Sega is using AGEIA's Physics Processing Unit

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http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2005/Mar/1123594.htm

SEGA Signs Deal with AGEIA to Use Physics Technology for Developing Next-Gen
Games

TOKYO --(Business Wire)-- March 8, 2005 -- SEGA Corporation announced today
a license agreement with AGEIA(TM) Technologies Inc. (AGEIA) that entitles
it to use the NovodeX(TM) Physics SDK (NovodeX(TM)) in games developed for
the PC and next generation game consoles.



The agreement allows SEGA to use the AGEIA PhysX(TM) chip, a hardware
Physics Processing Unit (PPU), for a radical increase in the extent to which
physics can be used within PC games. This technology supports the dramatic
use of realistic physical effects in games (e.g. explosions, demolition,
fluids, particles, clothing and fabric simulation). The power afforded by
this hardware also makes it suitable for the development of 100% physically
simulated game characters.

SEGA evaluated several vendors' middleware solutions for physics simulation.
The technical priorities were that of speed and stability. Commercial
considerations such as freedom of use, and the extent to which AGEIA
recognized the need to support cross-platform solutions resulted in SEGA
deciding to use NovodeX(TM) under license from AGEIA.

This gives us the opportunity of replacing or augmenting key-frame based
technologies with robotics based control technologies, for the creation of
life-like creatures, previously only seen in academic research. SEGA
believes that the combination of AGEIA physics technology together with
complementary AI technology will bring in a new era of game development,
without the need to sacrifice graphic appeal.

While SEGA remains open to the use of physics technology provided by other
vendors, AGEIA physics technology is now a key part of SEGA's portfolio of
core technologies. NovodeX(TM) as a cross-platform solution is attractive by
itself. NovodeX(TM) coupled with the power of the AGEIA PhysX(TM) chip for
hardware accelerated physics allows new creative opportunities that we are
as yet only on the verge of starting to imagine.