PhysX

[Dingo8]

In some games where it's purely for eye candy, you can switch PhysX off completely. In others it performs some core functions plus eye candy, and only the latter can be switched off. Arma 3 will definitely use PhysX for vehicles, ragdolls and objects such as crates. There may also be additional eye candy that otherwise doesn't affect gameplay. I think it's highly unlikely they'd allow anything but the eye candy to be switched off, if it's implemented, especially given that it'd break multiplayer compatibility.

[Timnos]

No, ofc you cannot disable physX...

Incorrect. Virtual Battlespace has upgraded physics models that support PhysX for long time now.

[Dingo8]

Incorrect. Virtual Battlespace has upgraded physics models that support PhysX for long time now.

VBS is for an entirely different audience. They don't have to worry about fracturing the multiplayer community by making core features optional, right?

[Leon86]

More like "disable APEX PhysX". (If they even use it, which is still anything but confirmed.)

in mafia 2 you can run the apex thing on the cpu too. Performance is terrible because they went a bit overboard with the effects, but apex on the cpu is possible.

so if they use it, which they might or might not, it could be sortof mandatory, very unlikely ofc.

[neokika]

In some games where it's purely for eye candy, you can switch PhysX off completely. In others it performs some core functions plus eye candy, and only the latter can be switched off. Arma 3 will definitely use PhysX for vehicles, ragdolls and objects such as crates. There may also be additional eye candy that otherwise doesn't affect gameplay. I think it's highly unlikely they'd allow anything but the eye candy to be switched off, if it's implemented, especially given that it'd break multiplayer compatibility.

PhysX != APEX.

[Dingo8]

PhysX != APEX.

Ah, my bad. I thought it was part of PhysX.

[Leon86]

Ah, my bad. I thought it was part of PhysX.

It is, but not an essential part. Most games with the PhysX logo do not use APEX, but use other parts of PhysX for essential gameplay elements, this cannot be turned off. APEX is usually limited to eyecandy and can be turned off.

[Zogrim]

APEX is usually limited to eyecandy and can be turned off

It really depends on implementation - APEX itself is well optimized for CPU/consoles, but so far was used mostly for GPU accelerated eye candy (which one is meant to run perfectly on GPU only).

Point is, if devs will announce that ARMA 3 will use, for example, APEX Destruction module to add destructible buildings to the battlefield, there will be no reason to panic.

Also, do not worry about main physics layer - like character controller, vehicle physics, ragdolls - this types of calculations do not support GPU acceleration in PhysX SDK, so it will run on any CPU/system in any case

[navy198523]

So is this physx thing bad or good???? I'm know a little bit about computers but nothing about program engines.

[neokika]

So is this physx thing bad or good???? I'm know a little bit about computers but nothing about program engines.

Very, very good, not only for gamers but also for developers.