Physics processing is becoming more important than ever. But Ageia is hardly the only player in the marketplace…

Ageia says its new physics processing device and engine will do nothing less than revolutionize PC gaming. We see just how well Ageia’s PPU (physics processing unit) can handle flying debris and shrapnel in Ghost Recon Advanced War Fighter, which you can also see for yourself by downloading our video.

So what is a physics processing unit and what does it offer games? The short answer is that a physics processor can handle the CPU’s physics-related tasks. However, the PPU does not replace the graphics card, which is still needed to render images. Instead, the physics engine simulates effects that you would expect to see and experience in the real world, such as gravitational pull or friction.

So what does applying real-world laws of physics mean for game play? With GTA San Andreas, for example, each car’s speed and weight are determined by a multitude of parameters. These parameters control how quickly a car can accelerate or the effects of a collision between two vehicles. Using a handling editor, these parameters can be altered, allowing for a heavy army tank to move as fast as a NASCAR race car or a go-cart to weigh as much as a jumbo jet…. Source: Tom’s Hardware