PhysX by NVIDIA - A review of what to expect - 5 - Tests | Warmonger and MKZ

Warmonger

Included in the PhysX pack that NVIDIA will release is the full game, Warmonger.

Seriously, the minute you even start the tutorial and have PhysX enabled, debris everywhere, a nice moving cloths, instant difference. Now this version really is tailored for showing of PhysX though. It isn't that much of a game, but pimping PhysX is what it is all about with this release, that's for sure. It's still really cool to see and explore all the effects and you get to blow up though.

The cloth simulation here is pretty amazing. Though as a screenshot it sucks to look at.

When we disabled PhysX in Warmonger, we left the effects enabled, and they are now calculated over the CPU. It's incredible how much CPU overhead that takes. Now, normally your FPS would be much higher as physics stuff is disabled, but I figured it's a nice example of how well Physics can be done over a GPU. It's just much more efficient.

This title is included for free in the PhysX pack, again ... If you have a GeForce series 8 or newer card, check it out as it won't cost you a thing to try out.

Metal Knight Zero

I was a little surprised to hear about a title called Metal Knight Zero to be included in NVIDIA's PhysX pack. Much like Warmonger it is a free title to download. It definitely is a title where PhysX is really permitted to show off it's advantages. Metal Knight Zero in essence is an FPS like the other included titles. And hey .. again you get to blow up stuff. We ran the technology demo which had an included timedemo and pulled some results from it:

In this technology demo you will certainly like the fact that you can blow up gas containers. The physics outcome is a lot of dust particles, debris and surely a heap of smoke. 2000 particles can be released at once. Pretty neat.

Again when we disabled PhysX, we left the effects enabled. Yet they are now calculated over the CPU. The CPU overhead is large, however this was a very subjective test as we could not disable physics simulations whatsoever to see ho the game would perform without physics. Still, a nice demo to look at.

MKZ just like Warmonger, will be free to download when released. It is included as a non-playable techdemo with the PhysX Pack #1 next week on Tuesday.