Archive notice: This article was originally published on November 21, 2008. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
With the NVIDIA PhysX physics engine, the world of Mirror’s Edge is presented much more realistically through the physical interaction of objects. Fabrics and flags can respond naturally to weapons or players, mist can rise from players’ footsteps, and explosions fill the air with dust and smoke.
PhysX and CUDA, NVIDIA’s parallel GPU-computing architecture, enable visuals 10 to 20 times more detailed than solutions without a CUDA-based GeForce GPU. Unlike competing products that offer no hardware-scaling capabilities, only PhysX technology can make optimal use of the performance of CPU and GPU architectures.
Owen O’Brien, Senior Producer at DICE, emphasized: “NVIDIA PhysX technology allows us to reach an entirely new level in the gaming experience by making the player an integral part of the game world.”
“Anyone who loves intense combat scenes or fast-paced chases will find Mirror’s Edge the right game,” emphasized Ujesh Desai, Vice President, GeForce Desktop Business at NVIDIA. “Players will appreciate the greater freedom of movement—for example, the ability to slide under barriers, drop to the ground, run along walls or balance on cliff edges—all in a dynamic environment made possible only by our PhysX technology.”
Consisting of a robust physics engine, API and middleware, NVIDIA PhysX technology is the most widely used physics engine in interactive entertainment. It is already used in more than 140 games and supported by Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii and PCs.
NVIDIA says its success is reflected in significantly increasing demand for PhysX software. In August, NVIDIA made a free software package for NVIDIA PhysX and CUDA available to users of NVIDIA GeForce GPUs. It includes games, demo applications and test applications that allow gamers and developers to experience the capabilities of NVIDIA technologies firsthand.
Within two weeks, the GeForce Power Pack application package recorded more than one million downloads. The innovative features of CUDA, PhysX and 3D stereo technology therefore appear to meet the needs of developers and gamers.
A second GeForce Power Pack with additional game levels, videos and demos from numerous games and applications will be released shortly.
