PhysX card- is it worth it?

claypigeon101 · 5 Apr 2011 at 22:29

Hey guys, I've got a 5870 which is just lovely, however I'd REALLY like to see some physx stuff going on in games like batman arkham asylum, lead and gold, etc etc,

is it worth it?

how does something like as they are quite cheap here and there.

or is it worth buying a low end nvidia card of the 4xx or 5xx series...

thanks

Monkeynut · 5 Apr 2011 at 22:47

As far as I am aware the new PhysX games do not work on the old Ageia cards. Also I believe you cannot run an Nvidia card for PhysX while an ATi card is present.

Cleeecooo · 5 Apr 2011 at 23:26

Monkeynut said:
As far as I am aware the new PhysX games do not work on the old Ageia cards. Also I believe you cannot run an Nvidia card for PhysX while an ATi card is present.

there's a patch that lets you.
Not really worth buying a card but if you have an old one then yes.

Rroff · 5 Apr 2011 at 23:40

AFAIK some of the newer features can't run on the old PPUs anyhow even with the patch they run on CPU instead.

Theres only like 2 games worth using a PhysX card out atm and no major releases in the near future so not really worth it atm, tho if you happen to play Eve I believe at some vague point in the future they will be using hardware acceleration for the highest level of physics for characters in ambulation (hair, cloth, etc. effects do look a lot nicer with highest level).

Antilo · 5 Apr 2011 at 23:49

Could always get something like a 2nd hand 8800gt or 9800gt for about £30, just as a little side project over the weekend.

I imagine Brink will be using it, similar engine to Mirror's Edge (which also has nice physx support).

claypigeon101 · 5 Apr 2011 at 23:53

YEAH mirrors edge is one, I know it's getting on a bit but it's SO good I just adore the environments.

Thanks for that guys, not worth getting an ageia card then...

and i have a 5870 in, could i put my old 8600gs in a slot and use that for physx?

claypigeon101 · 5 Apr 2011 at 23:57

THIS GUY seems to have done it, but my system is running nice and stable and i dont know if i dare

Antilo · 6 Apr 2011 at 00:00

claypigeon101 said:
YEAH mirrors edge is one, I know it's getting on a bit but it's SO good I just adore the environments.

Thanks for that guys, not worth getting an ageia card then...

and i have a 5870 in, could i put my old 8600gs in a slot and use that for physx?

Amazing game <3 Very underated...

And sure you could, would need a hacked driver to enable it but should be simple enough

Avathar77 · 6 Apr 2011 at 00:01

i wanted to try this with my Ageia card sitting under my desk! But got discouraged when I tried 8600gts with my gtx460 & the 4x pci-e slot in my mobo.
here is the link if any one else wants it. but do let me know how it goes.
http://physxinfo.com/forum/index.php?topic=120

claypigeon101 · 6 Apr 2011 at 00:05

Do you know, I don't think I'll bother. I dislike nVidia as they do things like deliberately disable physX when you run a radeon alongside. now that's just sad. if i bought it i want to use it as and when i want.

anyway dont want to start a war but thanks for your help, i'll probably look into it a bit maybe just for mirrors edge but if it's a massive chore i really cant be bothered, my system runs nice as it is

thanks guys! any more advice please keep it coming

smilertoo · 6 Apr 2011 at 02:03

Sadly from what ive seen so far the majority of physx added to games is pointless crap blowing about in the wind.

Antilo · 6 Apr 2011 at 04:58

smilertoo said:
Sadly from what ive seen so far the majority of physx added to games is pointless crap blowing about in the wind.

But... its pretty pointless crap blowing about in the wind

trentlad · 6 Apr 2011 at 05:21

smilertoo said:
Sadly from what ive seen so far the majority of physx added to games is pointless crap blowing about in the wind.

Haha! Excellent summary of PhysX

straxusii · 6 Apr 2011 at 06:01

I used to do this with my 5870 plus 9600gt, it isnt worth the hassle.

Rroff · 6 Apr 2011 at 11:53

Antilo said:
Could always get something like a 2nd hand 8800gt or 9800gt for about £30, just as a little side project over the weekend.

I imagine Brink will be using it, similar engine to Mirror's Edge (which also has nice physx support).

AFAIK Brink is a highly modified idtech4 engine so doubt PhysX will be used.

trentlad said:
Haha! Excellent summary of PhysX

Not really - a good summary of the useage so far of PhysX, the API itself is far more capable.

uv · 6 Apr 2011 at 12:11

Rroff said:
Theres only like 2 games worth using a PhysX card out atm and no major releases in the near future so not really worth it atm

If Rroff is denouncing an nvvidia feature, then you know it's dead in the water.

Mirror's Edge looked nice (I ran it on a HD4870 with a 9600GT for physx before nvidia blocked physx on ATI systems), but apart from that I've seen no games that utilize physx to it's potential whatsoever.

Mojo · 6 Apr 2011 at 12:17

Rroff said:
Not really - a good summary of the useage so far of PhysX, the API itself is far more capable.

That's the real problem

Physx is an excellent physics engine, and some of the fluid dynamics stuff it can produce is absolutely gorgeous, but until Nvidia allow it's use on non-Nvidia kit, it's potential is utterly squandered.

Wasn't there a game which virtually required the use of Physx? Cryostasis i think it was called. Crap game, gorgeous physics, a rather lovely demonstration of what you could do with physx, and that was early in it's implementation! Brought my gtx280 to it's knees though.

Rroff · 6 Apr 2011 at 12:19

Yeah cryostasis and there was also cell factor.

I love PhysX, I hate what nVidia have done to it and the result that most developers won't invest time in it and those that do so far tend to make a bad job of it.

opethdisciple · 6 Apr 2011 at 12:22

Open standards is where its at.

Free tools for developers to collaborate and develop.

http://sites.amd.com/us/game/community/Pages/aboutgamingevolved.aspx

This includes open physics.. and does not lock out Nvidia either, as its all open!

Rroff · 6 Apr 2011 at 12:27

Yeah right... AMD/ATI have been pushing "open" GPU Physics since 2005 ish.............. duke nuken forever will be out and forgotten before that happens. Which is sad in a way as their tech demos were quite impressive i.e.

but its not gonna happen.