Tim Sweeney ponders the future of physics cards

Iria · May 15, 2006, 02:51 AM

Source: Ars Technica
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Everyone agreed that 3D acceleration cards were "the future" when they first came on the scene in the late 90's, but it took some time for that future to emerge. I remember testing an early ATI card that actually ran more slowly in accelerated mode than using pure software rendering. By the time the first 3DFX card emerged, however, the benefits were obvious. Games like Tomb Raider and Doom 2 looked so much better with 3D acceleration that nobody wanted to buy a non-3D card again.

The latest idea to hit PC gaming is the physics accelerator, a device that will speed up calculations that have nothing to do with drawing more triangles, but will instead assist in figuring out the math behind objects that explode, shatter, bounce, crash, and otherwise behave in interesting ways.

May 15, 2006, 02:51 AM	#1
Iria DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 7,275 Rep Power: 89	Tim Sweeney ponders the future of physics cards Source: Ars Technica __________ Everyone agreed that 3D acceleration cards were "the future" when they first came on the scene in the late 90's, but it took some time for that future to emerge. I remember testing an early ATI card that actually ran more slowly in accelerated mode than using pure software rendering. By the time the first 3DFX card emerged, however, the benefits were obvious. Games like Tomb Raider and Doom 2 looked so much better with 3D acceleration that nobody wanted to buy a non-3D card again. The latest idea to hit PC gaming is the physics accelerator, a device that will speed up calculations that have nothing to do with drawing more triangles, but will instead assist in figuring out the math behind objects that explode, shatter, bounce, crash, and otherwise behave in interesting ways.