Search Unity

  1. If you have experience with import & exporting custom (.unitypackage) packages, please help complete a survey (open until May 15, 2024).
    Dismiss Notice
  2. Unity 6 Preview is now available. To find out what's new, have a look at our Unity 6 Preview blog post.
    Dismiss Notice
Feedback request: Understanding import & export package workflows Unity 6 Preview now available

Unity 4: APEX really with GPU support?

Discussion in 'Editor & General Support' started by thesaint1987, Jun 22, 2012.

  1. thesaint1987

    thesaint1987

    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2011
    Posts:
    168
    Hi there,

    I stumbled upon this interesting post: http://physxinfo.com/news/8065/post...-is-going-to-be-integrated-into-unity-engine/

    So I presume that with APEX, Unity PhysX will also go GPU (because otherwise it wouldn't work anyway, APEX is just too resource hungry)...

    Any timeframe for this release?, because it is really crucial for the development of my game. I already have APEX emulated to some degree, but without GPU acceleration the limits of what you can do are too restrictive. So it would be nice to hear something like "in 2012"... Actually in 2012 would be awesome. Or is this too optimistic?!

    DISCLAIMER: Not any answers of Unity employees regarding this request are promises or committments :cool:

    Thanks!
     
    thesaint1987, Jun 22, 2012
    #1

  2. hippocoder

    hippocoder

    Digital Ape

    Joined:
    Apr 11, 2010
    Posts:
    29,723
    Unity forums learn fast don't they with disclaimers :D
     
    hippocoder, Jun 22, 2012
    #2

  3. Aras

    Aras

    Unity Technologies

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2005
    Posts:
    4,770
    We've tried doing APEX integration for a little demo we were trying to make... I really can't promise when (or if ever!) APEX will be integrated. If you want to base something on assumptions, then safest would be to assume it will not be integrated ;)

    BTW, our experiment was not using APEX GPU acceleration, so linking APEX to "GPU PhysX" does not come into play either.


    THE POST IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS
    OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
    FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL
    ARAS OR UNITY BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN
    AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN
    CONNECTION WITH THE POST OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE POST.
     ;)
     
    Aras, Jun 22, 2012
    #3

  4. Dreamora

    Dreamora

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2008
    Posts:
    26,601
    Unity in general does not use nor support PhysX gpu acceleration. Its purely cpu and at least at the time purely single threaded (aside of cloth simulation but thats a whole can of worms on its own)
     
    Dreamora, Jun 22, 2012
    #4

  5. thesaint1987

    thesaint1987

    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2011
    Posts:
    168
    Thanks Aras, this helps a lot. And please spread the new that Unity should still inform us about their plans, put a disclaimer after every sentence if necessary, but it is really crucial to know where Unity is going, so that we don't waste time on implementing stuff that will come soon in the next release.

    So I guess my effort was not wasted ;), since this kind of implementation isn't really going to help me :)

    BTW: Any reason why no "optional" GPU acceleration for say PCs?! I means its kinda the future. So like a button "Yes, I want to break compatibility, please enable GPU acceleration"...
     
    Last edited: Jun 22, 2012
    thesaint1987, Jun 22, 2012
    #5

  6. Aras

    Aras

    Unity Technologies

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2005
    Posts:
    4,770
    We've fixed a S***ton (that's a scientific term) of bugs in PhysX CPU code that aren't fixed in the GPU code. I think that's the main reason.
     
    Aras, Jun 22, 2012
    #6

  7. vladk

    vladk

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2008
    Posts:
    167
    I was wondering how the guy on the video did that http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uD1OO65EuSA ?
    I mean it's Unity and the destruction clearly made by the PhysX, so it's possible
     
    vladk, Jul 7, 2012
    #7

  8. vladk

    vladk

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2008
    Posts:
    167
    Come on, Aras! :) The guy did it somehow - any clue of how? I mean I tried to contact him but he didn't answer :(
     
    vladk, Jul 7, 2012
    #8

  9. ImogenPoot

    ImogenPoot

    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2012
    Posts:
    214
    What's with that video? This is trivial PhysX CPU in action. Nothing special really... Anyone can do that with Unity if he wants to. APEX stands for a whole new dimension of destruction, if somebody does that with Unity and one core CPU PhysX, then you can start ask questions...
     
    ImogenPoot, Jul 7, 2012
    #9

  10. vladk

    vladk

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2008
    Posts:
    167
    wowowoww, wait, wait! How?
     
    vladk, Jul 7, 2012
    #10

  11. BrUnO-XaVIeR

    BrUnO-XaVIeR

    Joined:
    Dec 6, 2010
    Posts:
    1,687
    I loled when I saw the disclaimer. ;)
    But APEX would be awesome.
     
    Last edited: Jul 7, 2012
    BrUnO-XaVIeR, Jul 7, 2012
    #11

  12. Morning

    Morning

    Joined:
    Feb 4, 2012
    Posts:
    1,141
    Fracture it in some 3rd party app or write a fracturer in unity, then destroy pieces that the raycast hits. There doesn't even seem to be any movement, hence why there's steel bars inside the mesh.
     
    Morning, Jul 7, 2012
    #12

  13. vladk

    vladk

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2008
    Posts:
    167
    wow, wait a minute. But that doesn't involve the PhysX destruction at all - I mean that can be don't without it at all, but on the video I mentioned the guy made it with Nvidia's PhysX destruction, or have misunderstood something?
     
    vladk, Jul 7, 2012
    #13