You’d imagine, with the PlayStation 4 being built around AMD hardware, that the system wouldn’t be able to utilise Nvidia’s proprietary, and delicious PhysX engine. Nvidia, however, has announced that its physics middleware will feature quite heavily in PlayStation 4 games.
"Game designers use PhysX and APEX technologies for collision detection and simulation of rigid bodies, clothing, fluids, particle systems and more across a wide range of platforms, including desktop PCs, game consoles, and mobile and handheld devices," Says Nvidia.
"Taking PhysX technology content creation to the next level, NVIDIA APEX technology lets artists create intricate physics-enabled environments. They can expand the quantity and visual quality of destructible objects; make smoke and other particle-based fluids integral to game play; and create life-like clothing that interacts with the character’s body to achieve more realism in their games."
So what does that all mean? It means you get to see a metric ton of particle effects, realistic water effects, fancy cloth and hair and all sorts of things to make games more immersive and realistic.
They join other PlayStation 4 middleware providers like Naturalmotion, Xaitment, Geomerics, Enlighten, and SpeedTree to name but a few – adding a little credence to my belief that the next-gen will be won by middleware.
Here’s a comparison video, showing Planetside 2 with and without PhysX.
Last Updated: March 8, 2013
Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew
March 8, 2013 at 12:11
So it’s a hybrid then. Mmmmm. Very cool 🙂 PhysX really makes a huge difference. I remember when I turned PhysX on to max on Arkham City. Woah. It was awesome!
AndriyP
March 8, 2013 at 12:24
Yeah when i think Physx i think of Arkham City too!
Amazing display of the technology in that game
Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew
March 8, 2013 at 12:26
yeah that PhysX was done right! Did you ever notice the floor fog and how it reacted when you walked through it? Most amazing ever!
AndriyP
March 8, 2013 at 12:27
Hahaha you know the opening sequence where you play as catwoman? i played around in that room for like 30 minutes with the carpets on the floor lulz
Physx FTW!
Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew
March 8, 2013 at 12:29
Hahaha yeah. Did the same 🙂
LordCaptainAwesomeness
March 8, 2013 at 12:47
Borderlands 2 …… the acid guns….
Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew
March 8, 2013 at 12:48
Hahahahaha yes!
Uberutang
March 8, 2013 at 13:19