Havok GPU accelerated physics - not a repost of the other thread

[Lonyo]

PLEASE READ THE BOTTOM AT LEAST BEFORE CALLING REPOST

Havok FX is designed to support all Shader Model 3.0 graphics cards, though we would recommend higher end models for best performance.

Source

These are powerful, flexible GPU programming languages, with the backing of industry leaders like NVIDIA, Sony Computer Entertainment, Microsoft, and ATI for use on a range of game platforms and PC configurations.

Futuremark talk about a physics benchmarking tool
Havok announcement from October
ATi's statement that GPU's can be used to calculate physics

According to ATI, in case mainstream physics engines, such as Havoc, support physics calculations, the company will not need any special application programming interface in order to allow game developers to take advantage of capabilities.

Another article on the same

ATI practically kicked off its press event for the Radeon X1000 series with a physics demo running on a Radeon graphics card.

This demonstration was more important as a statement of position and direction for ATI than anything else. NVIDIA has been rather enigmatic about any plans for physics processing, and has seemed to step out of AGEIA's way for the most part, welcoming the PhysX effort as another means of improving PC gaming.

ATi were talking about - and EXECUTING - physics on GPU's way before GDC.
This is nothing new, and it is NOTHING nVidia.
It is not exclusive to nVidia - it is SM3 exclusive, so will run on SM3.0 hardware, both ATi AND nVidia, although due to Havoc's relationship with nVidia, there is obvious bias in reports.


I know there is already a thread on this, HOWEVER there is such evident bias and misinformation and mudslinging that it is completely stupid.
Here is one analysis of physics on GPU's: Rojak's pot
A complete and utter load of misinformation about the whole thing, the idea that physics on GPU's is a new idea for one, the name of nVidia SLI physics when it does not require SLI or an nVidia card, nor is it their own physics engine.

It is infuriating when most websites seem to suggest that it's an all nVidia thing, both in the idea, and that it can only be used on nVidia cards.

 

[hans030390]

One reason I'm happy I have shader model 3, even if it is a "lowly" 6600gt.

 

[imported_JamesDax]

In the end though the only thing that matters it that the Ageia PPU is a better solution.