Physx前生和由来
PhysX 是原AGEIA公司开发的一套物理运算引擎,主要竞争对手是Havok。同Havok一样，Physx也可运用在Xbox360，Playstation3，PC，Mac等多种平台之上。Physx的另外一个优势是可以运用独立的浮点处理器（包括独立的物理加速卡和GPU）进行更为复杂的运算效果，同时减轻CPU的计算负担。AGEIA曾为<虚幻竞技场3>开发几张加入物理卡计算的MOD地图,必须要需要AGEIA的物理卡才能进入游戏,物理效果非常出色,同时AGEIA也自己开发一个免费的名为<好战者>的物理加速游戏来推动自己的物理加速卡销售。AGEIA声称，PhysX 将会使设计师在开发游戏的过程中使用复杂的物理效果而不需要像以往那样耗费漫长的时间开发一套新的物理引擎，而且使用了物理引擎还会大量消耗CPU资源使一些配置较低的电脑无法流畅运行。AGEIA 更宣称 PhysX 执行物理运算的效率比当前的 CPU 与物理处理软件的组合高出 100 倍。游戏设计语言 Dark Basic Pro 将会支持 PhysX，并允许其用户利用 PhysX 执行物理运算。
Physx的转变AGEIA公司的主要竞争对手Havok被Intel收购后,AGEIA卖身的谣言在业界里也传开了。AMD的高官曾公开表示非常的想要AGEIA，不过鉴于当时AMD糟糕的财务状况，AMD无力收购AGEIA。最后同样对AGEIA和Physx物理技术垂涎三尺的NVIDIA公司以2亿美元的代价收购AGEIA的全部资产和技术。
Physx的现状和发展Physx被NVIDIA极为的重视，因为NVIDIA公司推行的GPGPU方案CUDA缺少大众级的应用,所以NV急于将AGEIA的物理卡技术通过CUDA转嫁在自家的卡上,已应付AMD公司的ATI系列显卡的强力竞争。首先在NV显卡上实现的GPU加速是AGEIA曾为<虚幻竞技场3>开发MOD物理加速地图。之后大部分使用虚幻3引擎的游戏都加入了对Physx for CUDA的支持。Physx并非只能运行在NVIDIA公司的显卡上，理论上能处理浮点运算的处理器都可以运行，曾有人破解Physx for CUDA，让ATI Radeon HD3870显卡成功运行Physx，不过由于ATI显卡的GPGPU API（Stream SDK）不如CUDA通用，所以破解方案并未公开应用。
未来NVIDIA可能通过DX11 CS和OpenCL加入Physx，让更多的显卡和设备支持Physx，不过目前只能服务于自家下显卡。
PhysX软件被广泛应用于150多个游戏中，软件注册用户数量已超过10,000名。
Physx的未来Physx的未来完全掌握于NVIDIA之手。目前Physx仅仅是作为NVIDIA宣传自家显卡的卖点。应用程序常见于虚幻3引擎，由于NVIDIA公司推行的“The Way It's Means To Be Played”计划，NVIDIA会极力撮合使用虚幻3引擎的游戏开发商支持Physx for CUDA，同时扩展其它游戏引擎。
能够使用显卡加速的Physx的优点也是最大的缺点。因为必选要有一块支持CUDA的NVIDIA显卡。面对ATI显卡的竞争，消费者对NVIDIA劣化Physx CPU处理能力，突出自家显卡的做法颇有微词。
另外Physx的竞争对手Havok再被Intel收购后也得到大力发展，应用的游戏数量远远超过Physx，而且仅应用CPU就能带来良好的物理效果。此外intel宣称Havok可以免费使用后，NVIDIA也宣称Physx在一定范围内免费开放。
Physx是仅仅作为NVIDIA显卡的卖点来应付来自ATI的竞争，还是打算长久的开发下去我们拭目以待。
英文资料：
Delivering physics in games is no easy task. It's an extremely compute-intensive environment based on a unique set of physics algorithms that require tremendous amounts of simultaneous mathematical and logical calculations.
This is where NVIDIA® PhysX™ Technology and GeForce® processors come in. NVIDIA PhysX is a powerful physics engine which enables real-time physics in leading edge PC and console games. PhysX software is widely adopted by over 150 games, is used by more than 10,000 registered users and is supported on Sony Playstation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii and PC.
In addition, PhysX is designed specifically for hardware acceleration by powerful processors with hundreds of cores. Combined with the tremendous parallel processing capability of the GPU, PhysX will provide an exponential increase in physics processing power and will take gaming to a new level delivering rich, immersive physical gaming environments with features such as:
·Explosions that cause dust and collateral debris
·Characters with complex, jointed geometries for more life-like motion and interaction
·Spectacular new weapons with incredible effects
·Cloth that drapes and tears naturally
·Dense smoke & fog that billow around objects in motion
The only way to get real physics with the scale, sophistication, fidelity and level of interactivity that dramatically alters your entertainment experience will be with one of the millions of NVIDIA PhysX-ready GeForce processors.*
*Note: NVIDIA will deploy PhysX on CUDA-enabled GPUs later this year. The exact models and availability will be announced in the near future.
已发售的游戏中
支持PHYSX硬件加速的只有以下15个，只有下面这些才能发挥GEFORCE PHYSX的性能
Shadowgrounds Survivor Frozenbyte Released
Stoked Rider: Alaska Alien Bongfish Interactive Entertainment Released
Switchball Atomic Elbow Released
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter GRIN Released
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 GRIN, Ubisoft Paris Released
Warmonger: Operation Downtown Destruction Net Devil Released
Unreal Tournament 3 Epic Games Released
Infernal Metropolis Software Released
Cellfactor: Combat Training Artifical Studios, Immersion Games Released
Cellfactor: Revolution Artifical Studios, Immersion Games Released
City of Villains Cryptic Studios Released
Bet on Soldier: Blackout Saigon Kylotonn Entertainment Released
Bet on Soldier: Blood of Sahara Kylotonn Entertainment Released
Bet on Soldier: Blood Sport Kylotonn Entertainment Released
Auto Assault Net Devil Released
其他所有游戏都是用CPU进行物理加速计算，GEFORCE PHYSX无法为那些游戏中提供物理加速
PhysX Games List—
Below is a partial listing of current and upcoming AGEIA PhysX-accelerated titles available for PC and console owners alike. PC titles can take advantage of the PhysX Accelerator to provide an enhanced gaming experience.
Game Title Developer Platform
2 Days to Vegas Steel Monkeys PC
Adrenalin 2: Rush Hour Gaijin Entertainment PC
Age of Empires III Distineer Studios PC, Mac
Age of Empires III: The WarChiefs Distineer Studios Mac
Alpha Prime Black Element Software PC
Auto Assault Net Devil PC
Backbreaker Natural Motion TBA
B.A.S.E. Jumping Digital Dimension Development PC
Bet on Soldier: Blackout Saigon Kylotonn Entertainment PC
Bet on Soldier: Blood of Sahara Kylotonn Entertainment PC
Bet on Soldier: Blood Sport Kylotonn Entertainment PC
Beowulf Ubisoft PS3, X360
Bladestorm: The Hundred Years' War Koei PS3, X360
Captain Blood Akella PC, X360
Cellfactor: Combat Training Artifical Studios, Immersion Games PC
Cellfactor: Revolution Artifical Studios, Immersion Games PC
City of Villains Cryptic Studios PC
Crazy Machines II FAKT Software PC
Cryostasis Action Forms PC
Dark Physics The Game Creators PC
Desert Diner Tarsier Studios PC
Dragonshard Atari PC
Dusk 12 Orion PC
Empire Above All IceHill PC
Empire Earth III Mad Dog Software PC
Entropia Universe MindArk PC
Fallen Earth Icarus Studios PC
Fury Auran Games PC
Gears Of War Epic Games PC, X360
Gluk'Oza: Action GFI Russia PC
GooBall Ambrosia software Mac
Gothic 3 Piranha Bytes PC
Gunship Apocalypse FAKT Software PC
Heavy Rain Quantic Dream PC
Hero's Jorney Simutronics PC
Hour of Victory nFusion Interactive X360
Hunt, The Orion PC
Huxley Webzen, Inc PC, X360
Infernal Metropolis Software PC
Inhabited island: Prisoner of Power Orion PC
Joint Task Force Most Wanted Entertainment PC
KumaWAR Kuma Reality Games PC
Magic ball 3 Alawar Entertaiment PC
Mass Effect BioWare PC, X360
Medal of Honor: Airborne EA Los Angeles PC, X360
Metro 2033 4A Games PC
Mobile Suit Gundam: Crossfire BEC PS3
Monster Madness: Battle for Suburbia Artificial Studios PC, X360
Monster Truck Maniax Legendo Entertainment PC
Myst Online: URU Live Cyan Worlds PC
Open Fire BlueTorch Studios PC
Paragraph 78 Gaijin Entertainment PC
Pirates of the Burning Sea Flying Lab Software PC
PT Boats: Knights of the Sea Akella PC
Rail Simulator Kuju Entertainment Ltd PC
Red Steel Ubisoft Paris Wii
Rise Of Nations: Rise Of Legends Big Huge Games PC
Roboblitz Naked Sky Entertainment PC, X360
Sacred 2 ASCARON Entertainment PC
Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened Frogwares Game Development Studio PC
Showdown: Scorpion B-COOL Interactive PC
Silverfall Monte Cristo PC
Sovereign Symphony Ceidot Game Studios PC
Sonic and the Secret Rings SEGA Wii
Speedball 2 Kylotonn Entertainment PC
Stalin Subway, The Orion PC
Stoked Rider: Alaska Alien Bongfish Interactive Entertainment PC
Switchball Atomic Elbow PC
Tension Ice-pick Lodge PC
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter GRIN PC, X360
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 GRIN, Ubisoft Paris PC, X360
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas Ubisoft Montreal PC, PS3, X360
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent (multiplayer) Ubisoft Shanghai PC, X360
Tortuga: Two Treasures Ascaron Entertainment PC
Two Worlds Reality Pump PC
Ultra Tubes Eipix PC
Unreal Tournament 3 Epic Games PC, PS3, X360
Unreal Tournament 3: Extreme Physics Mod Epic Games PC
Warfare GFI Russia PC
Warmonger: Operation Downtown Destruction Net Devil PC
W.E.L.L. Online Sibilant Interactive PC
Winterheart's Guild Zelian Games PC, X360
WorldShift Black Sea Studios PC
http://www.nzone.com/object/nzone_physxgames_home.html
安装方法最新的NVIDIA显卡驱动程序包含了physx的runtime，如果不想升级驱动的话可以单独下载physx的驱动包。
使用AMD显卡执行图形渲染、辅以NVIDIA显卡进行PhysX物理加速是个很不错的方案，不过NVIDIA在新驱动中封杀了这种做法，会自动禁用PhysX。
不过人民群众的智慧是无穷的，破解补丁已然出炉，来自一位名叫“Liandri / THETA”的国外高手。根据说明文件，该补丁可以在使用非N卡作为系统主显卡的时候开启N卡的物理加速，但是仅限Windows 7操作系统(WDDM 1.1)，而且不能让单独一块AMD显卡支持PhysX。
使用方法也很简单：
1、正常安装NVIDIA GeForce显卡驱动，包括186系列以上新版本，但注意安装完成后不要重启系统。
2、安装破解补丁。
3、重启系统，大功告成。
其它注意事项：
1、如果安装补丁的时候提示文件正在使用(file in use)，可以尝试结束所有NVIDIA运行时进程(nv***.exe)和Windows资源管理器外壳(explorer.exe)，或者进入安全模式。
2、为确保破解成功，可以多次安装补丁，不过所需文件只会更新一次。
3、破解重启后会在系统目录里发现一些临时文件*.tmp，可以放心删除。
Liandri / THETA还大声疾呼：不要让私有封闭标准为你选择硬件！一旦它们灭亡，这些硬件就会成为废物。