Dev Log: Apex Engine: Physics Middleware Options Havok, PhysX, or In-House Development

Development Log: Apex Engine: Evaluating Our Physics Middleware Options – Havok, PhysX, or In-House Development?

Following our last update on Apex Engine’s development and our integration of third-party physics engines, we’ve made further strides in narrowing down the physics middleware options. After an extensive evaluation process, we’ve identified two strong contenders: Havok and PhysX. Additionally, we're exploring the possibility of developing a custom in-house physics engine tailored specifically for Apex Engine. Each of these options presents unique advantages and considerations that align with the platform's growing needs.

Havok: An Industry Standard for Robust and Scalable Physics

Havok Physics has long been a leading choice for handling complex game world simulations. It is well-regarded for its scalability, robustness, and ability to handle large, dynamic environments with real-time collision detection and dynamic simulation. Havok has been used in numerous AAA titles, such as Elden Ring and Assassin’s Creed, which demonstrates its proven capabilities in large-scale games.

Some key features of Havok include:

• Real-time collision detection and rigid body simulations.
• Multi-threaded performance, making it highly efficient in large environments.
• Seamless integration into workflows, with extensive support for popular modeling tools like 3ds Max and Maya.

While Havok offers exceptional performance, we need to test how well it fits into Apex Engine’s architecture and workflow. This includes assessing how it handles specific use cases that are unique to our platform and the diverse needs of our clients.

PhysX: High-Performance Physics with GPU Acceleration

PhysX, developed by NVIDIA, is another leading contender. It excels in GPU-accelerated simulations, making it a strong choice for developers looking to incorporate detailed physics-based effects, such as fluid dynamics and particle systems, while maintaining high performance. PhysX is already integrated into popular game engines like Unreal Engine, making it highly adaptable for various game types.

PhysX’s key features include:

• GPU acceleration for large-scale, real-time physics simulations.
• Cross-platform support with optimized performance for both consoles and PCs.
• Robust handling of fluid dynamics and particle simulations, allowing for more detailed visual effects.

However, PhysX’s reliance on NVIDIA hardware presents some limitations, especially for developers working with non-NVIDIA systems. We are weighing this factor carefully to ensure Apex Engine can deliver a seamless, cross-platform experience for all of our clients.

In-House Physics Engine: Maximum Customization and Control

The third option we are exploring is to develop a custom in-house physics engine. This approach, while resource-intensive, offers the most control and flexibility. Developing an engine in-house allows us to customize it to fit perfectly with Apex Engine’s cloud-based architecture and to address specific client needs directly.

Building our own engine would allow us to:

• Integrate custom features and optimizations for various hardware configurations.
• Provide ongoing updates and customizations as our clients’ needs evolve.
• Fully control the engine’s performance, ensuring it is tightly aligned with Apex Engine’s infrastructure.

Of course, developing an in-house solution requires extensive development, testing, and iterations, making it a longer-term investment. This process also includes ongoing maintenance and refinement, which is why we are considering whether it offers enough long-term benefits to justify the initial effort.

Development, Testing, and Iteration Are Key

No matter which option we choose—Havok, PhysX, or our own engine—the development process will involve extensive testing and iteration to ensure it meets the highest standards of performance. It’s critical for Apex Engine to integrate seamlessly with the chosen physics middleware, and we will need to fine-tune the integration based on real-world use cases.

Our clients’ feedback will play a major role in shaping this process. The final solution needs to support a wide variety of project types, from large-scale 3D simulations to more straightforward interactive applications. Rigorous testing across these different environments will help us optimize both large-scale and smaller-scale projects for maximum performance.

The Path Forward

At TGS Tech, our goal is to build a platform that offers the highest levels of performance while remaining adaptable to the ever-evolving needs of developers. Whether we opt for Havok, PhysX, or an in-house solution, we are committed to finding the right balance between scalability, flexibility, and performance.

Our evaluation process is ongoing, and we will continue to share updates as we refine the physics capabilities of Apex Engine. Our focus remains on ensuring that Apex Engine offers the most powerful tools and technology to support our clients’ creative visions, no matter how demanding the project may be.

Stay tuned for further updates as we move closer to finalizing this important component of Apex Engine's development.

By thoroughly examining third-party middleware options and considering an in-house solution, we ensure that Apex Engine will deliver reliable, high-performance physics support that meets the diverse needs of our clients.