OpenGL continues to be the leading API for cross platform 3D graphics applications. New core functionality and extensions aim to keep OpenGL at the bleeding edge of hardware functionality, while at the same time providing a stable development platform.
Brought to you with the collaboration of the industry's leading graphics hardware vendors, this day-long tutorial provides an advanced look at the latest technologies in OpenGL, and how to use these technologies to make your games run faster and look better.
On Wednesday, March 24:
Cinematic Effects II: The Revenge [9:00 am – 10:00 am]
Kevin Bjorke, NVIDIA Corporation
With the latest graphics hardware, there are more opportunities than ever to incorporate techniques from film into games. As the worlds of interactive computer games and offline-rendered films continue to converge, adopting such techniques allows game developers to improve their storytelling and enhance gameplay. In this session, attendees will learn practical and efficient ways to add new cinematic effects to their games.
Takeaway: Attendees will learn how to incorporate techniques from film into their games to enhance storytelling and gameplay.
Next-Gen Special Effects Showcase [12:00 pm – 1:00 pm]
NVIDIA Developer Technology Engineers
In this talk, NVIDIA Developer Technology engineers will present practical special effects developed for the latest graphics hardware. Each effect will be described in detail and demonstrated, in addition to being discussed in the context of integration with game engines. Finally, performance characteristics and optimization techniques will be covered for each effect.
Takeaway: Attendees will see a variety of stunning, new effects and techniques that they can integrate efficiently into their projects.
Tools to Squeeze Maximum Performance from Your GPU [2:30 pm – 3:30 pm]
NVIDIA Developer Technology Engineers
Leveraging our intimate knowledge of the GPU and driver, NVIDIA has produced a suite of performance analysis and optimization tools that expose critical performance metrics. Given the complexity of today’s GPUs, graphical effects, and game engines, it is more important than ever to take advantage of all the tools that are available to you when creating, debugging and tuning your games. In this talk, the NVIDIA will showcase their more recent tools, including NVPerfHUD, FX Composer, and other current projects.
Takeaway: Attendees will learn about several useful tools that NVIDIA provides to help them with their development process.
Practical Performance Analysis and Tuning [4:00 pm – 5:00 pm]
Ashutosh Rege, NVIDIA Corporation
This talk will start with an overview of performance tuning, including advice for the latest hardware and programming trends. In addition, the session will make the suggestions more tangible with a step-by-step case study of an actual game. This approach will allow attendees to see how to apply theory and tools effectively to improve performance.
Takeaway: Attendees will learn the theory behind performance tuning and see a practical example of how to apply theory and tools effectively to improve performance.
GPU Gems Showcase [5:30 pm – 6:30 pm]
Kevin Bjorke, NVIDIA Corporation
Cem Cebenoyan, NVIDIA Corporation
Matt Pharr, NVIDIA Corporation
This talk covers selected chapters from GPU Gems: Programming Techniques, Tips, and Tricks for Real-Time Graphics. The authors of the chapters will share their insight and present several relatively quick and easy techniques that can be adopted by game engines to increase realism. In the first segment covers ambient occlusion, a simple technique that mimics the effects of basic global illumination. In the next segment, we will describe some improvements to perspective shadow maps that make them more usable in practice. The last segment covers image-based lighting, which (among other things) can be used to make environment maps appear to be local.
Takeaway: Attendees will learn about several relatively simple but useful effects from GPU Gems: Programming Techniques, Tips, and Tricks for Real-Time Graphics that they can incorporate and extend in their own projects.
On Friday, March 26:
Coming to a Pixel near You: Mobile 3D Graphics on the NVIDIA GoForce GPU [9:00 am – 10:00 am]
NVIDIA Developer Technology Engineers
In this session, NVIDIA will present an introduction to the latest GoForce GPU. The presentation will provide an overview of the chip’s architecture, with a focus on its real-time 3D capabilities. In addition, attendees will see demonstrations of the technology and learn how to get involved in NVIDIA’s handheld developer program. Finally, the session will cover practical programming techniques that enable developers to effectively develop content for the latest GoForce GPU.
Takeaway: Attendees will learn about the latest GoForce GPU, see demonstrations, and be taught how to take advantage of it effectively.
Effective Handheld Development [10:30 am – 11:30 am]
NVIDIA and Various Guest Speakers
In this session, handheld middleware developers will be discussing a variety of topics related to developing interactive 3D content on the latest NVIDIA GoForce GPU. The session will cover strategies for creating handheld games, as well as how to publish and distribute games in the mobile space. In addition, the speakers will discuss the technologies they offer and share their own experience, tips, and tricks for developing handheld content.
Takeaway: Attendees will learn how to tackle content development for handheld devices.
On Friday, March 26:
Below are the names, speakers, descriptions, and takeaways for the sessions we'll be participating in at GDC 2004. Feel free to 
