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PPU's hitting the shelves for Christmas

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by zr_ox, 22 Oct 2005.

  1. zr_ox

    zr_ox Whooolapoook

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    The other day whilst browsing the net I can across a picture, which I thought was an out dated GPU. After a little extra digging it turn out to be a PPU. Intruiged?

    [​IMG]

    You may be well aware of the impending arrival of PPU's already? If not then read on.

    According to AGIEA reality will be redesigned by Christmas this year. Let’s hope that they wont be revealing the true identity of Santa.

    AGEIA’s “PPU” (Physics Processing Unit) will allow developers to create games using the same laws of physics that govern the physical universe. This will usher in truly interactive environments.

    According to AGEIA, "with the CPU,GPU & PPU working in concert, we will finally see effects that rival Hollywood movie visual quality”.

    Physx Card Facts:
    125 Million transistors
    182 sq mm in 130 nm TSMC
    20 watts chip
    128MB GDDR3

    Both PCI & PCI Express platforms will be supported

    Asus have already been announced as the lead board supplier, with prices expected to retail at $249-$299

    There are already a number of titles soon to be released which harness “PPU” support:
    Ghost Recon 3, Bet on Soldier, Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends to name but a few.

    More detail can be found over at www.ageia.com (If you call them and talk nicely, they might just send you their latest powerpoint presentation ;)
     
    Last edited: 23 Oct 2005
  2. Pookeyhead

    Pookeyhead It's big, and it's clever.

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    Hmmm.. what to do? Utilise the other PCI-E slot for a PPU or another 7800GTX in SLI.

    Can't wait for this.. I'm starting to get concerned about how much power modern gaming PCs are needing tho.. :hehe:
     
  3. P2D

    P2D 99.999% Pure Spam!

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    Oh gee, Another reason to spend X ammount on a new pc..

    (Wouldnt say no, mind)
     
  4. Hamish

    Hamish What's a Dremel?

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    eh? use the 1x (or 4x) pci-e slot thats on your board too, or use one of hte legacy pci slots :p
     
  5. Highland3r

    Highland3r Minimodder

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  6. zr_ox

    zr_ox Whooolapoook

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    Quote
    i saw that too, so i emailed the PR rep for Aegia asking if the PPU was delayed.
    She replied with a short and sweet emai "No, where did you hear this?" Unquote - J-MAG (Xtreme Systems Forum)

    I recieved a copy of the latest Press Release Presentation on Monday. It seems strange that they would release this info knowing that there will be a delay.

    I really hope its not true, but if there is a delay then lets hope that its worth it.
     
  7. Guest-16

    Guest-16 Guest

    $250 and nothing really uses it yet. :/ Wait n see jobbie methinks.
     
  8. Tim S

    Tim S OG

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    It needs more games to support it - Bet On Soldier does, but the game isn't great from the reviews I've read.
     
  9. Kameleon

    Kameleon is watching you...

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    All it needs for people to buy it is a new version of 3DMark that supports it :D
     
  10. zr_ox

    zr_ox Whooolapoook

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    This list includes just SOME of the planned titles:

    Epic Games
    Unreal Engine 3 and next-generation games

    Ubisoft
    Titles include:
    Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter

    Mythic Entertainment
    Titles include:
    Warhammer 40,000 MMO

    Big Huge Games
    AGEIA’s PhysX SDK is helping Big Huge Games inject physics-based effects in their newset titles.

    Cryptic Studios
    Titles include:
    City of Villains

    Sega
    Titles include:
    GE2 Project

    Bongfish Interactive Entertainment
    Titles include:
    Stoked Rider featuring Tommy Brunner

    Kylotonn
    Titles include:
    Bet on Soldier

    Artificial Studios
    AGEIA’s PhysX SDK delivers groundbreaking physics to Artificial Studio’s Reality Engine used in next-generation PC and console games and simulations.

    Airtight Games
    Launch demo

    Quantic Dream
    Titles include:
    Karma

    Not too shaby, and there are more :duh: where did I put that list.
     
  11. Guest-16

    Guest-16 Guest

    But does it actually have ANY EFFECT to in-game speed? Does it warrent the $250 price tag for a couple of fps? Physics chip, extra gig of ram or second graphics card? Which will improve more for you, in more applications and more games?

    Kam - oh yea. :rolleyes:
     
  12. Tim S

    Tim S OG

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    The jury is still out on that one... The physics demos do look pretty good though.

    zr_ox, AFAIK the only game in your list that is shipping is Bet On Soldier, so my statement is true.
     
  13. scotty6435

    scotty6435 What's a Dremel?

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    Woah, that thing has freaking DIP switches! First time I've seen them on a board for a long time. I'll be holding back on buying one of these for at least a year or so until the software has caught up with the technology.
     
  14. zr_ox

    zr_ox Whooolapoook

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    City of Villans is also out. But we are not going to really know anything until you Bigz get your hands on one!

    Bindibadgi...This forum is filled up with enthusiasts, I imagine that your 12000+ posts makes you one of them? To an enthusiast what's $250 considering the benefit of a far more realistc gaming expericence? With high end SLI setups capable of delivering close to 100 FPS with AA,AF at 1600x1200 there is no need for an extra 2 FPS...because the gain returns nothing....consider however that walking or running through the battlefield will produce clouds of dust, branches/grass will bend and sway. Whilst in crouched in your sniping position, a light breeze sways a far off tree, revealing your enemy....still think its worthless :D

    Oh the card also requires 25W which is just like an optical drive. But your right, the state of PC Power requirements is becoming mad. Especially when PC Power & Cooling have released a 1KW PSU :eeek: we must be a long way from needing that!
     
  15. Tim S

    Tim S OG

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    CoV is in public beta AFAIK.
     
  16. Guest-16

    Guest-16 Guest

    Of all people! That's like saying you'd buy a graphics card cause 3dmark demos look good :p

    I dont doubt enthusiasts will buy them, but if i had to spend my hard earned cash on it, it would have to be an appreciable greater oppotunity cost over another gig of ram or new TFT or extra graphics card etc. Will those things increase my overall PC useage experience more than a PPU? Yes, they will - i dont just spend 24/7 gaming, some people do and to those minority it will appeal to them. Im sure eventually games will absoultely definately require it but HL2 does well without it, could Valve spend more on world detail then shift that processing power off onto a PPU? Would it make an appeciable difference for the cost (to us and developers)? If you're already churning out 40fps, why do you need anymore? Does it allow you to go one notch higher on the graphical settings?

    Sure there are people that have to have everything and I used to be like it - always get the new kit but i fell out of that into the real world and realised it needs to actually make a difference for me to appreciate buying it and justify the cost. Just like ANY hardware purchase.

    I think it's far from worthless, but for $250 i can think of more productive was to spend my money considering the amount of games that support it (currently and in the past ie: none), and how much time i actually spend gaming (very little, compared to movie watching, web surfing, document writing, music listening, video transcoding, tv watching, IM chatting...). In time they will become more affordable im sure and the choice of buying one will become more of a real option as it will not only have games that support it but become necessary for the absolutely high end to have it. Then and only then will it actually become a real option for the majority.
     
  17. Tim S

    Tim S OG

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    No, its slightly different.

    There's a thing called "technology demo" and there's also a thing called "a benchmark" - 3DMark is the latter, whereas things like the ATI Toy Shop demo, NVIDIA Luna demo, and AGEIA PPU demos are the former.
     
  18. zr_ox

    zr_ox Whooolapoook

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    I seriously doubt that consumers will be bearing the cost. I cannot remember the last time that game prices changed noticably? and there have been many advances since I started playing computer games. We would not have the current technology if developers thought "Oh hang on, improvements might cost us a little money". Apparently Valve have been screaming for improved physics technolgy for a very long time. Given their attention to detail I dont think they would loose any sleep having to spend extra $$$$$ to improve consumer enjoyment.

    PPU's are the future. There are already mumblings of integrated GPU/PPU cards.

    These demo's are quite simple, but clearly demonstrate the potential.

    http://www.gdhardware.com/files/ageia/BuildingDestruction/side_by_side.wmv

    http://www.ageia.com/physxInAction/avis.html

    For someone who seldom plays games, can this not potentially make enough of a differnce for you to appreciate spending £169 (Not the best TFT/LCD, 50% of a 7800 GTX)

    Personally i'm quite exicted about the potential. This technology certainly looks to be the missing element that will usher in the next generation of games development.
     
  19. Kaboom22

    Kaboom22 Minimodder

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    - Horray for the return of dip switches, reminds me of the days of ISA cards :D
    - im gona wait for the PPU + Unreal bundle, then il fork out my cash. its the only decent PPU enabled game im looking forward to.
    - Do my eyes decieve me, or is that an SLI connector on top? :eyebrow:

    And besides, im quickly running out of slots and cooling capacity...

    Speaking of cooling, has anyone come up with a water block for it yet?
     
  20. hitman012

    hitman012 Minimodder

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    It wouldn't surprise me. I wish they didn't use those irritatingly small fans on those things; they are loud and die very quickly. Why not use a nice passive heatsink? 20 watts is hardly Prescott territory.
     

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