New GPU PhysX benchmark was revealed today – it is showcasing APEX integration and hardware accelerated PhysX support in upcoming online TPS game called Mars, developed by Epic China in Shanghai. Mars is the first China developed online shooting title, based on Unreal Engine 3, and is supposed to offer player fresh PvP and PvE experience, vibrant graphics, customizable avatars and weapons.

Benchmark itself is showcasing a decent level of GPU PhysX effects, especially in comparison to other games like MKZ and Jianxia 3.

This includes: various particle effects – physically simulated debris from explosions, chunks from bullet impacts, sparks, etc

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Another NVIDIA developer session from GDC 2011 is now available – Realistic and Interactive Clothing in Epic Games “Samaritan” Demo Using NVIDIA APEX (in .pdf format).

Update: recorded session is now available at GDC Vault. Content of this post was updated accordingly.

New interesting technic was presented during presentation – highly detalized graphical mesh with many details (pockets, clasps, etc) was attached to a simplified uniformly tesselated mesh called “Drive Mesh“, that was used for APEX Clothing simulation. In this case, clothing with very complex geometry (like on the Samaritan character above) can be easily authored and simulated with high performance.

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Multiplayer.it website has published hand camera footage of next-gen Samaritan Demo, showcased behind closed doors by Epic Games few days ago. Previously, only screenshots were revealed to public.

Update: cam video replaced with official one

This demo relies heavily on DX11 technology, and also utilizes APEX Clothing and APEX Destruction modules at certain degree. One may say, that physics effects fit organically into the demo composition, but we’ll say they are almost unnoticable, unfortunately.

But in general, demo looks great.

September Beta version of Unreal Development Kit (UDK), a free version of the Unreal Engine 3, is available for download.

This month’s build of UDK features significant additions, including:

· UDK users now have access to the gameplay profiler tool.

· Matinee’s movement tracks can now be split into individual translation and rotation components.

· Users can bulk edit texture properties within the Content Browser.

Apart from other usefull changes, September UDK is upgrading PhysX SDK integration with newest features of 2.8.4 SDK, like driverless destribution, SSE2 optimizations and enhanced cloth solver.

Also, we have noticed full pack of NVIDIA APEX .dlls – when APEX will be released to public, you’ll be able to use it with UDK right away.

· ‘PhysXDestructible’ has been removed.

· APEX destructibles are replacing them.

You can download September UDK Beta here or here

As for APEX Toolset release (without it APEX integration into UDK is useless for regular developer), several sources are indicating that this is going to happen somewhere in October

Unreal Development Kit (UDK), a free version of the Unreal® Engine 3, the software development framework used to create computer and video games, 3D simulations, etc, was unnounced today. UDK is free for noncommercial and educational use, and is already available for download.

Not to mention, UDK’s physics system, like in Unreal Engine 3, is based on PhysX SDK.

You can find more details at UDK homepage or NVIDIA UDK page.