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Microsoft acquires Havok AND Intel's 3D physics middleware portfolio

GoodBytes
By GoodBytes
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Microsoft announced that it purchase the company Havok, and also the 3D physics middleware portfolio from Intel.

havok-image.0.0.jpg

If you don't know Havok, they specialize in game physics.

The company claims:

Havok Physics offers the fastest, most robust collision detection and physical simulation technology available, which is why it has become the gold standard within the games industry and has been used by leading game developers in over 400 launched titles and many more in development.

In addition, purchase Intel large profile of 3D physics code.

Microsoft says that it will continue to support all licenses that it has, and continue to be available (of course, as this is a massive revenue for the company. All big games uses Havok).

Microsoft stated that they were committed to maintaining license availability and support to other developers, while adding more Havok support to its game development platform Visual Studio (which is in turn used for cross-platform development, including PlayStation platforms), its graphics API DirectX12 and the Azure cloud computing platform.

Microsoft seams to want to integrate physics engine to DirectX, and integrate Havok into Visual Studio for improved debugging.

Microsoft's acquisition of Havok continues our tradition of empowering developers by providing them with the tools to unleash their creativity to the world,

We will continue to innovate for the benefit of development partners. Part of this innovation will include building the most complete cloud service, which we've just started to show through games like 'Crackdown 3.

Source: http://www.polygon.com/2015/10/2/9440505/microsoft-acquires-physics-middleware-maker-havok

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More funding maybe from MS = better physics?

 

>Polygon

 

EW KILL IT AS FAST AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE

 

 

@Op plz get different source

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waat but vulkan should be the norm not dx12, hmm does this mean they will integrate havok into gpu physics like nvidia and make it non vendor bound? might be interesting

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Hmm, i'm not really seeing a downside, no one's lost their jobs yet, they are continuing to give licenses and aren't introducing new restrictions, neat :D

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>Polygon

EW KILL IT AS FAST AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE

@Op plz get different source

The original source is from Microsoft Blog. So it is legit. The info is the same between both article.
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I was about to post this too (but using Kitguru, not social marxist anti gg polygon).

 

This is great news. Maybe we can finally get some useful advanced physics back into gaming without relying on the gimped version of PhysX (not talking APEX, but CPU driven PhysX).

 

Let's see what Microsoft can do with this (maybe they need it for Minecraft or similar)?

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Yes, it is very exciting. More funding for Havok, good for gaming, as now more games will have access to nice physics, current people using Havok engine for their game will be able to do a bit better job thanks to improvement on the debug tool, or be able to work/improve other things.

Microsoft feels the treat of DirectX, so their return to their root in helping DirectX be the platform for gaming.

Now, being realistic here, I don't think DirectX 12 will have all this. But perhaps DirectX 12.1, but I don't think we will need to wait too long, and as physics is separate from the GPU, we don't need DirectX 12.1 ready card to get the new physics stuff.

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Intel has been doing fuck all with Havok since Larrabee was canceled so this is a very good thing. It would be nice if MS gets Havok's GPGPU engine back in development.

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I wonder how much effect this on Source games.

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wow ... havoc

its been a while old friend

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Pretty much none, since Valve replaced almost all the Havok code with their own version of it. Source 2 has an in-hounce developed physics engine.

But it's still based on Havok isn't it ? ( I meant Source not Source 2 )

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But it's still based on Havok isn't it ? ( I meant Source not Source 2 )

Source is based on an older version of Havok, yes. Like, even though they were released in the same year, Skyrim has a newer version of Havok physics than Portal 2.

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Remember when Valve said there's no reason to support DirectX12? Things just got interesting.

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Maybe now Havok won't suck.

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I would be completely okay with better physics on dx12

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Damn, well this will probably stir up some interesting things.

Wonder how Valve will respond, if they will at all. Probably doesn't effect them much, but still could?

Guess we'll see.

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Remember when Valve said there's no reason to support DirectX12? Things just got interesting.

this is exactly why MS should not've got their hand on Havok - they will strengthen the monopoly even further

but ... transition to DX12 won't happen overnight - makes you wonder if Havok will still be available as it's own distinct API, Havok works on multiple platforms both hardware and software

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Damn, well this will probably stir up some interesting things.

Wonder how Valve will respond, if they will at all. Probably doesn't effect them much, but still could?

Guess we'll see.

Source 2 uses an in-house physics engine rather than a modified Havok, like Source did. So it won't affect Source 2 much.

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Microsoft seams to want to integrate physics engine to DirectX.

 

This sounds very promising. Very Smart move as well.

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Maybe now Havok won't suck.

I hope MS bought it just to kill the entire thing because Havok is trash.

.

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