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Re: optional physics more better "ageia"
[Re: Matt_Aufderheide]
#77864
07/03/06 19:48
07/03/06 19:48
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 8,973 Bay Area
Doug
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Matt: This is getting a bit off-topic, but I can give you my two-cents. The user interest is there already. HL2 showed that plenty of people love physics in games and would be willing to upgrade their hardware to get the best performance. And developers are interested as well. The PC version of GRAW, City of Heroes, and many up-coming games will include PhysX enhanced versions. API standard? The great thing about standards is that there are so many to choose from. If Ageia works as advertised and it wasn't so pricey, it would be a huge hit among developers. I'm guessing it is only a matter of time before Microsoft buys Ageia (or makes something like it) and DirectPhysics becomes the standard for games. Installed base? This is the Catch-22 of all new technology. If Ageia gets ATI and/or nVidia to put PhysX on high-end graphic cards, this will take care of itself. In the meantime, PhysX works without hardware as well. I'm not saying that PhysX is the future, it's going to take a lot of work and luck for them even to survive, but I don't think their idea is doomed. But I think we are saying the same thing. PhysX is most likely going to succeed as part of the MoBo or video card.
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Re: optional physics more better "ageia"
[Re: Doug]
#77865
07/04/06 09:43
07/04/06 09:43
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 4,131
Matt_Aufderheide
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ok sorry for going off-topic
While what you say makes sense, I still dont think the future of games/simulations is a specialized hardware for everything.
I dont see why CPU-based physics isnt good enough for the future, as it's pretty darn good in games like Half-life 2, Oblivion, etc. As CPUs get faster, won't physics models improve as well? Is the answer to every limitation going to be new specialized hardware hardware?
what about the "rainFX" chip, or the "realGrass" chip, or whatever? You could conceivably build chips for anything like this..making the developers life a pure hell, and the users life just an excersize in futility trying to keep up.
Oh well, I'm not against physics acceleration per se, but I do think it has to be part of the cpu or motherbpoard/video card, rather than a stand alone. ..
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Re: optional physics more better "ageia"
[Re: ventilator]
#77867
07/04/06 17:25
07/04/06 17:25
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Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 7,726
old_bill
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In my opinion these addon pci-cards are at the moments only for the real geeks, the pioneers. When the critc mass is reached, these chips will be onboard, as this was the same case with SCSI addons and things like that. With the cards I have seen till yet, this should not be no problem, just like another southbridge.
old_bill
Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.
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Re: optional physics more better "ageia"
[Re: ventilator]
#77869
07/04/06 17:42
07/04/06 17:42
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Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 7,726
old_bill
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I'm not familar with the techniques in detail, but as far as they offer an software device for it, this would be great.
But as always, some high-priced "toys" have to be released and tried in public, before they will end up with an more comfortable and cheaper solution.
old_bill
Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.
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Re: optional physics more better "ageia"
[Re: old_bill]
#77870
07/05/06 14:42
07/05/06 14:42
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 888
beegee
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Posts: 888
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I've heard that Microsoft is delevopping "Direct Physics", an implementation for the new DirectX. Bad: DX10 will be only for Vista. Plus: Maybe some engine programmers, can get easier ways for writing a great physic for their games.
mfg beegee
--------- GenuineMotors.de
Fratch - Newer statistics panel for GameStudio
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Re: optional physics more better "ageia"
[Re: beegee]
#77871
07/06/06 01:52
07/06/06 01:52
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 8,973 Bay Area
Doug
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Quote:
I've heard that Microsoft is delevopping "Direct Physics"
Where did you hear this? If it is true, I'd like to know more about it. Some people (me included ) have talked about DirectPhysics but, AFAIK, Microsoft hasn't done anything.
Quote:
I still dont think the future of games/simulations is a specialized hardware for everything.
Neither do I. I've had some wonderful conversations with people about the problems with "AI Hardware".
Quote:
I dont see why CPU-based physics isnt good enough for the future... As CPUs get faster, won't physics models improve as well?
True. But why do we still spend $80 to $800 on special video cards? And why is sound still handled by a separate chip (which is now part of the motherboard)? CPUs today could easily handle the graphics you had in Quake 2 but what hardcore gamer would be happy today with that when they could have shaders, mirrors, blur, bump-map, etc. all at 90+ FPS?
If (and this is a big IF) physics can benefit the same way as graphics and sound does by having special hardware, then what hardcore gamer would be happy with HL2 physics when they can have a 1000+ objects on the screen all moving with realist forces; water that can "pour" out of pipes, onto desks, around the player's legs, causing all the objects in the room to float depending on their mass; and car crashes that are not "canned" but actually model the damage to the vehicle (from dents and cracked tail-light up to bending the frame and cracking the engine block). These are the sort of hype that people are saying physics hardware can deliver.
Now we have to see if reality lives up to the hype.
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Re: optional physics more better "ageia"
[Re: Doug]
#77872
07/06/06 17:07
07/06/06 17:07
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 888
beegee
User
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User
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Posts: 888
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OK, you're right Doug! Microsoft isn't delevopping DirectPhysics at the moment, but they are searching great programmers who can do this. And then it will be implemented in the next DirectX-Generation. mfg beegee ----------- GenuineMotors.de
Fratch - Newer statistics panel for GameStudio
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