Direct3D 11

[Demirug]

While Microsoft is still very vague:
„Join us as we cover exciting new ground, including the lowdown on the upcoming Direct3D 11 API set.”


nvidia goes already deeper:
“Get a sneak peek at what DirectX 11 will look like.

Kev will introduce the new DirectX 11 rendering pipeline currently under development at Microsoft. The technology builds on the existing DirectX 10 API set and adds new features including tessellation, multithreaded rendering, compute shaders, Shader Model 5, and more. Get up to speed fast with the next generation of rendering technology. “

 

[ShaidarHaran]

Multi-threaded rendering = savior of multi-GPU performance.

 

[fellix]

Shall we tessellate, already!

 

[Davros]

Ive been waiting for someone to do something really cool with tessalation ever since ati anounced truform

 

[Demirug]

Multi-threaded rendering = savior of multi-GPU performance.

A whole API feature for a niche market?

Ive been waiting for someone to do something really cool with tessalation ever since ati anounced truform

Truform is the stone age of tessellation

 

[armchair_architect]

Multi-threaded rendering == only way to scale games to more complex worlds in the multi-core *CPU* era.

Games on Xbox360 and PS3 use multiple threads to build up command lists for the graphics processor, because the CPU cores on the consoles are (individually) slower than standard PC CPUs -- they just can't generate commands fast enough using only one processor.

This has nothing to do with driving multiple GPUs, and everything to do with exploiting multiple CPU cores. And maybe just as important, making it easier to port between PCs and consoles.

 

[Sunday]

It looks like NVIDIA has a strong desire to dictate and shape upcoming DX that will probably ship with Windows 7, and XBOX Next!

I wonder how will ATI (AMD) respond?!

 

[eastmen]

It looks like NVIDIA has a strong desire to dictate and shape upcoming DX that will probably ship with Windows 7, and XBOX Next!

I wonder how will ATI (AMD) respond?!

ATI will most likely be in the xbox next . I would think ms still has a sour taste in thier mouth over the original xbox .

I think ati will be fine in that regard

 

[RejZoR]

Interesting, i always "thought" current GPU's are already multi-threaded...

 

[willardjuice]

Interesting, i always "thought" current GPU's are already multi-threaded...

I believe they are talking about the actual driver. IIRC DirectX 10 drivers are not multi-threaded.

 

[AlexV]

I believe they are talking about the actual driver. IIRC DirectX 10 drivers are not multi-threaded.

No they're not. In DX10 the driver must make callbacks through the runtime to the OS, calls which have to be made through the main thread. MS mispredicted the ubiquity of multithreaded games and made that choice.

As for what they're talking about, I think it's the same thing Humus is making reference to here: http://forum.beyond3d.com/showthread.php?t=48201&highlight=multi-threaded+rendering. Which is intriguing.

 

[willardjuice]

Ok then I stand corrected. :smile:

 

[nexus_alpha]

It looks like NVIDIA has a strong desire to dictate and shape upcoming DX that will probably ship with Windows 7, and XBOX Next!

I wonder how will ATI (AMD) respond?!

Current ATI cards already support tesellation

 

[Demirug]

No they're not. In DX10 the driver must make callbacks through the runtime to the OS, calls which have to be made through the main thread. MS mispredicted the ubiquity of multithreaded games and made that choice.

The whole situation is somewhat more complex.

Drivers can still create worker threads if they want. Additional you can call most D3D10 methods from any thread you want. But the default multithread layer contains only one synchronization object for anything.

There are limitations when it comes to DXGI methods as they need to play nice with the application window.

In comparison to D3D9 on Vista D3D10 doesn’t do any multithread optimization by its own. At the time the internal workings were designed Microsoft thought that all application that use Direct3D 10 would have an own render thread (like its common on consoles).

Current ATI cards already support tesellation

There are many different forms of tessellation.

 

[AlexV]

The whole situation is somewhat more complex.

Drivers can still create worker threads if they want. Additional you can call most D3D10 methods from any thread you want. But the default multithread layer contains only one synchronization object for anything.

There are limitations when it comes to DXGI methods as they need to play nice with the application window.

In comparison to D3D9 on Vista D3D10 doesn’t do any multithread optimization by its own. At the time the internal workings were designed Microsoft thought that all application that use Direct3D 10 would have an own render thread (like its common on consoles).

Cheers for detailing! I got that tidbit during a chat from a while ago and never went further with investigating it properly.

 

[ShaidarHaran]

A whole API feature for a niche market?

Today's niche is tomorrow's mainstream. It is clear that multi-core is where the market is headed.

 

[ninelven]

I don't think that it is clear at all. From today's point of view multi-chip will only become neccessary in about 3 hardware cycles which places it at least 5 years away.

But who knows how the situation will look in 5 years...

 

[AnarchX]

http://www.techtree.com/India/News/Nvidias_Big_Bang_II_in_September/551-91858-580.html

Nvidia follows a quarterly development of drivers and has shared their roadmap with us. The R180 drive release is due in September, R185 will be released in December-February time-frame, the R190 will be rolled out between March and May, the R195 is due between Jun-August, and finally -- the R200, codenamed "Big Bang III", will support DirectX 11.

 

[armchair_architect]

Today's niche is tomorrow's mainstream. It is clear that multi-core is where the market is headed.

I don't think that it is clear at all. From today's point of view multi-chip will only become neccessary in about 3 hardware cycles which places it at least 5 years away.

But who knows how the situation will look in 5 years...

You're talking about different things. DX11 multi-threading is all about having the app rendering engine, DX runtime, and driver take advantage of multiple CPU cores. It has nothing to do with SLI/Crossfire.

 

[ninelven]

No, he was writing about multi-gpu...

Multi-threaded rendering = savior of multi-GPU performance.

Unless, you meant both of the posts... which then it makes sense... hard to tell.