Saturday February 11, 2012 8:50 AM AEST

Atomic MPC > Features > Build > Graphics Cards > AMD and NVIDIA butt heads over physics

AMD and NVIDIA butt heads over physics

« »

Bullet vs PhysX: A breakdown

Both AMD and NVIDIA are betting the farm on their own unique implementation of physics; each is similar to the other, but there are some clear differences. NVIDIA's tried-and-true choice is PhysX, a library that can run on either the CPU or GPU across not only the PC, but also the Wii, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 - as well as Linux. Acquired when NVIDIA purchased Ageia in February 2008, PhysX is a proprietary physics engine that allows game developers to enable physics effects in their titles. NVIDIA boasts an impressive list of supported titles, but does not directly benefit from all supported platforms; they receive no additional hardware sales by supporting the Wii and Xbox 360.

AMD on the other hand are backing Bullet, a new physics library that is currently under development by Erwin Coumans, an employee of Sony Computer Entertainment. Bullet is open-sourced under the zlib license, meaning that it is entirely free to incorporate into games and it's got support for the same platforms as PhysX. On top of the gaming platforms, it's also supported by Maya and other content creation packages, and while the list of titles isn't quite where PhysX is, there are an increasing amount of titles under development that use Bullet. A standout title that used Bullet was Grand Theft Auto 4; and it's also seen use in some movies by Sony Pictures.

A third contestant in the physics arena is Havok, an engine owned by CPU manufacturer Intel. It offers the widest range of support for platforms, with handhelds supported alongside all consoles, and offers a gigantic list of titles. The three physics APIs are summarised here:

API	PhysX	Bullet	Havok
Proprietary	Yes, NVIDIA	No	Yes, Intel
Platform Support	GPU: PC, Mac CPU: PS3, 360, Wii, iPhone	GPU: PC CPU: Mac, Linux, PS3, 360, Wii, iPhone	GPU: Limited CPU: PC, Mac, Linux, PS3, PS2, PSP, Wii,360, Xbox
Threading	GPU: Multiple CPU: Developer-dependent	GPU: Multiple CPU: Multiple	GPU: Unknown CPU: Multiple
Game Support	Extensive	Limited	Extensive
3D tools	Maya, Lightwave, Blender, Houdini, 3DSMax	Maya, Lightwave, Cinema 4D, Blender, Houdini	Maya, 3DSMax, Cinema 4D (through Shockwave)

It's clear that the three different solutions are similar in effectiveness, though Bullet is currently quite limited in reach. Knowing this, what do AMD and NVIDIA think about their offerings?

« »

Behind the scenes with Mass Effect 3! GTX 560 VGA round-up! Essential Skyrim tweaks to improve your game! Plus reviews, news, hardware, more games, and easy to following modding guides for PC builders. ON SALE NOW!

Ads by Google

12 Comments

nukejockey Mar 29, 2010 2:54 PM	Its a shame nvidia are being greedy with physx, it could definitely be run on an AMD gpu, or see better performance when run on the cpu, unfortunately, they dont seem to give a fuck and are only happy when they're making money. This became quite clear when they started cockblocking people using ATI cards for graphics and Nvidia gpus solely for physics.
SceptreCore Mar 29, 2010 2:59 PM	Seems awfully like a grey kick back to me nVidia. Plus it's not like DX10.1 and 11 are AMD's proprietary software. They were supporting Microsoft who you left hanging high and dry, just because you didn't feel like it. As a hardware and software dev, AMD must support Microsoft who in turns supports them... it makes good business sense. And if you cared about PC Gaming like you claim, why not make PhysX free for all, open-license, and work with other graphics industries to make it the best it can be? You can't... because your full of shit!
Roguegaming Mar 29, 2010 3:34 PM	Nvidia need all the help they can get at the moment, what with the loss of revenue for the past 6 months. Which is not looking much better with the new launch of the power hungry 400 series. Speaking of which any articles you wish to share regarding the new launch??
CAPS LOCK Mar 29, 2010 5:03 PM	what do the square brackets mean? eg "Ashu responds "No, no paying. We haven't given bags of cash to [developers]. NVIDIA's been engaging with [developers]." does it just mean they didnt say that word and you just put it in there as the most likely thing?
Hawkeye Mar 29, 2010 6:47 PM	That's pretty much correct, CAPS. In interviews in text-based media, you'll often get that. Because it's just two guys talking, often they'll be pretty relaxed; and they'll also be able to rely on the context of questions or the conversation. Turning that into an interview-based feature (as opposed to a straight interview), you need to clarify some things. In the above case, the interviewee likely referred to 'them'. Accurate in context, but needing clarification in the article.
SceptreCore Mar 29, 2010 8:03 PM	More like. "We haven't been giving cash to.... We have been developing with." Developers is implied.
Hawkeye Mar 30, 2010 8:04 AM	I can't work out if you're agreeing with me or disagreeing, sceptre.
CAPS LOCK Mar 30, 2010 6:08 PM	Cheers for clearing that up Hawkeye, I've always wondered what the meant :D
antifunker Mar 30, 2010 6:38 PM	It's a good thing that nVidia is working closely with developers (and has done for some time), and it's something that AMD should also be doing instead of just taking on an open source engine and hoping everybody else jumps on board. It is an agressive market place. nVidia is competing aggressively. They have put themselves in a position where they have the ability to do that. You can't really crucify them for that.
Athlonite May 10, 2010 11:09 PM	@ nukejockey nVidia did offer the use of PhysX to ATI but ATI turned it down saying they would be pursuing Havok for their Physics engine... and this statement ""PhysX makes a huge visual difference"" is the most bullshit I've ever read in a single sentence i couldn't give a hoot about some flappy cloth or that a box explodes a certain way when shot
King_Of_The_Mountain May 15, 2010 11:37 PM	I do though and I'm sure others feel the same, I think it's absolutely awesome when proper physics is applied, sure it doesn't make the game but it is definitely good.
Athlonite May 18, 2010 5:11 PM	well good for you mean time if i want pussx in a game i'll just use the patch over at ngohq to make it run or buy games that use Havok or what ever ATI/AMD are calling it now

Comments have been disabled on this article.

Latest Competitions

Thermaltake kicks off your gaming year with a BANG
Thermaltake has started off the new year with a bang by giving away a Tt eSport Theron Laser mouse to not one or two, but TWENTY lucky Atomicans!

Atomic Magazine

Issue: 133 | February, 2012

Atomic is a magazine aimed squarely at computer enthusiasts, gamers, and serious PC upgraders.

Every month we bring you the latest reviews of new technology and PC components, in depth features on everything from overclocking to console hacking, and gaming previews and interviews.

What's in this issue?