AMD to Demonstrate GPU Havok Physics Acceleration at GDC

[Euphoria_MK]

http://www.techpowerup.com/88739/AMD_to_Demonstrate_GPU_Havok_Physics_Acceleration_at_GDC.html

Finally ATI fighting back. Hardware support for Havok physics is great move, IMO.
Plus having a big company like Intel to back you up is always a plus.

Cheers

 

[Kkkk1]

If I buy the 4870x2 does anyone know if Havok physics will be supported even if it's via a driver update? Or do we have to wait until the next wave of GPU's are released?
I need to know as i'm about to build a new rig and am seriously comtemplating the 4870x2 or GTX295.

 

[Euphoria_MK]

I think that all that AMD was waiting for was a license from Intel to use it's havoc engine on tehir GPUs. So since this news was official it seems like AMD has gotten the license. I wouldnt be surprised if ATI release a new set of drivers by this summer with Havok GPU acceleration enabled. There are way more games using teh havok engine so that will be a major hit to Nvidia's physx....

 

[Euphoria_MK]

ATI demonstrated gpu physics using havoc fx years ago now and it never really materialised.

Also, just because a game uses havoc, does not mean they will use gpu accelerated physics, lots of games use software physx without bnothering with the hardware side.

True, the point here is that AMD will show GPU acceleration for havoc physics this time.
There is much more that the havok engine is capable than is currently used in games due to CPU utilization limitation.
Look at for example the physx engine, try enabling physx on Mirrors Edge with out a PPU so you are doing all of the calculation on the CPU and your FPS will go down to 14 Framesper second.

Why it didnt materalise before is because Intel purchased Havok, and they've been negotiating the licensing with AMD ever since. If you google around you will find a few articles that talk about it.