3DMark05’s Shadow Engine - detect hardware PCF?

[tcchiu]

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/3dmark05_5.html

If the hardware supports DST and hardware accelerated PCF, a single bilinearly filtered sample is taken. The non-DST rendering path uses four point samples.

How does the benchmark detect hardware PCF since it's not a DX9 cap?

if ( NV card ) -> Yes
else -> No

 

[Reverend]

It doesn't. It detects deviceid AFAIK, not CAPs for this particular feature. Like most games do.

Your assumption of "if (NV Card)" is probably correct.

 

[Xmas]

Most likely they simply check whether DEPTHSTENCIL can be used as a texture, and then whether filtering is supported for that texture format (or just set bilinear anyway).

 

[Scali]

It doesn't. It detects deviceid AFAIK, not CAPs for this particular feature. Like most games do.

Your assumption of "if (NV Card)" is probably correct.

Completely wrong.
DST is a set of texture formats, which you can query with standard DirectX9 calls.
You can also see if bilinear filtering is available on these textureformats. If they are, you have PCF.
Check with the DX9 SDK Caps Viewer on an NVIDIA card. Even though there's no NV-specific code, the Caps Viewer flawlessly reports everything you need to know about DST/PCF.

And it is definitely not going to be if (NV Card) because other IHVs also support it. You will see that the DST path will also work on these other IHVs.

 

[Reverend]

Well, I wasn't sure, that's why I have the "AFAIK".

 

[Reverend]

Well, I was simply thinking of just DST and not PCF. SO SORRY for the unacceptable overlook.

[edit]Ah, someone removed your disrespectful post. Oh well.

 

[digitalwanderer]

And it is definitely not going to be if (NV Card) because other IHVs also support it. You will see that the DST path will also work on these other IHVs.

Ok, I'll bite...you keep talking about the "other IHVs" supporting DST, do you know who they are or are you just trying to act like you know who they are? :|

 

[Scali]

Ok, I'll bite...you keep talking about the "other IHVs" supporting DST, do you know who they are or are you just trying to act like you know who they are? :|

Yes, I do.

 

[digitalwanderer]

Yes, I do.

Thanks for clearing that up.

 

[Patric Ojala]

No NV detection needed, plug in another DST card and it runs just fine.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/3dmark05_5.html

If the hardware supports DST and hardware accelerated PCF, a single bilinearly filtered sample is taken. The non-DST rendering path uses four point samples.

How does the benchmark detect hardware PCF since it's not a DX9 cap?

if ( NV card ) -> Yes
else -> No

 

[digitalwanderer]

No NV detection needed, plug in another DST card and it runs just fine.

That's kind of hard for most of us to do right now Pat.

 

[jvd]

Here is a question .

Does 3dmark 2005 support ati's instancing ? Or is this another vender specific feature that even though it only takes a few lines to support you wont support ?

 

[tEd]

Here is a question .

Does 3dmark 2005 support ati's instancing ? Or is this another vender specific feature that even though it only takes a few lines to support you wont support ?

3dm05 doesn't support/need instancing

 

[digitalwanderer]

No NV detection needed, plug in another DST card and it runs just fine.

What about PCF? Is that also detected the same way?

 

[jvd]

Here is a question .

Does 3dmark 2005 support ati's instancing ? Or is this another vender specific feature that even though it only takes a few lines to support you wont support ?

3dm05 doesn't support/need instancing

So 3dm05 doesn't use instancing at all ?

So they feel instancing isn't a future trend in video games ?

 

[Reverend]

Er, to be fair, you only use GI when there's a need for it depending on the type of content in a game. 3DMark05 does have such content where instancing really helps.

 

[jvd]

Er, to be fair, you only use GI when there's a need for it depending on the type of content in a game. 3DMark05 does have such content where instancing really helps.

I just find it odd that new dx 9 features are not being used while other old non dx 9 features are being used.

 

[Reverend]

Er, to be fair, you only use GI when there's a need for it depending on the type of content in a game. 3DMark05 does have such content where instancing really helps.

I just find it odd that new dx 9 features are not being used while other old non dx 9 features are being used.

I think that's generalizing too much. I don't think 3DMark05 can or should use/exploit every API feature, not in Game Tests that is supposed to be a game-development crystal ball. To show off the benefits of certain API features that benefits performance (and not quality) like GI, it may be better to use 3DMark's feature test.

 

[Reverend]

Anyway, this thread appears to have answered the thread author's question and the last few posts are OT. Locked.