Nvidia today announced NVIDIA APEX, a new capability to its PhysX technology development software development kit (SDK), that provides game developers with a set of tools for implementing physics across multiple platforms for next-generation titles.

Designed as a modular framework that works in concert with existing PhysX SDKs, NVIDIA APEX makes it easy for developers to add detailed physics effects to their games and helps them optimize the gaming experience across multiple platforms with a simple "author once" cross platform content creation feature. This enables APEX to help developers reduce overall development costs in the process. The APEX toolset will be available free of charge for licensed NVIDIA PhysX developers.

Another key component of APEX is the support for new plug-in modules, each of which provide a "high level" interface enabling artists and level designers to facilitate turnkey physics content creation with little or no programmer involvement. At GDC, Nvidia showcased three new modules? destruction, clothing, and vegetation?each adding specific game dynamics functionality for fully-featured content authoring.