AMD Enables Game GPU Physics via Maya

AMD has been saying for a while that it was working on a software plug-in meant to enable GPU Physics in games, and it seems that this goal has finally been achieved if the recent press release is to be believed.

For a long time, NVIDIA has held a sort of monopoly over simulating realistic physics effects in games, as it gained the technology that acted as a basis for its PhysX when it bought Ageia, years ago.

This gave the Santa Clara, California-based CPU maker a sort of edge on the gaming industry, particularly among game developers interested in such realism.

Then, some time ago, after the OpenCL standard began to gain traction, Advanced Micro Devices decided to use it in its efforts to create an open-source solution.

Apparently, the outfit actually succeeded in its efforts, and it even made a demonstration at the Game Developer’s Conference (GDC).

What the CPU and GPU maker showcased was a plug-in for the Autodesk Maya 2011 software that leverages the OpenCL standard and the Bullet Physics Engine.

“We are heavily focused on providing 3D artists and game developers with high levels of interactivity and visual fidelity in the viewport to improve the effectiveness of creative design decisions and help increase productivity,” explains Chris Vienneau, Maya Product Manager, Autodesk.

The demo was made on systems running the ATI FirePro V8880 professional graphics card. The software lets game developers and 3D Artists access the 'creative workflow' capabilities inherent in the Maya.

Basically, game developers will no longer be limited when trying to create interactive cloth simulations, for instance, when making next-generation games and CG graphics.

“This new plug-in will give CG content developers an open development path with OpenCL and a powerful solution for incorporating high-quality physics that offer realistic animation of how rendered objects move in a game or film,” said Janet Matsuda, general manager of AMD Professional Graphics.