OT: Physics Cards
 

What exactly do phsycis accelerator cards such as AGEIA� PhysX� physics accelerator do and do we really need them?

Re: OT: Physics Cards
 

They are supposed to speed up physics calculations (bouncing grenades, rolling barrels, collapsing hillsides, breaking glass..). The idea is to take load off the CPU by dumping it to a dedicated chip, leaving the CPU free for AI and such.

Re: OT: Physics Cards
 

Yup. That's basically what they do. The same thing a graphics card does for graphics. You don't need them, but they're supposed to allow newer games to have mind-bending physics or something, and improve the graphics by doing things such as calculating where each and every piece of that glass you just grenaded lands.

Re: OT: Physics Cards
 

They are worthless, at least now. Maybe in a few years when games support them and the price comes down. But until then I wouldn't spend my money on one.

Re: OT: Physics Cards
 

I would hope at some point they would put both chips on a single card.

Re: OT: Physics Cards
 

thanks guys for the info. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: OT: Physics Cards
 

Here is an article from Tom's Hardware talking about video cards v physics cards.

The tech isn't there yet for the cost, in my opinion.

This is an older article from a month or two ago talking about the card.

Re: OT: Physics Cards
 

For about $260, it's an expensive way to bend ones mind... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/egg.gif