Nvidia PhysX System Software

TairikuOkami · 20 Dec 2020

Faith said:

No game requires this.

Some games will not launch without it and some even require the specific version, but the game will complain about it, so it is pretty obvious. If NVIDIA GPU is not present, CPU is used instead.

boombastik · 20 Dec 2020

@Faith you are wrong. When a game "requires" PhysX it means the PhysX system software has to be installed. The game should run with an AMD card, it's just that you won't benefit from GPU processing of physics effects.

Games that require legacy physx software or physx installed even if you have an amd card are:
-Darkest of Days -Medal of Honor Airborne
-Last remnant
-mirror edge
-Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter
-Cell Factor
-Clive baker’s Jericho
-Gears of War
-Velvet Assassin

-https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Medal_of_Honor:_Airborne

Faith · 20 Dec 2020

I wrote "GPU accelerated" several times. PhysX on older titles do actually work in software mode for AMD that's true, and runs through the CPU instead. My point is that it's not required for supported games to run. By "run" I mean that the game can even launch.

TairikuOkami said:

Some games will not launch without it and some even require the specific version

What game is this? And is this a AGEIA title? I can test if you let me know.

Added: I just tested Batman Arkham knight on Steam without it installed on a Nvidia system, and interactive smoke, debris etc are all greyed out. The game works just fine.

Added 2: Borderlands 2 plays just fine without it too. PhysX set to low here (which is software mode).

leosantare · 21 Dec 2020

So, it would be fair to say that it would be better to install the physx rather than not install it for games that support it.

For example, batman arkham knight.

However, it's not required to install it for games that support it, like you pointed out.

Is this all correct?