arkham Asylum, but the components differ: you won’t see many “environmental” cloth objects, like all those banners and flags that can be teared appart with batarang, but in return APEX Clothing module is used extensively to simulate dynamic clothing on characters, including hoodies and coats on thugs, pants on russian twin-clowns, costume of Bruce Wayne, etc.

SPH smoke, steam and fog are rare in this game, but other particles (physical debris, shards, splinters, sparks) can be encountered much more frequently. All boss battles are enhanced with unique particle effects, for example.

As a good tradition, there is psychedelic level with lots of GPU Rigid Bodies. Looks gorgeous, actually, without PhysX effects this scene feels not nearly as vivid and spectacular.

GPU PhysX effects are certanly enhancing gameplay experience, giving it a little more depth, color and vibrance, either by providing  momentum to the battles through particle debris or making the environment more believable with interactive objects.

If you are not expecting from PhysX content something it is not supposed to be (game changing or gameplay affecting feature), you will be satisfied.

At the same time, GPU PhysX support is showing a little progress in this title. Particles, cloth and stuff – we have already saw it in a games before. While PhysX effects in original Batman have received the top score, today we are forced to deduct a few points (back in 2009 most of the effects were fresh and innovative, but now “more of the same” content did not impressed us that much).

As always, hardware accelerated PhysX effects are requiring a powerfull NVIDIA GPU, however this time framerate with PhysX enabled is unusally stable (without infamous issues like spontaneous slowdowns in Alice: Madness Returns or half-GPU physics in Mafia II). On our single GTX 580, framerate was holding on 50-60 fps even in extensive PhysX scenes and never dropped below 30 frames per second.

Nevertheless, we are thinking that GPU PhysX requirements are over demanding, giving the level of physical effects found in the game.

Also, additional PhysX effects are slightly more friendly to CPU calculation this time (in case if you don’t have NVIDIA GPU), you even will be able to play certain parts of the game normally, but smooth gameplay is still a dream.

Hybrid PhysX owners will be pleased to hear that new Batman is compatible with such systems.

Update: PhysX benchmarks roundup

Great game with a good level of GPU PhysX support. Once again, main reason to choose PC version over the console ones.

NVIDIA has released PhysXLab 1.1 Beta – updated version of PhysXLab, standalone authoring application for APEX Destruction and APEX Particles modules.

Release Notes:

• APEX 1.1 support (PhysX SDK 2.8.4.6).
• Possibility to have multiple physical meshes per chunk – convex decomposition (controlled by “Collision Quality” settings).
• New options for “Playground” simulation – Radius Damage Tool, ability to throw or drop destructible asset, shoot it with box or sphere.
• Separate pieces now detected by the FBX importer.
• Can now import a multiple mesh and export without further fracturing.
• Ability to cancel fracturing opertation – “Stop Fracture”.
• Chunk instancing (correponding chunks between different destructible actors will be rendered through intance bufer).
• Chunks tiling (matching chunks created from cutout fracturing will be instanced within the same actor, as well as referenced actors).
• Visualization of instanced chunks.
• LOD settings can now be applied to destructible in playground.
• Supports ASDW keys to move camera.
• Updated interface with support for all new features.

Bugs fixed:

• Bad tangent generation fixed.
• Large memory usage issues fixed.

PhysXLab 1.1 can be downloaded through Developer Support Center. Follow the path:

[Online Support] -> [Downloads] -> [APEX PhysX Lab (beta)] -> [APEX PhysXLab 1.1 (beta)]

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

Recently, we got a chance to lay our hands on a bunch of high-resolution, never-seen-before screenhots from Art Gallery demo – it was used by NVIDIA to demonstrate APEX Destruction capabilities at GDC 2011.

For you viewing pleasure.

Art Gallery demo is featuring full-scale hardware acceleration of Rigid Body physics simulation (GPU Rigid Bodies, GRB) – we are hoping to see it live in APEX 1.1 and November/December UDK.

Autodesk has uploaded several partner presentations from Unreal University event at MIGS 2011 (Montreal International Gaming Summit).

One particular session – “UDK Overview || Nvidia session” – is provided by NVIDIA, in which Johnny Costello, PhysX content engineer, gives overview of APEX Destruction module functionality and it’s usage inside UDK (starting from 30:00).

This session covers pretty basic Destruction authoring features (PhysXLab, slicing, depth settings, playground, exporting to UDK, etc) – so for those who is already familiar with APEX or previosly released tutorials (set #1, set #2), it won’t say anything new. However, it is worth watching for a beginner.

Note: one interesting feature was mentioned during the presentation – in near future Destruction module will support objects deformation through joints.

NVIDIA has already pleased us today with updated tutorials for APEX Clothing module, but this is not all -  a bunch of new tutorials for APEX Destruction module, focused on usage of destructible assets with UE3 or UDK engine, has arrivied just a hour ago.

Update: Destruction tutorials package (with destructible assets, textures and UDK levels) was added to Developer Support Center.

Not familiar with APEX or its integration in UDK ? Start with these links: APEX Destruction | APEX 1.0 Beta | March UDK released with full NVIDIA APEX support

APEX Destruction Tutorial with UDK: Fracture Materials (2)

This tutorial describes how to use fracture materials in UDK.

APEX Destruction Tutorial with PhysXLab: Wood Material (3)

This tutorial provides step by step instructions for creating a destructible wood plank using PhysXLab 1.0 or higher.

APEX Destruction Tutorial with UDK: Form Extended Structures (4)

This tutorial describes how to use form extended structures in UDK.

APEX Destruction Tutorial with UDK: Impact Damage (5)

This tutorial describes how to set and use impact damage in UDK.

However, before starting with more advanced destruction scenes, make sure to familiarize with basic tutorials for cut-out and slice fracturing, and importing assets into UDK, released earlier.

NVIDIA has released upgraded set of tutorials on how to create APEX Clothing assets in 3ds Max, Maya and how use them in UE3/UDK engine.

Archives are containing recorded video tutorials, all necessary assets, UE3 packages and scene files (for 3ds Max/Maya 2011 and latest PhysX plug-ins).

New tutorilas are availale for download at Developer Support Center, under following section:  [Online Support] -> [Downloads] -> [APEX] -> [APEX DCC Clothing Plugins]

• Clothing Max Tutorials Part 1 (9-29-11).zip (590 mb)
  • Tutorial #1: Setup and UI
  • Tutorial #2: Waving Flag authoring
  • Tutorial #3: Cape (low res) authoring
  • Tutorial #4: Trench Coat (medium res) authoring
• Clothing Max Tutorials Part 2 (9-29-11).zip (525 mb)
  • Tutorial #5: Pants (high res) authoring
  • Tutorial #6: Exporting from 3ds Max to UE3
• Clothing Maya Tutorials (9-29-11).zip (497 mb)
  • Tutorial #1: Setup and UI
  • Tutorial #2: Trench Coat (medium res) authoring
  • Tutorial #3: Exporting from Maya to UE3
• Clothing Tutorial for Unreal 3 (9-29-11).zip (186 mb)
  • Tutorial #1: Animation Notifies Max Distance Scaling

3ds Max Tutorials Note: scene files ending with “_2010″ are not compatible with 3ds Max 2012.

You can also find mentioned video tutorials at NvidiaApexDeveloper channel at YouTube.

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

Autodesk has published a recorded video of a presentation – “The Latest Advances in NVIDIA PhysX / APEX Technology” – that was performed by Daniel Horowitz, engineering manager for PhysX dev. tools in NVIDIA,  at Siggraph 2011.

Update: MassFX: what is coming in future versions of 3ds Max

This presentation is covering such topics as design principles of PhysX and MassFX plug-ins, relationship between those tools, and is also giving an overview on APEX Clothing authoring process and upcoming features.

Some interesting facts:

• APEX Destruction functionality will be added to PhysX plug-ins in the future. It was also mentioned, that it will be possible to use to use 3d party tools for fracturing (not only default solution in PhysXLab) and also tweak graphical and physical meshes separately.
• Next release – PhysX plug-in 2.7 will support PhysX SDK 2.8.4, PhysX SDK 3.1 and APEX 1.1
• APEX Softbodies module was mentioned.
• Contact Layers feature (basically, collision filtering) will be added in 2.7 plug-in for Maya, and 2.x plug-in for 3ds Max.
• Patner integration program. For example, PhysX based rigid bodies from Particle Flow plug-ins will be able to interact with MassFX rigid bodies.
• mCloth module will be based on ClothFX plug-in from Size8Software, but it will fully interact with MassFX rigid bodies, ragdolls, atachments and so on (nice solution to keep PhysX cloth and APEX focused on clothing simulation for games only).

It was promised that new 2.7 PhysX plug-ins will arrive shortly, in a few weeks, so keep an eye on our website for a full review.

User monkeYB07 has posted a video tutorial, that covers APEX Clothing authoring process in Maya and further importing of completed clothing asset into Unreal Development Kit.

Update: New complete set of official APEX Clothing tutorials, including assets import and usage in UE3/UDK.

Basic result, working dynamic cloth, can be achieved in less than 10 minutes, but proper tweaking will certanly require more time.

For additional details on APEX Clothing authoring workflow you may refer to NVIDIA tutorials and APEX C page at Unreal Developer Network.

YouTube user raven67854 has presented several tutorial videos, explaining basic principles of APEX Destruction module usage inside the Unreal Development Kit engine.

Update: New tutorials provide in depth view of APEX Destruction usage in UDK

First tutorial is covering basic principles of mesh fracturing using PhysXLab tool.

Second one is showcasing import of APEX assets in UDK.

– We’ll update this post as more tutorials will emerge –

Additional materials, you would probably like to take a look at:

• UDK – APEX Destruction Reference
• APEX Destruction authoring in PhysXLab