Abstract: In a state management system of an effects system implemented in a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), techniques and technologies are provided for setting a value to particular variables at application run-time without validating the variables. For example, a compiled effects file comprising a number of variables can be loaded at application load time, and a generic, variable interface pointer for a particular variable of the effects file can be retrieved. A specialized variable interface pointer can then be generated which is associated with the particular variable by specifying a desired type of access that will be performed on the particular variable. At application run-time, the specialized variable interface can be used to set a value to each of the particular variables without validating the particular variables at application run-time.

Abstract: Techniques and technologies are provided for binding resources to particular slots associated with shaders in a graphics pipeline. Resource dependencies between resources being utilized by respective shaders can be determined, and, based on these resource dependencies, common resource/slot associations can be computed. Respective common resource/slot associations identify a particular one of the resources to be associated with a particular one of the slots.

Abstract: Techniques and technologies are provided for binding resources to particular slots associated with shaders in a graphics pipeline. Resource dependencies between resources being utilized by each shader can be determined, and, based on these resource dependencies, common resource/slot associations can be computed. Each common resource/slot association identifies a particular one of the resources to be associated with a particular one of the slots.

Abstract: Techniques and technologies are provided for binding resources to particular slots associated with shaders in a graphics pipeline. Resource dependencies between resources being utilized by respective shaders can be determined, and, based on these resource dependencies, common resource/slot associations can be computed. Respective common resource/slot associations identify a particular one of the resources to be associated with a particular one of the slots.

Abstract: In a technique for rendering non-linear BRDFs that are stable in both the temporal and spatial domains, without serious interruption to the content creation pipeline used in most games, non-linear content is linearized by rendering in texture space at a fixed resolution. A MIP-map chain is calculated from this texture. The complete MIP-map chain is used for rendering on a display device. Low resolution reflectance parameters are used to approximate the highest resolution reflectance parameters as the object becomes smaller on the display device. The low resolution reflectance parameters are calculated using non linear fitting techniques.

Abstract: In a technique for rendering non-linear BRDFs that are stable in both the temporal and spatial domains, without serious interruption to the content creation pipeline used in most games, non-linear content is linearized by rendering in texture space at a fixed resolution. A MIP-map chain is calculated from this texture. The complete MIP-map chain is used for rendering on a display device. Low resolution reflectance parameters are used to approximate the highest resolution reflectance parameters as the object becomes smaller on the display device. The low resolution reflectance parameters are calculated using non linear fitting techniques.

Abstract: In a technique for rendering non-linear BRDFs that are stable in both the temporal and spatial domains, without serious interruption to the content creation pipeline used in most games, non-linear content is linearized by rendering in texture space at a fixed resolution. A MIP-map chain is calculated from this texture. The complete MIP-map chain is used for rendering on a display device. Low resolution reflectance parameters are used to approximate the highest resolution reflectance parameters as the object becomes smaller on the display device. The low resolution reflectance parameters are calculated using non linear fitting techniques.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for efficiently arranging shader constants into constant buffers to more efficiently set shader constants to a GPU. Techniques are provided for tracking runtime usage patterns of shader constants, and then generating usage pattern data regarding usage patterns of shader constants. This usage pattern data can then be fed into an optimization algorithm to efficiently lay out the data for maximal performance given certain heuristics. Factors considered include, for example, frequency of client update of the values, usage by certain shaders, and size and number of the resulting buffers.

Abstract: In a state management system of an effects system implemented in a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), techniques and technologies are provided for setting a value to particular variables at application run-time without validating the variables. For example, a compiled effects file comprising a number of variables can be loaded at application load time, and a generic, variable interface pointer for a particular variable of the effects file can be retrieved. A specialized variable interface pointer can then be generated which is associated with the particular variable by specifying a desired type of access that will be performed on the particular variable. At application run-time, the specialized variable interface can be used to set a value to each of the particular variables without validating the particular variables at application run-time.

Abstract: Techniques and technologies are provided for binding resources to particular slots associated with shaders in a graphics pipeline. Resource dependencies between resources being utilized by each shader can be determined, and, based on these resource dependencies, common resource/slot associations can be computed. Each common resource/slot association identifies a particular one of the resources to be associated with a particular one of the slots.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for efficiently arranging shader constants into constant buffers to more efficiently set shader constants to a GPU. Techniques are provided for tracking runtime usage patterns of shader constants, and then generating usage pattern data regarding usage patterns of shader constants. This usage pattern data can then be fed into an optimization algorithm to efficiently lay out the data for maximal performance given certain heuristics. Factors considered include, for example, frequency of client update of the values, usage by certain shaders, and size and number of the resulting buffers.

Abstract: A technique for rendering non-linear BRDFs that are stable in both the temporal and spatial domains, without serious interruption to the content creation pipeline used in most games, is provided. Non-linear content is linearized by rendering in texture space at a fixed resolution. A MIP-map chain is calculated from this texture. The complete MIP-map chain is used for rendering on a display device. Low resolution reflectance parameters are used to approximate the highest resolution reflectance parameters as the object becomes smaller on the display device. The low resolution reflectance parameters are calculated using non linear fitting techniques.