FYI - Batman demo to download with PhysX...

[Eastcoasthandle]

Thanks for the input, but none the less, my game is running faster after the install. (PhysX or not)
I used the same system and game settings for both.

Maybe another member could test this also.

You/they can't test, it's by design
The way the game is intended to be played has other physics disabled when the CPU is used. Lets not forget that's why the CPU isn't being fully utilized in this game. Physics isn't being used as it should on the cpu (through the game's engine).

[Talonman]

You/they can't test, it's by design
The way the game is intended to be played has other physics disabled when the CPU is used. Lets not forget that's why the CPU isn't being fully utilized in this game. Physics isn't being used as it should on the cpu (through the game's engine).

I don't really think I know what your getting at.

Do you think PhysX is running on my CPU or GPU?

Do you think another member here has an Nvidia card too, so that the PhysX can also run on their GPU.

So you think my results are bad, and I am the only one who will see a performance increase? I don't.

The CPU is used in every game, PhysX or not...

[Eastcoasthandle]

I don't really think I know what your getting at.

Do you think PhysX is running on my CPU or GPU?

Do you think another member here has an Nvidia card too, so that the PhysX can also run on their GPU.

So you think my results are bad, and I am the only one who will see a performance increase? I don't.

The CPU is used in every game, PhysX or not...

What I've stated is pretty simple to understand and the gist of it has been mentioned more then once in this thread

[Talonman]

Thanks...

When another member also tests this, I would love to hear if you also ran faster.

The smart money is on YES.

[perkam]

I think its fair, since they made a lot of effort to get PhysX to this level and to give something back to their loyal customers.

If there were features in this game that would only have been possible through Physx, then you're right.

But disabling AA features and reducing eye candy such as batman's cape just to make Physx enabled cards look better is idiocy.

But this is no surprise though, Nvidia's been asking developers to do this since Splinter Cell Chaos Theory.

Perkam

[Pontos]

I don't know if this was posted here, but you can use AA on ATI cards simply by renaming the game exe to UT3.exe (or any other older UE3 game) and then forcing AA through the Catalyst Control Panel.

I also noticed that there are a few entries on BmEngine.ini with odd values, like

AllowD3D10=False (I changed it to True, no idea if there was any difference)

bDownsampleParticles=True
ParticleDownsampleFactor=4
(Changed it to False, but didn't get the Physx-only particle effects as i was expecting :P. Blocking that by software would have been really embarrassing for Nvidia)

bAllowMatureLanguage=False (it's a T rated game, so i didn't even bothered changing that. There wouldn't be any change i bet)

DisableATITextureFilterOptimizationChecks=True
UseMinimalNVIDIADriverShaderOptimization=True
(I have an ATI card, why was that set up to True?)

[Talonman]

A truly excellent tip...

Thanks for looking out for your ATI brothers.

[JohnZS]

Talonman
I also noticed the new Physx runtime increased performance for me too and I do not even have a separate GPU for physx!
Nice screen shots, just a shame you are using Keyboard and mouse as the Xbox360 pad does make this game really entertaining!

Pontos
Have you also enabled the multithreading in the ini file too?

Check the UserEngine.ini located in your My Documents\Eidios\Batman Arkham Asylum Demo\BMgame\config

You should see the following

[Engine.Engine]
PhysXLevel=1
Language=int

[DevOptions.Shaders]
bAllowMultiThreadedShaderCompile=True

John

[zanzabar]

john are u saying that u can force physX on the cpu with the config

[JohnZS]

Nope, just presenting the ini file that contains the settings related to physx detail levels and multithreading

0 = off
1 = low/normal
2 = High

I only have an nVidia GPU so I cannot confirm what this will do without one, I can confirm that with physx uninstalled the game does not launch and I get lots of unhandled exception errors
John

[zanzabar]

Nope, just presenting the ini file that contains the settings related to physx detail levels and multithreading

0 = off
1 = low/normal
2 = High

I only have an nVidia GPU so I cannot confirm what this will do without one, I can confirm that with physx uninstalled the game does not launch and I get lots of unhandled exception errors
John

i figured that out, with my 4890 and no agea or NV products i can use 1 there and it has no lag and everything but floor damage and paper (it has the fog the glow/blur effect the water and sparks the flags on the rafters, damage when u grapple to the gargoyles, and the air trails from the batterang and punches). with 2 in the config it lags and has paper but no damage to the floor from the batterang. i have an old instal of physX since the new ones make UT3 lag on my system. but the worst part is that out of 4 cores i have one in use with no physX and 2 in use for modes 1 and 2 forced. i tried up to 5 but they were the same as 2

forcing aa also seams to work


the lvl1 seams basic and things that ive for a long time with out hardware physX and the lvl 2 with the paper is stupid

[JohnZS]

The latest build of the Physx linked above is pretty darn good, I would try that out Zanzibar
Did you force FSAA through the same ini?
These are the settings I have in my UserEngine.ini

[Configuration]
BasedOn=..\BmGame\Config\DefaultEngine.ini

[SystemSettings]
Fullscreen=True
UseVsync=True
AllowD3D10=True
ResX=1920
ResY=1200
EffectsLevel=3
MaxMultisamples=4
DynamicLights=True
DepthOfField=True
LensFlares=True
Bloom=True
DynamicShadows=True
MotionBlur=True
Distortion=True
FogVolumes=True
DisableSphericalHarmonicLights=False
AmbientOcclusion=True
DetailMode=2
MaxShadowResolution=512
IniVersion=5.8

[Engine.Engine]
PhysXLevel=1
Language=int

[DevOptions.Shaders]
bAllowMultiThreadedShaderCompile=True

This is on a single BFG GTX 280 OCX and a QX9650
John

[zanzabar]

i forced msaa, as ut3 has no fsaa

and my config is the same exept for the last line and rez i use 1600x1200

[blaxtr3m3]

FYI - I gave that new PhysX a test out on Batman.

System:
Q6600@ 3.81GHz Driver 190.38
(1) 295 processing Graphics set to 621/1458/1188
(1) 280 operating in dedicated PhysX mode set to 756/1512/1269
Ambient Occlusion was set to on in the Nvidia Control Panel.

Performance with the PhysX that came with 190.38
Game settings:



I did realize a performance increase... Getting 60 and 61 FPS.

I would say it works!

If you turn off V-Sync in the game and force OFF in the nVidia controplpanel, you will c higher FPS

[Talonman]

Talonman
I also noticed the new Physx runtime increased performance for me too and I do not even have a separate GPU for physx!
Nice screen shots, just a shame you are using Keyboard and mouse as the Xbox360 pad does make this game really entertaining!

John

Thanks John, I do appreciate the feedback, and glad that performance could be tested, and that you also ran faster...

I could ony stay up 2 hours last night, due to me having to work today. Rest assured I will give that 360 controller a try out in this game. I was more just into a quick and dirty test to see if I noticed any change after the PhysX install.

Keep up the fine job.

[Talonman]

If you turn off V-Sync in the game and force OFF in the nVidia controplpanel, you will c higher FPS

Thanks.. Will do! I was thinking about that after my post.

Darn impressive considering what frame rates I was getting. I also bet I will get more than 60FPS now too.

[trinibwoy]

Courtesty HonestJohn over at Rage3D

[JohnZS]

Thanks John, I do appreciate the feedback, and glad that performance could be tested, and that you also ran faster...

I could ony stay up 2 hours last night, due to me having to work today. Rest assured I will give that 360 controller a try out in this game. I was more just into a quick and dirty test to see if I noticed any change after the PhysX install.

Keep up the fine job.

No problem
Did you try some of the ini tweaks I posted above?
(Multithreading and Direct3d10 path?)

IMHO this game does not use "proper" FSAA, just take a look at the prison bars in the first scene.

You got a good PC, just a shame that nVidia did not give the GTX295 a bit more VRAM!

[Talonman]

I will give some of ini tweaks you posted a try tonight after 7pm when i get home. Is there a way to force FSAA in this game?

[JohnZS]

I will give some of ini tweaks you posted a try tonight after 7pm when i get home. Is there a way to force FSAA in this game?

In the ini you can alter the multisample level, however I am not sure whether this will force "real" FSAA or just use the pseudo FSAA that this game currently uses. You might want to rename the exe to bioshock.exe as that used a similar engine (Unreal 3 based)
John

[Pontos]

I will give some of ini tweaks you posted a try tonight after 7pm when i get home. Is there a way to force FSAA in this game?

For NVidia cards just enable it through the game's options or the ini file.

For ATI cards you will need to change the game exe to something like UT3.exe and then force AA through the Catalyst Control Panel.
Editing the AA options in the ini has no effect with ATI cards as far as I know.

Talonman
Pontos
Have you also enabled the multithreading in the ini file too?

Yes, i did, but the name of the entry doesn't seem to refer to actual multithreading for gameplay...

[Talonman]

OK, trying to get it straight what a Nvidia user might try...

John posted: Check the UserEngine.ini located in your My Documents\Eidios\Batman Arkham Asylum Demo\BMgame\config
You should see the following:

[Engine.Engine] PhysXLevel=1 Language=int
[DevOptions.Shaders] bAllowMultiThreadedShaderCompile=True

These are the settings I have in my UserEngine.ini

[Configuration]
BasedOn=..\BmGame\Config\DefaultEngine.ini
[SystemSettings]
Fullscreen=True UseVsync=True
AllowD3D10=True
ResX=1920 ResY=1200
EffectsLevel=3
MaxMultisamples=4
DynamicLights=True
DepthOfField=True
LensFlares=True
Bloom=True
DynamicShadows=True
MotionBlur=True
Distortion=True
FogVolumes=True
DisableSphericalHarmonicLights=False
AmbientOcclusion=True
DetailMode=2
MaxShadowResolution=512
IniVersion=5.8
[Engine.Engine]
PhysXLevel=1
Language=int

[DevOptions.Shaders]
bAllowMultiThreadedShaderCompile=True

I figure I dont need to change the PhysX level in the ini file, due to me being able to control that from my in game settings...

I am also going to turn off V-Sync...

Pontos posted speaking on multithreading:
Yes, i did, but the name of the entry doesn't seem to refer to actual multithreading for gameplay...

What is the setting that I need to change, to let it use all 4 cores of my Q6600?

[zanzabar]

i dont think that it can use more than 2 cores one for the game and one for physX

[Talonman]

And i dont think PhysX is running on my CPU.

[Eastcoasthandle]

And i dont think PhysX is running on my CPU.

Nope, its not. I knew, given time, you would figure it out