New NVIDIA APEX Technology Accelerates Physics Creation Pipeline For Content Developers

GAME DEVELOPERS CONFERENCE (GDC)—SAN FRANCISCO, CA—MARCH 25, 2009—NVIDIA Corporation today announced NVIDIA APEX, a dramatic new capability to its PhysX technology development software development kit (SDK), that provides artists, level designers, and game developers with a set of easy-to-use tools that streamline the process of implementing scalable physics across multiple platforms for next-generation titles.

With NVIDIA PhysX technology, game developers can design worlds that literally come to life: walls can be torn down, glass can be shattered, trees bend in the wind, and water flows with body and force. Designed as a modular framework that works in concert with existing PhysX SDKs, NVIDIA APEX makes it easy for developers to add detailed physics effects to their games and helps them optimize the gaming experience across multiple platforms with a simple “author once” cross platform content creation feature. This enables APEX to not only help developers accelerate the time it takes to author new games, but will also help them reduce overall development costs in the process. The APEX toolset will be available free of charge for licensed NVIDIA PhysX developers and is already being integrated into some of the world’s most popular development libraries and game engines, including Emergent Game Technologies’ Gamebryo LightSpeed.

“APEX is a powerful addition to NVIDIA PhysX technology,” said Geoffrey Selzer, CEO of Emergent Game Technologies. “World-class technology, however, is only one piece of the solution. We chose to partner with NVIDIA for APEX/LightSpeed integrations due to their combination of best-of-breed technology and their culture of being of service to the industry which parallels our own. NVIDIA’s commitment to partners, technology, and developers has been demonstrated not only through collaborative relationships like ours, but through their holistic point-of-view about what the industry needs to thrive. PhysX, APEX, and LightSpeed will provide a breakthrough for designers, artists and engineers reenergizing creativity in the game industry.”

Another key component of APEX is the support for new plug-in modules, each of which provide a “high level” interface enabling artists and level designers to facilitate turnkey physics content creation with little or no programmer involvement. At GDC, NVIDIA is showcasing three new modules— destruction, clothing, and vegetation—each adding specific game dynamics functionality for fully-featured content authoring. Available for use on all major gaming platforms including the PC; Xbox360, PLAYSTATION 3 and Nintendo Wii, additional APEX modules are in development by NVIDIA and APEX developer partners.

“We are adding PhysX support to SpeedTree 5.0, the latest version of our award-winning foliage software,” said IDV CEO Chris King. “By integrating support for the new NVIDIA PhysX APEX vegetation module, SpeedTree 5.0 is providing developers a simplified approach for adding amazingly interactive, natural trees and plants to their game environments. The next round of games is going to achieve an incredible new degree of realism, and we are very proud to be involved.”

“Physics has become a significant element of game play experience and NVIDIA is committed to enabling as many developers as possible to deliver the most realistic game experiences,” said Tony Tamasi, senior vice president of content and technology at NVIDIA. “With the growing importance of physics, we believe that all games and every developer should have the best tools to be creative in this realm. With NVIDIA PhysX technology and APEX, physics-based game design just moved from the programmer to artist, which we believe will result in a new level of truly compelling and realistic games in the future.”

Attendees at GDC are invited to see a live demonstration of NVIDIA APEX at the NVIDIA booth (#656 in the West Hall), and to attend the APEX: The Quickest Path to High Definition Dynamics Content presentation being held in room 3016 in the West Hall from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 25, 2009.

For more information on NVIDIA PhysX and APEX technologies, please visit: developer.nvidia.com.

Source: NVIDIA Press Release