Wednesday, December 3rd 2008
NVIDIA Releases Graphics Plus Power Pack #2
NVIDIA adopted the marketing strategy of Graphics Plus, meaning that they intend to show their products as something more than just graphics hardware. The introduction of the CUDA GPGPU platform, and the subsequent introduction of GPU-acceleration physics in the form of NVIDIA PhysX helped the cause. The company released the Power Pack software delivery system back in August, which served as a mode for delivering not only system drivers, but also related content such as free games, technology demos, game demos, free software and software trials. The user can choose what to download, by customizing the Power Pack.
NVIDIA released Power Pack #2, the second major iteration, consisting of changes to the list of things that can be downloaded. The pack now includes Warmonger (full free game) with two new levels: Tombstone & Asylum. It includes three new tech demos, a PhysX accelerated screensaver, and most notably, trial versions of Power Director 7, TMPGENC XPRESS 4.6.2.266 and Badaboom media converter, all of which take advantage of GPU acceleration. Apart from these, the usual contents of Power Pack #1 are also included. At any point in time, the Power Pack includes the latest system drivers of NVIDIA Forceware, and PhysX system software. For more, please visit this page.
NVIDIA released Power Pack #2, the second major iteration, consisting of changes to the list of things that can be downloaded. The pack now includes Warmonger (full free game) with two new levels: Tombstone & Asylum. It includes three new tech demos, a PhysX accelerated screensaver, and most notably, trial versions of Power Director 7, TMPGENC XPRESS 4.6.2.266 and Badaboom media converter, all of which take advantage of GPU acceleration. Apart from these, the usual contents of Power Pack #1 are also included. At any point in time, the Power Pack includes the latest system drivers of NVIDIA Forceware, and PhysX system software. For more, please visit this page.
4 Comments on NVIDIA Releases Graphics Plus Power Pack #2
PhysxFluids_by_KennethBugeja.exe
PhysXSoftBodies_by_KennethBugeja.exe
Those were not so special, but you can choose to use GPU or CPU to do the stuff. Nice to compare the power of GPU in different scenarios.
Will go try new levels of Warmonger now, didn't download the programs.
edit: Warmonger needs to uninstall previous version if you have that and includes PhysX 8.09.04 that is old now, 8.10.13 is already out.
Tombstone is the largest map yet and takes some juice. Previous maps run something like 50fps+ and it dipped to ~25fps all high (1680x1050). Asylum is a break everything map, will end up quite different in the end compared to the start. Good additions, will have to try those online too later.
edit2:
Crazy Machines II+ has PhysX 8.10.29 included, that's never than NVIDIA PhysX page has (8.10.13).
Used to love TIM games (The Incredible Machine), this seems to be the 'same' game with updated graphics and now with PhysX water. Nice touch, brings a whole new element to it. Although I think the interface in TIM games was more simple, zooming is a good feature on todays resolutions. The demo has additional 20 PhysX machine builds.
I've been playing with it and the Bugeja demos for almost 45 mins now, and it's simply fun. Especially the screensaver is entertaining to watch. The ball displacing like 100 sticks that later will all follow the ball through the water (displacing it too) while at the same time the ball is already destrying a wall made off another 100+ bricks that go flying around, collisioning with each other, just to end up piercing and rending the silk cloth ahead (some of them bouncing on it's surface), everything in the same screen space. I want so badly that kind of physics in my games already. :cry: