Game Development Community

dev|Pro Game Development Curriculum

PhysX in TGE Version 0.3 (Work-In-Progress)

by Shannon "ScarWars" Scarvaci · 07/03/2006 (11:35 am) · 269 comments

Outline
1. License
2. Get SDK from Ageia
3. Implementation
4. Scripts
5. Know Issues
6. Need your supports!

License:
The license of PhysX is following:
Free:
  * Commercial & non-commercial use on PC
       Must keep registration information currect
       Must agree to the EULA at the time of download (pops up, but is copied below)
       Available for Windows & Linux (soon)
       No PhysX HW support requirement
  * PS3 platform (through Sony pre-purchase)
  * All platforms through some of our middleware partnerships, such as UE3, Gamebryo 2.2,
     and others
k per platform:
  * Xbox 360
  * Fee may be waived at our discretion for multi-platform developers providing PC HW support
  * Fee may be waived at our discretion for some Tools & Middleware providers

Get SDK from Ageiq
You can obtain the SDK from www.ageia.com website, my currently version for this physics is 2.7.0.

If you are using Visual Studio then you need to add "include" and "library" in the project configuration.
(If you using linux or mac, then i don't know where to setup because I dont have linux or mac with me)
Directory for include files:
C:\Program Files\AGEIA PhysX SDK\v2.6.4\SDKs\Physics\include
C:\Program Files\AGEIA PhysX SDK\v2.6.4\SDKs\Foundation\include
C:\Program Files\AGEIA PhysX SDK\v2.6.4\SDKs\PhysXLoader\include
C:\Program Files\AGEIA PhysX SDK\v2.6.4\SDKs\Cooking\include
Directory for library files:
C:\Program Files\AGEIA PhysX SDK\v2.6.4\SDKs\lib\win32
Note: These files' path's are relative to my hard drive, your files may be in different directory depending on how you installed the PhysX SDK.

Please install AGEIA PhysX Runtime in your PC (prefered lastest version)
Also put two dll file (PhysXLoader.dll and NxCooking.dll from AGEIA PhysX SDK\v2.7.0\SDKs\Bin\win32) in the example folder.


Implementation
Copy the 17 files from "PhysX" folder into engine/PhysX and modify some TGE's source code files.

Player
in game/player.h in bold
//----------------------------------------------------------------------------

[b]struct sNxActor;[/b]
class Player: public ShapeBase
{
  typedef ShapeBase Parent;
  [b]sNxActor *mActor;[/b]
protected:
  /// Bit masks for different types of events
  enum MaskBits {

game/player.cc at the top in bold
//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
// Torque Game Engine
// Copyright (C) GarageGames.com, Inc.
//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
[b]#include "physX/PhysX.h"
#include "physX/PhysXWorld.h"[/b]
#include "game/player.h"

game/player.cc in Player::Player() function
mMountPending = 0;

   [b]mActor = NULL;[/b]
}

game/player.cc in Player::onAdd() function
gCamFXMgr.clear();
        }

	 [b]PhysXWorld *PxWorld = PhysXWorld::getWorld(isServerObject());
	 if (PxWorld) {
		 mActor = PxWorld->AddShapeBase(this);
	 }[/b]

   return true;

game/player.cc in Player::setPosition(...)
else {
      mat.set(EulerF(0, 0, rot.z));
      mat.setColumn(3,pos);
   }
   [b]if (mActor) {
      QuatF q(mat);
      Point3F pos;
      mat.getColumn(3,&pos);
      NxQuat quat;
      quat.setXYZW(q.x,q.y,q.z,q.w);
      mActor->actor->setGlobalOrientationQuat(quat);
      mActor->actor->setGlobalPosition(NxVec3(pos.x,pos.y,pos.z));
   }[/b]
   Parent::setTransform(mat);
   mRot = rot;
}

Terrain
in terrain/terrData.cc
at the top of the file
#include "terrain/terrRender.h"
#include "terrain/blender.h"

[b]#include "physX/PhysXWorld.h"[/b]

extern bool gDGLRender;

terrain/terrData.cc in TerrainBlock::onAdd function near the end
if(!unpackEmptySquares())
                 return(false);

	[b]PhysXWorld *PxWorld = PhysXWorld::getWorld(isServerObject());
	if (PxWorld) {
		PxWorld->SetupTerrainCollision(); // old style
	}[/b]

   return true;
}

Interior
in interior/interior.h
class Interior
{
   ...
   friend class EditInteriorResource;
   [b]friend class PhysXInterior;[/b]

in interior/interiorInstance.h
class InteriorInstance : public SceneObject
{
   ...
   friend class FloorPlan;
   [b]friend class PhysXInterior;
   friend class PhysXWorld;[/b]

in interior/interiorInstance.cc
#include "platform/profiler.h"
[b]#include "physX/PhysXWorld.h"[/b]

...

bool InteriorInstance::onAdd()
{
   ...
   
   addToScene();

   [b]PhysXWorld *PxWorld = PhysXWorld::getWorld(isServerObject());
   if (PxWorld) {
      PxWorld->SetupInterior(*this);
   }[/b]
   return true;
}

TSStatic
in ts/tsShapeInstance.h
class TSShapeInstance
{
   ...
   friend class TSPartInstance;
   [b]friend class PhysXTSStatic;
   friend class PhysXActor;[/b]

in game/tsStatic.h
class TSStatic : public SceneObject
{
   ...
   friend class TSStaticConvex; 
   [b]friend class PhysXTSStatic;[/b]

in game/tsStatic.cc
#include "sim/netConnection.h"
[b]#include "physX/PhysXWorld.h"[/b]

...

bool TSStatic::onAdd()
{
   ...
   
   addToScene();

   [b]PhysXWorld *PxWorld = PhysXWorld::getWorld(isServerObject());
   if (PxWorld) {
      PxWorld->SetupTSStatic(*this);
   }[/b]
   return true;
}

ShapeBase
in game\shapeBase.h
class ShapeBase : public GameBase
{
   typedef GameBase Parent;
   friend class ShapeBaseConvex;
   friend class ShapeBaseImageData;
   [b]friend class PhysXWorld;[/b]

Material in GameBase
in game\gameBase.h
[b]struct PhysXMaterialData;[/b]
struct GameBaseData : public SimDataBlock {
   ...
   void unpackData(BitStream* stream);
   [b]// PhysX
   PhysXMaterialData* mMaterialBlock;[/b]
};
...
class GameBase : public SceneObject
{
   ...
   enum GameBaseMasks {
      InitialUpdateMask =     Parent::NextFreeMask,
      DataBlockMask =         InitialUpdateMask << 1,
      ExtendedInfoMask =      DataBlockMask << 1,
      ControlMask =           ExtendedInfoMask << 1,
      [b]//NextFreeMask =        ControlMask << 1
      // PhysX
      MaterialDataBlockMask = ControlMask << 1,
      NextFreeMask =          MaterialDataBlockMask << 1[/b]
   };
   ...

   [b]// PhysX
   bool setMaterialDataBlock(PhysXMaterialData* dptr);
   bool onNewMaterialDataBlock(PhysXMaterialData* dptr);[/b]

};
...
in game\gameBase.cc
[b]#include "physX/PhysX.h"
#include "physX/PhysXActor.h"[/b]
#include "platform/platform.h"
...
GameBaseData::GameBaseData()
{
   ...
   [b]mMaterialBlock = 0;[/b]
}
...
[b]IMPLEMENT_CONSOLETYPE(PhysXMaterialData)
IMPLEMENT_GETDATATYPE(PhysXMaterialData)
IMPLEMENT_SETDATATYPE(PhysXMaterialData)[/b]

void GameBaseData::initPersistFields()
{
   Parent::initPersistFields();
   ...
   [b]addField("materialBlock", TypePhysXMaterialDataPtr, Offset(mMaterialBlock, GameBaseData));[/b]
}
...
bool GameBase::onNewDataBlock(GameBaseData* dptr)
{
   ...
   [b]onNewMaterialDataBlock(mDataBlock->mMaterialBlock);[/b]

   setMaskBits(DataBlockMask);
   return true;
}
...
bool GameBase::setDataBlock(GameBaseData* dptr)
{
   ...
}

[b]bool GameBase::setMaterialDataBlock(PhysXMaterialData* dptr)
{
   if (isGhost() || isProperlyAdded()) {
      if (mDataBlock->mMaterialBlock != dptr)
         return onNewMaterialDataBlock(dptr);
   }
   else
      mDataBlock->mMaterialBlock = dptr;
   return true;
}

bool GameBase::onNewMaterialDataBlock(PhysXMaterialData* dptr)
{
   mDataBlock->mMaterialBlock = dptr;

   if (!mDataBlock->mMaterialBlock)
      return false;

   setMaskBits(MaterialDataBlockMask);
   return true;
}[/b]
...
U32 GameBase::packUpdate(NetConnection *, U32 mask, BitStream *stream)
{
   ...
   [b]if (stream->writeFlag((mask & MaterialDataBlockMask) && mDataBlock->mMaterialBlock != NULL)) {
      stream->writeRangedU32(mDataBlock->mMaterialBlock->getId(),
                             DataBlockObjectIdFirst,
                             DataBlockObjectIdLast);
   }[/b]

   // cafTODO: ControlMask
   return 0;
}

void GameBase::unpackUpdate(NetConnection *con, BitStream *stream)
{
   ...
   [b]if (stream->readFlag()) {
      PhysXMaterialData* dptrMD = 0;
      SimObjectId id = stream->readRangedU32(DataBlockObjectIdFirst, DataBlockObjectIdLast);

      if (!Sim::findObject(id,dptrMD) || !setMaterialDataBlock(dptrMD))
         con->setLastError("Invalid packet GameBase::unpackUpdate()");
   }[/b]
}

Scripts
Copy three script files (PhysX.cs, physXActorBox.cs and physXActorSphere.cs) in starter.fps/server/scripts and add three lines of code in starter.fps/server/scripts/games.cs

// PhysX
	 exec("./physX.cs");
	 exec("./physXActorBox.cs");
	 exec("./physXActorSphere.cs");
	 exec("./physXJoints.cs");

add one line of code in common/client/mission.cs
function clientCmdMissionStart(%seq)
{
   // The client recieves a mission start right before
   // being dropped into the game.
	[b]startPhysX();[/b]
}

and in every mission file need to add PhysXWorld as show in bold:
new SimGroup(MissionGroup) {

	 [b]new PhysXWorld() {
		errorReport = false; // set to true if you want error report from PhysX
	 };[/b]
	
	 new ScriptObject(MissionInfo) {
	 ...

If you want to testing around by droping the object in the free-look camera, then use default.bind.cs script
function addCrate(%val)
{
	if (%val)
		commandToServer('pxcrate');
}
function addBox(%val)
{
	if (%val)
		commandToServer('pxbox');
}
function addRock(%val)
{
	if (%val)
		commandToServer('pxsphere');
}

moveMap.bind( keyboard, "alt r", addCrate);
moveMap.bind( keyboard, "alt t", addBox);
moveMap.bind( keyboard, "alt y", addRock);

Know Issues
Terrain is the problem here because PhysX can accept 256x256 collision mesh in their engine which is mean squareSize equal to one! So the TGE's default squareSize is 8 and you see object will miss the collision in some area of the terrain. Possible solution is to create chunks, for example if you use squareSize of 8 then use 64 chunks of 256x256 collision mesh.

Loading the mesh of 256x256 collision will very slow but there possible solution is to write the mesh to file create by PhysX engine and read the file from PhysX will be lots faster, similar to lighting system which is used in TGE.

I've tried number of way to use Terrain collision in PhysX such as split in four section, NxHeightfield which make it very slow but I haven't tried this in PPU yet. So I have to stick with 256x256 collision mesh for a while.

Player/ShapeBase collision with PhysX's object is not complete.

Networking:
Loading objects from the begin in the remote client sometime not showing but if object appear during the gameplay will work ok. That something i need to be working on. (There may be some problem because of improved speed, but didn't test it yet)

Improved PhysX Speed
Big thank to decryptoid for helping us in PhysX, esp. for speed improvement.

Need your supports!
Now you can play with PhysX in your TGE game! If you find any improvement for this Physics in coding or script or anything please post here and I'll happy to update in here.
Also please use TDNfor any info to advise for our community

In the future:
- Run in PPU.
- Player collision.
- ShapeBase, (TSStatic and Interior - Completed) collision.
- Use advance physics such as joints, clothes and fluid. Done two type of joints

Enjoy your Physics!

Check out the video.
First Video
Second Video
Joints Video (4MB, prefer download before watch)

This is my first resource, please be kind to me :)

Due to file limit please download from here Updated 13th Apirl 2006

Here TGEA PhysX Resource here
#21
04/19/2006 (8:05 pm)
@Scott - if the PhysX detect the hardware and it will use this hardware, there are the if statement in the PhysXWorld.cpp
sceneDesc.simType = NX_SIMULATION_HW; // this is where the hardware support!
if (gPhysicsSDK->getHWVersion() > 0) // if hardware found!
  gSceneHW = gPhysicsSDK->createScene(sceneDesc);

But at the moment, we currently don't have the hardware (I'm looking forward to this card!) so once we got the card (hardware) and then we will test it out.

PS: Please download new updated code.
#22
04/21/2006 (10:21 pm)
Does this work with interriors (.dif) files
#23
04/21/2006 (10:39 pm)
@matthew - not at the moment..but it will implement in the future
#24
04/24/2006 (5:40 am)
I will definately keep this in my bookmarks, though it needs a little more work, fron what I can tell...
#25
04/26/2006 (12:27 pm)
i haven
#26
04/26/2006 (3:54 pm)
Is it just me or does this run really slow. I am running 8-10fps in game and it takes ~30 seconds to load. I am running in debug mode btw but it shouldn't be this slow. Is anyone else running this slow. Does anyone else have suggestions/solutions to make it run faster.

I have an Athlon 2400+ (2.0ghz), 512megs of ram, ATI 9500 Pro.

It shouldn't be running this slow! Thanks in advance.
#27
04/26/2006 (4:08 pm)
i can
#28
04/26/2006 (4:23 pm)
Yes Bardur your supposed to include those paths in the build. To do so in vc2003 (and probably similar in vc6 and vc8) Right Click Torque Demo, click properties. Then click on C/C++ folder and click general. The first edit box will say Additional Include Directories. Thats where you include:

C:\Program Files\AGEIA PhysX SDK\v2.3.2\SDKs\Physics\include
C:\Program Files\AGEIA PhysX SDK\v2.3.2\SDKs\Foundation\include
C:\Program Files\AGEIA PhysX SDK\v2.3.2\SDKs\PhysXLoader\include
C:\Program Files\AGEIA PhysX SDK\v2.3.2\SDKs\Cooking\include
#29
04/27/2006 (1:01 am)
@Bardur

If you using VC2005:
Go to top menu bar, Tools->Options. Now you see the Options dialog box, then click on list called "Projects and Solutions" then click on sublist called "VC++ Directories", Now you can see the "VC++ Directories" tab. Then go in the "Show directories for" combo box and select "Include files", that where you put those four directories in there. Also use "Library Files" to add "C:\Program Files\AGEIA PhysX SDK\v2.3.2\SDKs\lib\win32".

So now if you using VC2003 (it different to VC2005):
Go to top menu bar, Tools->Options. Now you see the Options dialog box, then click on list called "Projects" then click on sublist called "VC++ Directories", Now you can see the "VC++ Directories" tab. Then go in the "Show directories for" combo box and select "Include files", that where you put those four directories in there. Also use "Library Files" to add "C:\Program Files\AGEIA PhysX SDK\v2.3.2\SDKs\lib\win32".

@Spindle - your solution is another way to include those files but you may included it again for next project, but in Tools->Options menu will do for any projects.
#30
04/27/2006 (1:16 am)
ahh.. ok.. so i HAVE to use VC2005 (or 2003 for that mather) to make this work.. ok..
because it say:
"If you are using Visual Studio then you need to add include and library in the project configuration."
As if you shouldn
#31
04/27/2006 (1:54 am)
@Bardur - you DON'T have to use Visual Studio, but you can do other compiler with similar way as Visual Studio for project configuration. What compiler do you have?
#32
04/27/2006 (6:21 am)
i do have (access to) Visual Studio 2005 Pro... so i think using VS2005 would be best..
but i should COMPILE my project with those files "included" right? (i haven
#33
04/27/2006 (6:50 am)
@Bardur - yes, that correct, hope it work with PhysX
#34
04/27/2006 (7:24 am)
thanks for your help Shannon and matthew... i
#35
04/28/2006 (7:13 pm)
Nice resource, but I am wondering how this will affect bandwidth. Do all players see exactly the same motions? I don't see any packets being written in this code, so unless the movements are mathematically calculated without introducing random variables, players will all see something different right?
#36
04/29/2006 (2:19 am)
@Entr0py - the networking are not perfect yet, but you can see the packets in PhysXActor class. When the actors is not sleep then the server will send the position, rotation, linear and angular velocity to all clients.

Note: awhile ago the message is been chopped...now it fixed (whew!)
www.garagegames.com/mg/forums/result.thread.php?qt=43559
#37
05/05/2006 (11:00 am)
You know what? You rock.
#38
05/05/2006 (2:09 pm)
I got this error for both "operator new" declarations.

c:/mingw/include/NxAllocateable.h:30: declaration of `operator new' as
non-function

commenting out the line numbers in question (in NxAllocateable.h) seems to have worked, but these are for memory allocation :/
#39
05/05/2006 (3:12 pm)
@EntrOpy - thanks, could you give me the code how to use memory allocation for PhysX? I believe this memory allocation is very useful in TGE. You can find my email in my profile.
#40
05/05/2006 (3:33 pm)
I get errors in the same file as Entr0py so I commented out all the lines but every now and then a message appears saying "PhysX Error - Writelock still aquired. Procedure call skipped to avoid deadlock!"