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Nvidia GPU-Accelerated PhysX Now Available On Linux

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Among various bug-fixes, this version also features support for GPU acceleration on Linux platform (CUDA-capable devices only) and reworked documentation.

Previously it was done on the CPU for Linux gamers which would be a lot slower.

This really excites me as the effect PhysX has in the Borderlands series is pretty cool. Hopefully support will be enable within Borderlands 2 shortly and perhaps we'll have launch day support for Borderlands the pre-sequel.

The updated PhysX SDk can be found here. You can also see the official changelog here.

What are your thoughts?

A video of PhysX in action in Borderlands 2:

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Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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About the author -
I'm an 20 year old Sophomore at the University of Michigan. I hail from a small town in Michigan called Galien. My interests are Linux, gaming, girls, and computers in general. 
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GoCorinthians Oct 13, 2014
EVGA FTW!
N30N Oct 13, 2014
I have sent Aspyr a support ticket to make sure they're aware of this.

I also mentioned that currently setting to medium/high (via config file editing) results in a crash upon encountering a physX effects in-game. On other OS's this just runs physX on the CPU (when acceleration is not available). Hopefully with the released SDK this should now be possible.
Armand Raynal Oct 13, 2014
Hum, i meant, closed source to protect the creation of games developpers, ok, I can accept it. But closed source for monopolistic strategy on the hardware market, either on windows or GNU/linux it bother me.
DiogoSD Oct 13, 2014
Quoting: Armand RaynalI'm not sur 'Linux Gamers' should be happy to see a new proprietary software as 'privative' as this one.

PshysX is a shame, it's truly an argue to NOT buy an nVdia card.

It's well nown, we could do all what whysX do with OpenCL. And better. On a lot more games. And for every one, not just for nVidia's card owner.

I wonder how some people can love GNU/linux and be happy to see soft like physX appear on it.

Exactly, if closed software is needed better use Windows anyway.
sub Oct 13, 2014
Pursuing vendor lock-ins (like PhysX and CUDA) does not go very well with the philosophy of Linux.
Supporting them is not a manifestation of freedom as it may seem to some of you, but quite the contrary in the mid/long term.
Renzatic Gear Oct 13, 2014
Quoting: DiogoSDExactly, if is to use closed software, it is better you use Windows.

I know a lot of people advocate nothing but FOSS on Linux, but if you ever want the platform to become truly successful, and be able to challenge the likes of MS and Apple, the old saw of "you can't have your cake, and eat it too" comes to mind.

I'll admit that I'm not that much of a stickler when it comes to open source software. I think of it as a choice, and freedom as far as software goes has more to do with me being able to choose what I like best, vs. the freedom of having everything on the platform open source, so I can do what I want to with it.

The OS itself is open source. Everything from the graphical shell to the kernel can be tweaked, swapped, forked, and changed to my own specifications. Everything beyond that is either/or. Do I choose the proprietary drivers for my graphics card, or go open source? It's my choice. I have the freedom to choose. The availability of the proprietary drivers on Linux isn't diluting what Linux is about (in my opinion), nor is it limiting me in any way. Quite the opposite, in fact. I now have two choices, and I can pick whichever one best suits me.

So no, if you're using closed source software, it isn't necessarily better to use Windows, because it isn't an all or nothing situation. So long as the base is open sourced, everything on top of that is just more choice.

...but if you demand everything be open source for the sake of your definition of software freedom, you'll only be losing that choice, and ultimately limiting yourself.
DiogoSD Oct 13, 2014
Quoting: Renzatic Gear
Quoting: DiogoSDExactly, if is to use closed software, it is better you use Windows.
I know a lot of people advocate nothing but FOSS on Linux, but if you ever want the platform to become truly successful, and be able to challenge the likes of MS and Apple, the old saw of "you can't have your cake, and eat it too" comes to mind.

I'll admit that I'm not that much of a stickler when it comes to open source software. I think of it as a choice, and freedom as far as software goes has more to do with me being able to choose what I like best, vs. the freedom of having everything on the platform open source, so I can do what I want to with it.

The OS itself is open source. Everything from the graphical shell to the kernel can be tweaked, swapped, forked, and changed to my own specifications. Everything beyond that is either/or. Do I choose the proprietary drivers for my graphics card, or go open source? It's my choice. I have the freedom to choose. The availability of the proprietary drivers on Linux isn't diluting what Linux is about (in my opinion), nor is it limiting me in any way. Quite the opposite, in fact. I now have two choices, and I can pick whichever one best suits me.

So no, if you're using closed source software, it isn't necessarily better to use Windows, because it isn't an all or nothing situation. So long as the base is open sourced, everything on top of that is just more choice.

...but if you demand everything be open source for the sake of your definition of software freedom, you'll only be losing that choice, and ultimately limiting yourself.

If this do not matter for you, I don't care, but it matters to me, and I say the same: it is an option to use Windows instead of Linux whenever I please, my choice is derivative by the free will that I have. That's why I think: if I need to use closed software them I will use it on the best scenario possible where I'll be must pleased.

I don't feel right using and advocating for an open platform and them contradict myself by not supporting it. I only recommend Linux to Intel users because they are the best on Open Drivers, but if anyone wants to try it with AMD or NVidia closed solutions, doesn't matter to me, it matters to them. But, I'm really looking forward for the new open driver strategy AMD is doing right now, hopefully NVidia follow its steps soon enough, and them maybe I switch to LInux full time.

And PhysX is just bad for all industry. Seriously, why the hell would anyone ask developers to close their eyes to the rest of the market when there are alternatives to it? Don't you want choices on your future? This doesn't makes any sense to me and I don't feel like discussing about this right now it is a bit late now.

Peace.
EKRboi Oct 13, 2014
Quoting: Armand RaynalHum, i meant, closed source to protect the creation of games developpers, ok, I can accept it. But closed source for monopolistic strategy on the hardware market, either on windows or GNU/linux it bother me.

It sucks, but that IS the way things are. AMD is a much better company compared to Nvidia when it comes to not locking things to their hardware.. but their hardware isn't as good. Not calling it bad.. just not as good (unless we are talking OpenCL). I wouldn't even call it a monopolistic move either, they let others use it, it's just locked to the CPU (EDIT* its not even locked to it, non Nvidia GPUs just lack Nvidia's CUDA which PhysX uses). AMD's TressFX runs much better on their GPUs than it does on Nvidia's. I don't complain, I just turned it off in the latest Tomb Raider.

Like I've said before there are not many games that use it, but if those games that do use it are coming to Linux then I would like it to work. The same goes if I were an AMD gpu user.. I would want TressFX to work as well. We should be GREATFULL we are getting what we are getting games wise right now.. no matter what tech they have in them. I am POSITIVE of this though, a developer is not going to strip out PhysX and put in Havok or Bullet because those are less proprietary and monopolistic just to appease the purists.

Quoting: DiogoSDExactly, if closed software is needed better use Windows anyway.

Just curious because you are here, did you compile all of the games you play on linux from their legally available source code? Or at the very least is the COMPLETE source code available for those games? If so then kudos to you! If not then I have some "bad" news for you..

EDIT* I wasn't going to go here.. but meh. So you are saying that I should "just use windows" because I NEED the proprietary Nvidia drivers to run Linux on my system? (Nouveau DOES NOT work just to be clear)
EKRboi Oct 13, 2014
On a COMPLETELY positive note! Who else is barely holding on to the edge of their seats waiting for the first truly AAA title to release on "ALL" PC platforms TOGETHER on DAY 1!!?!?! I AM.. the clock is moving WAYYYYY tooooo slow!

If GPU PhysX is even working on day 1 in Linux for Borderlands:TPS.. well.. I don't even know.. I may strip down to my socks and run around my neighborhood in my bday suit. I'm trying NOT to hold my breath... but GPU PhysX for Linux gets announced on the same day one of PhysX flagship franchises is coming to Linux on day 1. Coincidence? I HOPE NOT!
oldrocker99 Oct 14, 2014
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While ATI cards frequently work better with open source drivers (and some can't work without them), nVidia cards work far better with the proprietary drivers than the Nouveau drivers, as prectically everyone already knows. ATI has been pretty good about helping the open source devs with the "radeon" driver, which, considering how frequently the obsolete their chips, is really nice of them.

I buy lots of closed-source games. If they run better with closed-source drivers, so be it. Just because I am a Linux diehard (just ask my friends and family) does not preclude my use of the nVidia drivers, nor, iMHO, should it.
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