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AMD sides with Intel over physics

by Scott Bicheno on 12 June 2008, 12:06

Tags: AMD (NYSE:AMD)

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My enemy’s enemy is my friend

AMD has announced that it and Intel owned physics specialist Havok are to work together to optimise physics effects on all AMD products.

While the immediate significance of this is small as physics has yet to capture the public imagination and thus is not currently a priority for game developers, the symbolism of AMD siding with an Intel owned company in favour of the only other physics option – NVIDIA owned AGEIA – cannot be overlooked.

If you doubt that this is an NVIDIA snub by AMD, consider some of the quotes included in the press release:

“By working with the clear market leader in physics software, AMD can optimize our platforms to consistently deliver the best possible visual experience to the gamer.” Rick Bergman, senior VP and GM of AMD’s Graphics Products Group.

“The feedback that we consistently receive from leading game developers is that core game play simulation should be performed on CPU cores. The clear priority of game developers is performance and scalability on the CPU. Beyond core simulation, however, the capabilities of massively parallel products offer technical possibilities for computing certain types of simulation. We look forward to working with AMD to explore these possibilities.” David O’Meara, MD of Havok.

Intel and NVIDIA have been having a public tiff over the relative importance of CPUs and GPUs, with the vested interests clear for all to see. AMD does both and has presumably been happy to see its two big rivals tearing chunks out of each other.

However, when it came to physics it had to side with one of them or make its own solution, something it frankly doesn’t have the resources to do. So it decided to go with the one with a market cap of $125 billion over the one with $12 billion.

Aside from that, AMD stated that it agrees that the CPU is the place to process physics, while it must be assumed that NVIDIA thinks the contrary. However, as you would expect, AMD stressed that it is: “striving to deliver the best of both worlds, with highly capable CPU and GPU technology that partners like Havok can use as their canvas to deliver the best experience possible.”

 

Press release: AMD and Havok to Optimize Physics for Gaming



HEXUS Forums :: 4 Comments

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But also said they're open to the nVidia route too. Clever.

Havok is much more widespread though - so will devs go for phsyx for a more narrow market now?
Yes if they're part of TWIMTBP scheme and nVIDIA have their way.
I wouldn't doubt that AMD have the resources to do it. Surely both Havok and Ageia were formed out of little garden sheds in comparison to what even AMD have. As I understand it with my very limited knowledge (so this will probably be torn to shreds), the most efficient method is to tune a graphics GPU slightly differently and make drivers accordingly (probably the bigger of the 2 tasks in all honesty).

Whether it's worthwhile is another matter, and this announcement suggest AMD aren't exactly pushing it. I think it's more a case of dipping them their hand in case it suddenly takes off while they're unable to react. I think they're more than capable of creating their own PPU if they wanted to, and a damn sight more efficiently than both Havok and Ageia.

kalniel
Yes if they're part of TWIMTBP scheme and nVIDIA have their way.
No one will commit to either at the moment, not with Intel coming along with Larrabee. Even TWIMTBP members wouldn't dare alienate Intel… NV are being made to look like very small fish at the moment, and I suspect they'll get smaller if they try to make companies commit.

Can't games work with any PPUs then? That's a bit silly, surely? What next - games that only work with NV cards? MP3s that only play on IPODs… hmm, thinking about it…
TWIMTBP scheme? A non-issue when we're talking about in competing with the combined force of Intel/AMD. nVidia don't have anywhere near that kind of pull frankly.

In all honesty this move means havok will be the ‘standard’ and the outsider will be physx.