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Nvidia PhysX Source Code Now Available Free On GitHub

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Nvidia has now put up the PhysX SDK on github for everyone to sink their teeth into, like with Unreal Engine it does require you agree to their EULA though, so it's not "free software".

QuoteThe PhysX software development kit (SDK) is already free on Windows platforms. We’re now extending this to include PhysX Clothing and PhysX Destruction, enabling game developers to easily create a more interactive gaming environment.

And starting this month, the PhysX SDK is available free with full source code for Windows, Linux, OSx and Android on https://github.com/NVIDIAGameWorks/PhysX


Still a fantastic move, and shows many parts of the gaming industry are certainly starting to become more open.

QuoteA major component of the NVIDIA GameWorks library, the latest PhysX version (3.3.3) is our best ever, with improved stability and performance. Features include constrained rigid body dynamics, collision detection, scene queries, character controller, particles, vehicles and much more.


Will be interesting to see if more Linux games use it in future now.

See their full post on it here on the official Nvidia website. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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I am the owner of GamingOnLinux. After discovering Linux back in the days of Mandrake in 2003, I constantly came back to check on the progress of Linux until Ubuntu appeared on the scene and it helped me to really love it. You can reach me easily by emailing GamingOnLinux directly. Find me on Mastodon.
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FutureSuture Mar 8, 2015
Does this mean that games like Borderlands 2 could still receive PhysX support on Linux?
Liam Dawe Mar 8, 2015
Quoting: FutureSutureDoes this mean that games like Borderlands 2 could still receive PhysX support on Linux?

Only if Aspyr were willing to update their port for it.
sleort Mar 8, 2015
I still don't get it. Why should we support technology that are and have always been vendor specific.
Okay AMD's drivers may not be in their best state on Linux, but they have always been more open - so has intel, which is why both companies have pretty decent open-source drivers.

I get it that this move "opens" physx much more than it has previously been, however it still doesn't change the fact that this is vendor specific.

I must admit that I'm biased since I have AMD gpu's in my main rig and intel in my laptop, but I still don't get it that I should have a "worse" experience in some games only because I went with the open solution from AMD and intel.

For an example AMD's TressFX was open, which meant nvidia could optimize their hardware for it too. Hopefully ^this move by nvidia makes the same possible in the opposite way, which would be a nice move from nvidia.

Even after my statement I still think this is very good, since it shows that nvidia really wants to support Linux, thus may move more game developers to our beloved platform and start to become more serious about Linux.
DrMcCoy Mar 8, 2015
Quoting: sleortHopefully ^this move by nvidia makes the same possible in the opposite way, which would be a nice move from nvidia.

No chance, considering that their license says

Quote(a) use, reproduce, display and perform the NVIDIA GameWorks Licensed Software or portions thereof, internally only solely as a reference for understanding the functionality of the NVIDIA GameWorks Licensed Software and for purposes of developing and integrating such NVIDIA GameWorks Licensed Software into Demos, Expansion Packs and/or Games, for purposes of distribution as set forth in (c) below;
(b) modify those portions of the NVIDIA GameWorks Licensed Software that are provided in Source Code form solely (i) for purposes of compiling or integrating the same or portions thereof as Object Code into Games, Expansion Packs, and Demos related to same, or (ii) to correct any bugs or errors that You may identify in the NVIDIA GameWorks Licensed Software, each as subject to the further source code modification requirements as set forth below;
(c) distribute the NVIDIA GameWorks Licensed Software (including Source Code Modifications that You make thereto) to third parties who are otherwise separately licensed by NVIDIA to use such NVIDIA GameWorks Licensed Software and have rights under its license to the same version of the NVIDIA GameWorks Licensed Software that You are distributing, such licensees having the license rights to such distributed Software as outlined in this Section 1.1 herein and for no other purpose; and
(d) reproduce and distribute the NVIDIA GameWorks Licensed Software, in Object Code form only, solely as integrated into inseparable Games, Expansion Packs and Demos on the Windows, Linux, and Android platforms (the “Authorized Platforms”) developed by You that incorporate the NVIDIA GameWorks Licensed Software, subject to certain license procedures for distribution of Games and Demos (including, for PC-based titles, through use of a end user license agreement which explicitly disclaims any representations, warranties, conditions, and liabilities related to the NVIDIA GameWorks Licensed Software), either by You or through Distributors (subject to and as further detailed in Section 1.2 below). For the avoidance of doubt, Your license rights under this Section 1.1(d) do not extend to platforms other than the Authorized Platforms; use of the NVIDIA GameWorks Licensed Software with platforms other than the Authorized Platforms requires entering into a separate commercial license agreement with NVIDIA.
(bolding mine)

I.e. the access to the source code of PhysX is only to integrate it into games, and only on "Authorized Platforms". That's it.
Skully Mar 8, 2015
Quoting: sleortI must admint that I'm biased since I have AMD gpu's in my main rig and intel in my laptop, but I still don't get it that I should have a "worse" experience in some games only because I went with the open solution from AMD and intel.

Thats like saying "I don't get why I should have a worse experience in games because I have a 60hz monitor instead of 120hz"
If you want Physx buy an Nvidia card.

Some hardware have different features, buy the hardware that has the features you want.
Maelrane Mar 8, 2015
Only the CPU-portion, so very uninteresting. I hope PhysX dies and devs dump it and use Havoc, Bullet or an even better non-proprietary solution.
Maelrane Mar 8, 2015
Quoting: Skully
Quoting: sleortI must admint that I'm biased since I have AMD gpu's in my main rig and intel in my laptop, but I still don't get it that I should have a "worse" experience in some games only because I went with the open solution from AMD and intel.

Thats like saying "I don't get why I should have a worse experience in games because I have a 60hz monitor instead of 120hz"
If you want Physx buy an Nvidia card.

But I do NOT want PhysX, I want games and sadly some of these use proprietary technology of one of the *beep* companies on this planet.

AMD >>> nvidia. Not for performance, but for openness. I really don't get how anyone can switch to Linux and still support a company that nearly solely uses proprietary technology.
Well, I get it. Some people just switch to Linux for the bucks, not for its openness. But then again, the money one could save not buying totally overpriced hardware you could buy the operating system from the good company in redmond :)
sleort Mar 8, 2015
Quoting: SkullyThats like saying "I don't get why I should have a worse experience in games because I have a 60hz monitor instead of 120hz"
If you want Physx buy an Nvidia card.

No, it's like saying "I don't get why I should have a worse experience in some games, because I have a 120hz monitor that some game developers chose not to fully support, whereas that same game developer chose to support the other 120hz monitor."
What I am saying is that there really isn't anything special about physx that couldn't have been done in the engine on a level where all vendors/consumers could have benefited from it.
sub Mar 8, 2015
I bet the only reason for this move is Vulkan - with all its compute stuff that now gets streamlined with the pressure of Valve. Listen to what Gabe Newell says in the video of one of the previous posts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-ayB6U3l2g&t=263 (4:23)

"We're supporting Vulkan. So, Vulkan is previously known as OpenGL Next. It was... From my POV, you have a lot of interesting things happen in graphics technology right now. But it tends to be restricted to a specific platform or to a specific vendor's hardware products - and Vulkan solves that problem. It is a cross platform - you know it works on Mac, Linux, Windows, SteamOS. It's gonna be supported by Valve, Blizzard, EPIC and Unity and it works with NVidia's graphics hardware and Ati's graphics hardware."

Sounds like the last breath for PhysX from NVidia, trying to keep their API covered in games.
Sure, it won't work...
N30N Mar 8, 2015
Quoting: liamdawe
Quoting: FutureSutureDoes this mean that games like Borderlands 2 could still receive PhysX support on Linux?

Only if Aspyr were willing to update their port for it.
I opened a support ticket about this back when Nvidia added Linux support to PhysX, they said it's not planned due the game using a old and modified version of PhysX (OSX is also apparently missing PhysX).
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