Heard of the next new thing to come to gaming? It comes to us from a company called Ageia, and it is a card called the PhysX. Yes, another card to put into our rigs, so make room in there.
"a processor that is the first dedicated hardware accelerator for PC games that enables dynamic motion and interaction for a totally new gaming experience.
(They are calling it the PPU or physics processing unit. )
Exciting immersive physical gaming feature that you can expect to see in next generation cutting edge titles will include groundbreaking physics features such as:
Explosions that cause dust and collateral debris
Characters with complex, jointed geometries for more life-like motion and interaction
Spectacular new weapons with unpredictable effects
Cloth that drapes and tears the way you expect it to
Lush foliage that sways naturally when brushed against
Dense smoke & fog that billow around objects in motion
To go a bit further in detail the ppu (only one of it's kind), calculates all of the movement and interaction in a game at incredible speeds, so that graphically-sophisticated games can have realistic “cause and effect” action. AGEIA PhysX calculates the equations of matter and force and their interaction and movement in real-time environments. "
Let's not get this mixed in with just the graphics though. The ppu is supposed to be all about the interaction in game. This is not about how the graphics look, goodness knows our GPU's have certainly taken off in that area, and really need no help. This is all about how the movement is, within the game field. Essentially the ppu is dealing with the physics of the game engine to enhance movement, as well as cause and effect on the environment.
While all that sounds great the card can only do those things for games that are designed to take advantage of the technology. So not every game will benefit from the PhysX. The list of games is growing from some that will get this added benefit in a patch or it is a new game that will release with this pre-installed. The list of games so far can be seem here
Let's not put the cart before the horse though. How does the card work into the computer layout?
"The AGEIA PhysX processor is integrated into an add-in card known as a PhysX Accelerator which is manufactured and sold by today’s leading card vendors. AGEIA makes the PhysX processor, while board vendors make the PhysX Accelerator cards."
Yes, you guessed it. Another component that claims it will make our games look better, and enhance our game play experience to the tune of a current MSRP of $299.00. The location will go into one of your open PCI slots. As any PC enthusiast will tell you once you get something new, you have to try to keep up with the latest technology. So far the update question for the PPU component has only come in the form of "regular driver updates" will suffice to keep you on the cutting edge.
Now there are demos out that are supposed to demonstrate some of the incredible changes. Well, I looked and have to say that I am completely and utterly unimpressed. Unless these are perhaps initial demos, and they have since upgraded I will have to assume the wait and see posture on this one.
Game engines have and are becoming very much more complex. Is this PhysX card really going to improve on a UT2007 engine, so much that we will want to spend another $300.00? And what if you are one of those who has a video card that cannot handle all this PPU puts out? Then you have to spend the additional monies to get that up to speed. Who's to say that the newest card alone will not perfom better than the card with the PPU?
With dual everything in our rigs, will this be the next thing we have to have two of? Since gamers typically run more sophisticated and higher ends rigs, we will be the first to find out. Then there may even become a PPU for those who have less taxing tasks they perform, but want that true to life movement in their pc also.
Better to me would be to have one of these to review, and test. Somehow I cannot see these being something that will get the initial sales just from the demos. Real computer people in general I think are fairly savvy and will have to be shown much more to buy into this newest component to throw it's hat into the ring for out dollars.
