X-bit labs

AGEIA PhysX Processor Endorsed by Game Developers.

Category: Multimedia

by Anton Shilov

[ 05/19/2005 | 02:53 PM ]

AGEIA, a designer of chips that are expected to boost physics processing in future games, has received a wide industry support from game developers. At the E3 show, from where Anna Filatova – X-bit labs’ Editor in Chief – reports, the company has announced a list of games to use the company’s PhysX technology.

So far during the E3 show AGEIA has announced partnerships with 11 game developers, who will include the company’s physics technologies into the forthcoming titles. The list includes such name as Atari’s Shiny Entertainment Studio, Big Huge Games (Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends), Bongfish Interactive Entertainment (Stoked Rider featuring Tommy Brunner), Cryptic Studios (City of Villains and other next-generation titles), PerfectPlay Entertainment: (Metathrone Project), Phantagram, Ritual Entertainment, Spark Unlimited (New Pandora), Ubisoft (Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon 3), Game Consulting (Arena Online), YAGER Development (Eye of the Storm). Besides the mentioned developers, AGEIA has relationship with Epic Software, the developer of Unreal Tournament.

Currently Game Consulting and YAGER Development are showcasing their Arena Online and Eye of the Storm titles behind closed doors at E3 to demonstrate the advantages of AGEIA’s PhysX processor.

AGEIA’s PhysX is the world’s first Physics Processing Unit (PPU), which offloads software physics processing from central processing units and graphics processing units to it. The architecture of the PhysX PPU is tailored for multi-threaded processing of vertexes, which allows game creators to develop detailed, soft and precise animation and simulation of movements, hair, clothing, liquids, fluids and other. Currently AGEIA PhysX is the world’s first and only dedicated physics processing unit, but the company expects more startups to offer similar technology.

AGEIA says it seeks to ignite innovation in the games industry by working with leading developers, publishers, add-in board vendors and console manufacturers to “deliver the next generation of physically immersive entertainment”. Consumer add-in boards and systems equipped with the AGEIA PhysX processor and games that take advantage of the technology will be available in late 2005, according to the company.