Enables easier implementation of physics for developers

Mar 25, 2009 15:59 GMT  ·  By

For the last month, Santa Clara, California-based NVIDIA has been actively promoting its PhysX technology as a necessary tool for improving the visual quality and overall performance of PC gaming applications. On that note, the graphics chip maker has announced today the availability of a new product, titled NVIDIA APEX, coming as a new capability included in the company's PhysX technology SDK. According to NVIDIA, the new ability will provide artists, level designers and game developers with access to a set of tools that streamline the process of implementing scalable physics across multiple platforms.

“Physics has become a significant element of game play experience and NVIDIA is committed to enabling as many developers as possible to deliver the most realistic game experiences,” said Tony Tamasi, senior vice president of content and technology at NVIDIA. “With the growing importance of physics, we believe that all games and every developer should have the best tools to be creative in this realm. With NVIDIA PhysX technology and APEX, physics-based game design just moved from the programmer to artist, which we believe will result in a new level of truly compelling and realistic games in the future.”

As some of you probably remember, NVIDIA has recently partnered with a number of important companies, such as Nintendo and Sony, for the licensing of NVIDIA PhysX for their gaming consoles, namely Wii and PlayStation 3. With the latest announcement the chip maker takes its PhysX technology to the next level by introducing a new module that enables gaming developers to easily improve the visual quality of their gaming applications by adding physics.

Physics and the importance of physics have evolved quite rapidly in recent months, as more and more developers are implementing this method in their latest releases. Physics is supposed to bring the elements inside a gaming application closer to real life.

According to NVIDIA, the attendees at the GDC will be invited to see a live demo of the new PhysX capability at the NVIDIA booth, where they should attend the APEX: The Quickest Path to High Definition Dynamics Content presentation.