PS3 to have a new next generation API

[rwolf]

Rémi is working in the US R&D department at Sony Computer Entertainment as Graphics Architect, where he manages a team working on next generation grapghics API.

http://www.cmpevents.com/GD05/a.asp?option=G&V=3&id=270170

Doesn't look like they will be using industry standards like OpenGL. That could be because of cells multi-threaded architecture.

 

[Geo]

Hrmph. How would that work given what we've heard of the partnership with NV? One certainly didn't get the impression that NV was making the kind of major investment in resources that a new api would require.

 

[rwolf]

Perhaps that is why Sony and not Nvidia is writing the software.

 

[trinibwoy]

Perhaps that is why Sony and not Nvidia is writing the software.

Nvidia would still have to write the driver even if Sony codes the API.

 

[991060]

Is there a reason made them believe OGL(even if specifically modified for console) is not powerful enough?

 

[Geo]

Perhaps that is why Sony and not Nvidia is writing the software.

Well, someone already mentioned the driver. But I was also under the impression that development tools was a big part of the deal, and that would require (I would think) a significant investment in writing a new back-end for those for the new api. And then you have a whole 1.0 issue with api, driver, development tools back-end, and developers programming for it. That looks like an awful lot of risk to me on a project that already has a goodly amount of risk factor associated with it yet is counted on to be a huge cash-cow for all stakeholders.

 

[Wunderchu]

Job Type: Full Time
The Position:
Lead Software Engineers * Next Generation Platform

Santa Monica, San Diego, Foster City CA

Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) is seeking a Lead Software Engineer. Join a team creating the system software to power Sony¹s next generation games. Lead the creation and development of Sony¹s response to DirectX, in close cooperation with our online and 3d groups. Inspire a team to create the world¹s best game system software.

Qualifications:
* Looking for the top 1% in the game business.
* Track record of creating leading game technology.
* 10+ years experience in Asm, C, C++.
* Technical Director or Lead Engineer in 2+ technically brilliant titles.
* Excellent planning/documentation skills mandatory.
* Japanese a plus.

The Lead Software Engineer has the following responsibilities:
Lead the creation of Sony¹s response to DirectX. Lead the architectural design and personally create major portions of the implementation.

1. Technology leader in the game business.
In-depth understanding of multiple assembly languages, multi-threaded programming, C and C++. Experience in a multi-processor environment, and with kernel level and driver level programming. Understanding of .Net, C# and XML, Python. Experience with systems level console programming and with DirectX or Nintendo¹s equivalent a big plus. Proven ability to create powerful new systems.

2. Game systems programming
Personally lead the creation of SCEA portable OS and hardware abstraction layer. The main responsibility of this position is to develop the low and mid level code libraries for the next generation system.
* ASM, C & C++ programming using SN, GNU tools and various other compilers.
* Target-Host communication, profiling and debugging - Lead the development of systems to enable efficient target-host development.
* Test Scripts - Lead the development of unit tests and other automated systems and scripts to ensure extremely high reliability.

3. Systems Design
The person in this position will lead the architecture and design of the OS abstraction and hardware abstraction layers.
* Collaborate via phone, email, SourceForge and in person with SCEA¹s best technologies to design a system that efficiently exploits the amazing capabilities of the next generation system.
* Design, specify and write design documentation. Teach how to document and plan and review plans of others.
* Work with manager of tools to schedule and prioritize work

4. Tool Programming
The Software lead will be the key liaison with the tools efforts. Candidate will be required to assist in the development of the target-host system and the run-time players for authored content.
* This requires programming in C++ and C using GNU and SN systems compilers.

[source: http://forum.teamxbox.com/showthread.php?t=328909&page=30&pp=15 ]

 

[Titanio]

Might it not just be a custom OpenGL variant, perhaps with a Cg variant from NVidia or something like that?

 

[reever]

Might it not just be a custom OpenGL variant, perhaps with a Cg variant from NVidia or something like that?

No no, but this is sony, so it absolutely has to be brand spanking new, unusable to everyone else, and incremenetally better then everything else

 

[_xxx_]

Might it not just be a custom OpenGL variant, perhaps with a Cg variant from NVidia or something like that?

No no, but this is sony, so it absolutely has to be brand spanking new, unusable to everyone else, and incremenetally better then everything else

Surely that's gonna be a big compatibility problem for all those other companies producing their own PS3's...

 

[ERP]

Perhaps that is why Sony and not Nvidia is writing the software.

Nvidia would still have to write the driver even if Sony codes the API.

Why MS wrote the XBox driver (what there is of it).

A console "driver" doesn't have a lot of the complexities of a PC driver.

 

[CyFactor]

OMG! Perhaps they are resurrecting GLide!

 

[Remi]

Rémi is working in the US R&D department at Sony Computer Entertainment as Graphics Architect, ....

As Remi isn't precisely a common first name, it's probably worth to mention that Remi Arnaud isn't me - just in case and to prevent any confusion.

 

[LeGreg]

As Remi isn't precisely a common first name, it's probably worth to mention that Remi Arnaud isn't me - just in case and to prevent any confusion.

it is quite common in France..

"je m'appelle Rémi et je suis sans famille."

 

[hoom]

I thought pixel shader 3 already had an API?
Isn't it a subsection of DX9c???

 

[Rockster]

DirectX is the API, with SM3.0 being a spec within it. DirectX requires the Windows OS, which obviously Sony won't use.

 

[Geo]

Reads to me like a custom flava of DX, a superset where NV's part exceeds and a subset where NV's part doesn't support a feature. Otherwise "DirectX or Nintendo¹s equivalent a big plus" wouldn't be there. That fits the scenario and keeps the resource requirements manageable.

 

[Farid]

I think this Cnet article answers a lot of questions asked in this thread.

Cnet.com: PlayStation 3 to be easy on developers, Sony vows

"The Cell is a complicated piece of machinery," said Mark DeLoura, manager of developer relations for SCEA. "What we can to do to make it easy for you, we'll do...We don't want to make you learn a new API (application programming interface) every time we come out with a new chip."

Sony shared some of the first programming details on the chip on Wednesday, promising that Cell would adapt many existing development tools rather than force developers to learn whole new languages.

For starters, said DeLoura, Cell graphics will rely on a variation of the standard OpenGL library already widely used for PC games. Sony and software consortium the Khronos Group are developing Open GL/ES, a dialect of OpenGL optimized for interactive content, DeLoura said.

"OpenGL is huge--it has a lot of we just don't need for games," he said. "We've developed something for games, not running CAD (computer-assisted drafting)."

Cell will also use Cg, a language developed by graphics chip leader Nvidia for creating high-level graphics effects. And programmers will be able to control the eight "synergistic processing elements" that account for the bulk of Cell's horsepower using standard C or C++ tools, instead of the exacting assembly-level programming required with the current PlayStation 2.

BTW, why this thread isn't where it belongs? In the dark, unfriendly center of the board, also known as the Console forum?

 

[hoom]

Some people can't take a joke
OK so unfunny but a joke noless

 

[Remi]

OT: LeGreg> "it is quite common in France... "
Well, all is relative. "Remi"s are about 0.001% of the people, 1 for 100 000... That confusion is common.
Sources: about 70000 french people named "Remi" in 2001 (INSEE) vs. 6314 million people on earth mid-2003 (INED).