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AMD - GDC 2024: A Deep Dive

3/12/2024

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AMD’s Exciting Announcements at GDC 2024: A Deep Dive

Introduction

The annual Game Developers Conference (GDC) is a highly anticipated event for gaming enthusiasts, developers, and industry professionals. This year, GDC 2024 promises to be no exception, with AMD making significant announcements in the world of gaming graphics. Let’s dive into the exciting developments shared by AMD during this event.

Work Graphs: The Future of GPU Programming

One of the standout sessions at GDC 2024 was the presentation on GPU Work Graphs. Co-presented by Matthäus Chajdas (Fellow, AMD) and Shawn Hargreaves (Dev Manager, Microsoft Direct3D), this talk explored a revolutionary new API that allows the GPU to self-schedule work without host intervention. Here are the key takeaways:

  • What Are Work Graphs?

    • Work graphs enable fully parallel producer/consumer relationships on the GPU.
    • Unlike previous APIs like ExecuteIndirect, work graphs empower high-performance GPU work creation, efficient recursive algorithms, expansion, and compaction.

  • Why Is This Important?

    • Work graphs transform the GPU programming landscape.
    • They allow for dynamic workload scheduling directly on the GPU, reducing host overhead.
    • Developers can harness their power for various tasks, including recursive algorithms and efficient data processing.

  • Matthäus Chajdas and Shawn Hargreaves

    • These experts provided insights into workloads that benefit from work graphs in the short term and long-term expectations.
    • They discussed changes to HLSL and walked through a sample implementation.

Microsoft DirectX State of the Union

Rob Martin (Fellow, AMD) represented AMD during Microsoft’s DirectX State of the Union session. This session featured discussions on Work Graphs and introduced DirectSR. Here’s what you need to know:

  • DirectSR
    • DirectSR is a game-changer for graphics rendering.
    • It combines super resolution temporal upscaling technology and frame generation to significantly boost framerates in supported games.

Special Guests and More

AMD expressed gratitude to special guests who enhanced the quality of their sessions:

  • Shawn Hargreaves (Microsoft® Direct3D®)
  • Hampus Siversson (Massive Entertainment)
  • Marco Bouterse (Nixxes Software)
  • Miguel Petersen (Striking Distance Studios)

Conclusion

GDC 2024 was a whirlwind of exciting announcements, technical insights, and collaboration. As the gaming industry continues to evolve, AMD remains at the forefront, pushing boundaries and empowering developers worldwide. Stay tuned for more groundbreaking developments from AMD’s GPUOpen!

For detailed information, visit the official AMD GPUOpen GDC 2024 announcement.