MS Introduces Variable Rate Shading

"The DirectX Developer Blog introduces some new graphics technology called Variable Rate Shading, calling this "a scalpel in a world of sledgehammers" Here's word:

What is Variable Rate Shading?

In a nutshell, it’s a powerful new API that gives the developers the ability to use GPUs more intelligently.

Let’s explain.

For each pixel in a screen, shaders are called to calculate the color this pixel should be. Shading rate refers to the resolution at which these shaders are called (which is different from the overall screen resolution). A higher shading rate means more visual fidelity, but more GPU cost; a lower shading rate means the opposite: lower visual fidelity that comes at a lower GPU cost.

Traditionally, when developers set a game’s shading rate, this shading rate is applied to all pixels in a frame.

There’s a problem with this: not all pixels are created equal.

VRS allows developers to selectively reduce the shading rate in areas of the frame where it won’t affect visual quality, letting them gain extra performance in their games. This is really exciting, because extra perf means increased framerates and lower-spec’d hardware being able to run better games than ever before.

VRS also lets developers do the opposite: using an increased shading rate only in areas where it matters most, meaning even better visual quality in games.

On top of that, we designed VRS to be extremely straightforward for developers to integrate into their engines. Only a few days of dev work integrating VRS support can result in large increases in performance."

That might help DCS devs to optimize better our game and have better frame rates.

https://devblogs.microsoft.com/directx/variable-rate-shading-a-scalpel-in-a-world-of-sledgehammers/

"a new graphics feature available only on DirectX 12"

That's cool, I hope Vulkan adds it too !!!!!

The problem is many games still with OpenGL and DX11 ... what does DCS use ?

The problem is many games still with OpenGL and DX11 ... what does DCS use ?

According to MSI Afterburner DCS uses DX11. And, yes, I'm running on a DX12 capable card.

dcs is directx 11 capable only, no news about vulkan api since months unfortunatelly.

https://devblogs.microsoft.com/directx/variable-rate-shading-a-scalpel-in-a-world-of-sledgehammers/

 

"a new graphics feature available only on DirectX 12"

 

That's cool, I hope Vulkan adds it too !!!!!

 

The problem is many games still with OpenGL and DX11 ... what does DCS use ?

DirectX12 is getting absolutely owned, which is why MS is also releasing it to Windows 7, after saying for the entire life of DX12 that the WDDM for Windows 7 would never support DX12.

And Vulkan already Does this, as Does Other API's (DX11, OpenGL, even AMD's Dead Mantle).

nVidia has this in their GameWorks Software Suite for almost a year already as well.

According to MSI Afterburner DCS uses DX11. And, yes, I'm running on a DX12 capable card.

DCS World Currently Uses DirectX11 API

dcs is directx 11 capable only, no news about vulkan api since months unfortunatelly.

The Last update on Vulkan is that the Base Engine was Complete, and work had started on Converting all of the Shaders and textures to the new API

DirectX12 is getting absolutely owned, which is why MS is also releasing it to Windows 7, after saying for the entire life of DX12 that the WDDM for Windows 7 would never support DX12.

That's really backfiring !!!!!! :lol:

Luckyly it will be too late when they make the politics changes, and Vulkan will be the dominant API in the future.

The Last update on Vulkan is that the Base Engine was Complete, and work had started on Converting all of the Shaders and textures to the new API

That's amazing !!!!!!!

Not only the performance improvemens, but also being free from Microsoft !!!!

DCS still uses MS Runtime Libraries.