PhysX or upgrade 8800 GTS to GTX

[KilluminatiStyle]

I asked a question awhile back about the PhysX card and whether or not it was really worth it. I got a pretty good number of folks telling me the verdict was still out or that it was just flat out pointless, or would soon be.

I'm now torn as to whether or not I should do the eVGA Step-up program and get the GTX or buy the PhysX card. I've been doing some digging for games supported by the PhysX and there aren't really that many now nor do there appear to be many coming. BUT... from what I've read and hear... once developers see what games are capable of doing with the PhysX card it's going to be crazy.

There is one game in developement right now that just looks and sounds VERY promising.. Warmonger : Operation Downtown Destruction

The screens look pretty good and the features that the PhysX card give it sound even better. You can read up on it HERE and HERE.

Now, I had planned on trying to prolong the whole eVGA step-up thing in the hopes that a new GFX Card would come out and drive the price of the GTS down before my 90 days is up. However... after seeing\reading what the PhysX is really capable of doing... I'm stuck again.

[Alaron]

Regardless of what it can do, if games don't support it, it's worthless. I'd skip it, a new 8800 card is going to play any game out there will all the eye candy turned on, who's going to notice a couple extra particles in an explosion.

And besides that, the industry is focusing on multi-core optimization, not PhysX cards. With dual or quad or more cores, game developers can devote the extra cores to things like sound and physics. That is where you'll see physics processing. I would doubt the dedicated card will last much longer.

[KilluminatiStyle]

Originally Posted by Alaron who's going to notice a couple extra particles in an explosion.

That's just it... with the Warmonger game it's not just some extra particles. If this game takes off it could open doors for the PhysX.

Is the level of physics that will be used in Warmonger going to be possible by using a spare CPU core or 2nd GPU? Without taking Netdevil too seriously, since I'm pretty they've got their hands in Agiea's pockets, they were appearently so shocked at the difference between the current HAVOK and PhysX offerings that they replaced the HAVOK physics in their Auto Assault game with the PhysX physics(gee that sounds funny) pretty much overnight.

I think I'll sit on the Step-Up program until the last possible second and then make my final decision. I have to admit though... it's not often that I get soo many people telling me the same thing about a product..."PhysX will be obselete soon" kind of stuff. I suppose it would be straight up idiocy for me to ignore all those people.

[Tin]

If it were me Id just save the money . That 8800GTS is plenty fast enough as it is, and the PhysX card doesnt have very much game support. Why not something with more "wow" to it, like a good soundcard or something.

[KilluminatiStyle]

I have an audigy laying around here somewhere but it doesn't make much sense for me to put it in cause the wife won't let me crank up my 5.1 surround sound. So I ditched the audigy and the 5.1 and I'm using onboard now.

Though maybe I should upgrade my crappy K-Wrold Tuner and get something that does hardware encoding? HMMMMMM. Sounds like a new thread to me!

[Sound Mind]

If you want an upgrade with a little "wow" to it, get Logitech's G15 keyboard. I'm in love with the thing. The LCD screen doesn't have a lot of game support yet, but it's still plenty useful. I'm not heavy into gaming; I mostly got it because of the 18 programmable keys and the illumination. The LCD just seemed like an awesome concept to me (still very useful outside of games), and when I read about Ray's G15 Plugin for Winamp, I HAD to get this thing.

[KilluminatiStyle]

I have a friend that has one of those and I just don't like. Too big for me and the programable keys would probably never get used. I ditched my Nostromo Gaming Pad cause I just never felt like going through the darn key configuration.

However, Sound Mind, it's funny you would suggest a new keyboard because it just so happens that I broke mine tonight. It has a volume knob on it and somehow I managed to shear that puppy right off while moving one of my CRT's.

[LeftyAce]

What mouse are you running? I'm a huge fan of the Razer Diamondback I upgraded to a year ago. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...202&name=RAZER

[KilluminatiStyle]

I use a regular MS Intlli. Is there really that much to be gained from a better (higher DPI) mouse? I am a pretty heavy gamer.

[LeftyAce]

The higher dpi allows for greater sensitivity; I can spin more t han 360 degrees in game by just turning my wrist. Reaction times go up, etc. It's sort of personal preference, but I love being able to do everything I want to with my mouse with a minimum of hand movement.

[KilluminatiStyle]

Interesting. You guys are full of ideas. Keep em' coming!

[hitchface]

I kinda want to jump back to the physics idea.

The problem I see is that the card offers something that wasn't happening elsewhere, but game developers are starting to design games that utilize the same effects WITHOUT the card. I was all 6s and 7s when I heard about it for the first time, but if you want a good example, take a look at Crysis. That game doesn't utilize the card at all, yet the physics are quite amazing just using a core from a processor.

Having said that, Alaron pretty much nailed it. With multi-core stuff becoming the norm, it makes no sense to get an additional, expensive, card to do the math when you have a few idle cores sitting about. If you think about it, the PhysX card is not worth the money BECAUSE its competitor (cores in a CPU) is not only cheaper, but can access more RAM and be used for more than just physics. Basically it is faster, more efficient and cheaper. Saves a valuable slot too! I hope that sheds a little more light on the subject.

Oh and a comment on the mouse idea...go for something that has an on-the-fly adjustable resolution. I tried one once, and I just can't game with another mouse comfortably.

[LeftyAce]

Razer has that, but I haven't developed the habit of using it. Hitch, what do you use it for? In what kinds of situations do you change sensitivity?

[hitchface]

Well, it works VERY well in the FPS arena. Higher resolutions are handy for those run 'n gun situations, but as soon as you put the scope to your eye, crank down the res for a less shaky sniping experience. I found that it reduced the time I needed to take for a shot by a second or two...which in an FPS today is valuable, as you likely know.

Aside from that, it could save you from changing the mouse sensitivity in the menus of your assorted games.

[KilluminatiStyle]

Originally Posted by hitchface I kinda want to jump back to the physics idea. The problem I see is that the card offers something that wasn't happening elsewhere, but game developers are starting to design games that utilize the same effects WITHOUT the card. I was all 6s and 7s when I heard about it for the first time, but if you want a good example, take a look at Crysis. That game doesn't utilize the card at all, yet the physics are quite amazing just using a core from a processor.

Yeah, I've heard this numerous times. Not the Crysis thing though. Good point. I think I'm just really excited to take down an entire building with some super duper high powered weapons. It's like a FPS gamers wet dream... to have a rocket actually blow up stuff other then vehicles... who'd of thunk it?

The mouse is worth looking into I think. Right now when I'm sniping if I move the mouse a bit it almost looks like it's on a grid. Would a higher DPI mouse help to eliminate that?

[hitchface]

In response to the first bit, I agree with you. Crysis does boast a huge interactive environment. Just google some footage of it, people are shooting down trees and all manner of things. It is like that wet dream coming true. Never fear: game developers hear your cry. hey are working the physics into the code, and with quad core coming our way as far as mainstream goes, physics in games WILL improve dramatically now that the extra resources are available.

And with your sniping issue, I don't doubt that a mouse with adjustable sensitivity would help. Right now it sounds like your mouse has a super low resolution. 800dpi is popular now, but you can crank 'er all the way up to 1600 with some Logitech models.

[LeftyAce]

Yes. The size of the "steps" in the grid will go way down, so it will be much less noticeable, of not imperceptible.

And exploding buildings would be cool. I've heard that "Company of Heroes" which is an RTS, has completely destructible environments.....you're in command of a WWII squad and you can blow your way through walls, houses, etc. Artillery destroys cover, but creates craters, etc. It's apparently amazing.

*EDIT* The razer I'm running is 1600dpi for $40. There's a more expensive model that's over 2000dpi, but 1600 will seem like a million compared to a generic mouse. (I know, I was using the dell mouse that came w/my old pc forever. MAN what a difference :-).

[KilluminatiStyle]

Originally Posted by LeftyAce And exploding buildings would be cool. I've heard that "Company of Heroes" which is an RTS, has completely destructible environments.....you're in command of a WWII squad and you can blow your way through walls, houses, etc. Artillery destroys cover, but creates craters, etc. It's apparently amazing.

Company of heroes is a great game. I have it. It's pretty friggin' hard too. With the DX10 patch supposidly coming for it, it can only get better.

I was actually just playing BF2 about an hour ago and was getting REALLY mad cause I couldn't snipe this dude cause the darn cross hairs would just "SNAP" past him. I think I am going to check out a better mouse.

***EDIT***

I just realized I flubbed the title of this post... 8800GS indeed...pff... tard.

[KilluminatiStyle]

Well I went and wathced EVERY video I could find for Crysis and it really does look amaizing. I also found out that the majority of the video's and screenshots that are posted online are made using DX9 and not DX10. That means the game is going to look friggin' amaizing on both DX9 and 10. I have to say that the "PHYSICS" on the game look pretty darn good too. Trees falling, Building collapsing, etc. Shear carnage. Looks great. And all of this is done without that extra chunk of hardware.