.com.unity Forums
  The Official e-Store of Shrapnel Games

This Month's Specials

Raging Tiger- Save $9.00
winSPMBT: Main Battle Tank- Save $6.00

   







Go Back   .com.unity Forums > Shrapnel Community > Space Empires: IV & V

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old August 14th, 2006, 08:57 PM
Atrocities's Avatar

Atrocities Atrocities is offline
Shrapnel Fanatic
 
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: USA
Posts: 15,630
Thanks: 0
Thanked 30 Times in 18 Posts
Atrocities is on a distinguished road
Default OT: Physics Cards

What exactly do phsycis accelerator cards such as AGEIA� PhysX� physics accelerator do and do we really need them?
__________________
Creator of the Star Trek Mod - AST Mod - 78 Ship Sets - Conquest Mod - Atrocities Star Wars Mod - Galaxy Reborn Mod - and Subterfuge Mod.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old August 14th, 2006, 09:53 PM

Phoenix-D Phoenix-D is offline
National Security Advisor
 
Join Date: Nov 2000
Posts: 5,085
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Phoenix-D is on a distinguished road
Default 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.
__________________
Phoenix-D

I am not senile. I just talk to myself because the rest of you don't provide adequate conversation.
-Digger
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old August 14th, 2006, 10:18 PM
NullAshton's Avatar

NullAshton NullAshton is offline
Major General
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Floating in space.
Posts: 2,297
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
NullAshton is on a distinguished road
Default 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.
__________________
Hey! I found squirrels!

Vala - "The last time I was this bored, I took hostages!"
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old August 14th, 2006, 10:48 PM
Combat Wombat's Avatar

Combat Wombat Combat Wombat is offline
Lieutenant Colonel
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Minnesota/South Dakota
Posts: 1,439
Thanks: 3
Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts
Combat Wombat is on a distinguished road
Default 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.
__________________
You can give a man fire and he will be warm for a day but set him on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life.

A* Se+++ GdQ $? Fr! C* Css Sf-- Ai% Au M+++ Mp* S@ Ss++++ RNSHP Pw++ Fq+++ Nd++ Rp++ G++++ Mm++ Bb+++@ L+ Tcp--
Get the newest Version of Invasion! here: http://www.secenter.org/

Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old August 14th, 2006, 11:24 PM
Caduceus's Avatar

Caduceus Caduceus is offline
Major
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Union, SC
Posts: 1,166
Thanks: 1
Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Caduceus is on a distinguished road
Default Re: OT: Physics Cards

I would hope at some point they would put both chips on a single card.
__________________
Caduceus
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old August 15th, 2006, 01:50 AM
Atrocities's Avatar

Atrocities Atrocities is offline
Shrapnel Fanatic
 
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: USA
Posts: 15,630
Thanks: 0
Thanked 30 Times in 18 Posts
Atrocities is on a distinguished road
Default Re: OT: Physics Cards

thanks guys for the info.
__________________
Creator of the Star Trek Mod - AST Mod - 78 Ship Sets - Conquest Mod - Atrocities Star Wars Mod - Galaxy Reborn Mod - and Subterfuge Mod.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old August 15th, 2006, 10:12 AM
Caduceus's Avatar

Caduceus Caduceus is offline
Major
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Union, SC
Posts: 1,166
Thanks: 1
Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Caduceus is on a distinguished road
Default 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.
__________________
Caduceus
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old August 15th, 2006, 02:22 PM
Xrati's Avatar

Xrati Xrati is offline
First Lieutenant
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Outter Glazbox
Posts: 760
Thanks: 12
Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts
Xrati is on a distinguished road
Default Re: OT: Physics Cards

For about $260, it's an expensive way to bend ones mind...
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 10:54 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©1999 - 2024, Shrapnel Games, Inc. - All Rights Reserved.