|
|
Last Updated:
09
/
23
/
2004
Developer Newsletter: Issue #21
 |
DEVELOPER RESOURCES |
|
 |
|
Using Vertex Textures Whitepaper Published
 Since the introduction of programmability to the GPU, the capabilities of the vertex and pixel processors have been different. Now, with Shader Model 3.0, GeForce 6 Series GPUs have taken a huge step towards providing common functionality for both vertex and pixel shaders.
Our Using Vertex Textures whitepaper focuses specifically on one such Shader Model 3.0 feature: vertex texture fetch. Vertex texture fetch allows vertex shaders to read data from textures, just like pixel shaders can. This additional feature is useful for a number of effects, including displacement mapping, fluid and water simulation, explosions, and more.
Image at right used with permission from Pacific Fighters. © 2004 Developed by 1C:Maddox Games.
All rights reserved. © 2004 Ubi Soft Entertainment.
 Back to top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
IDV | SpeedTree Launches Trees of Pangaea Demo
 Game developers around the world are integrating recently-developed SpeedTree™ technologies into their titles, but their games won’t hit the shelves for another year or two. Don’t want to wait that long to see how amazing the next generation of outdoor environments is going to be? Trees of Pangaea™, comprising seven unique and vast real-time worlds, is available for download today and unites with NVIDIA’s cutting-edge graphics technology to smash all previous standards for outdoor environments. Features enabled with the help of NVIDIA technology include:
- Uses instancing when available (currently GeForce 6 Series cards only)
- Shader Model 2.0 vertex and pixel shaders for local and global wind, shadows, and sunlight effects
- Numerous shadowing techniques
- Volumetric fog
- Bump mapped barks
Back to top
|
|
|
|
Become a Registered Developer Today
Joining our Registered Developer program is free and gives you access to a number of benefits:
- Developer Forums
- Prerelease Tools
- Prerelease Drivers
- Bug Reporting
Joining is easy! Simply fill out one of applications below:
Please note that it may take a few weeks to receive a decision on your application, due to the large number of applicants.
Back to top
|
|
|
EVENTS |
|
|
|
GPU Jackpot (October 21-22 -- Las Vegas, Nevada)
Join us at the Venetian in Las Vegas, Nevada for detailed technical presentations covering:
- Performance and Features of GeForce 6 Series GPUs
- Efficient Shadow Generation
- Normal Map Compression & Quality
- SLI (How to Take Advantage of Multiple GPUs)
- Advanced Performance Tools
- Developer Tools and the NVIDIA SDK
You'll also be able to schedule one-on-one time with NVIDIA Developer Technology engineers at the event to show off new builds of your projects or to discuss anything that's on your mind. Mark the date -- details and sign-up information will be coming soon.
Back to top
|
|
|
PRODUCTS |
|
|
NVIDIA Introduces GeForce 6600
As an extension of the award-winning GeForce 6 Series, the GeForce 6600 GT and GeForce 6600 graphics processors are the first mainstream GPUs to support Microsoft DirectX 9.0 Shader Model 3.0, and a superscalar architecture for unprecedented performance. GeForce 6600 GPUs also feature a dedicated on-chip video processor that brings consumer electronics-quality video to the personal computer. In addition, the GeForce 6600 GT brings the innovative NVIDIA® SLI(TM) multi-GPU technology to the mainstream market, which could enable millions of users to experience the power of two GPUs in their system.
Back to top
|
|
|
|
NVIDIA is the First GPU Manufacturer with PCI Express Products on the PCI-SIG Integrators List
NVIDIA is the first graphics processing unit manufacturer on the PCI-SIG Integrators List, and has a full range of NVIDIA products listed, including GPUs designed for workstations, desktops, and notebook computers. To be placed on the PCI-SIG Integrators List, products must undergo a significant set of interoperability and compliance testing requirements, and pass a detailed "Compliance Checklist."
A wide range of NVIDIA's PCI Express architecture-based products were tested by PCI-SIG and judged to meet the PCI-SIG testing requirements, including:
- NVIDIA GeForce 6800 Ultra
- NVIDIA GeForce 6800
- NVIDIA GeForce 6600 GT
- NVIDIA GeForce 6600
- NVIDIA GeForce PCX 5900
- NVIDIA GeForce PCX 5750
- NVIDIA GeForce PCX 5300
- NVIDIA Quadro FX 1300
- NVIDIA Quadro FX 330
- NVIDIA Quadro NVS 280
Back to top
|
|
|
|
Tip of the Month: Filtering Tips for Mipmaps
There are many ways to generate mipmaps. Mipmaps control how your objects are going to look at a distance, so getting them to look as good as possible is important. You can use the following tips with our Adobe Photoshop plug-in.
Filtering. What filtering method should you use? Many artists just use the box filter, but other filters give better results. The Mitchell filter, for example, gives very high quality results. Other filters, such as Catrom, Gaussian, Bessel, and more, are also provided for experimentation. Filters can be scaled artificially to blur or sharpen them.
Sharpening. Sharpening a mipmap after it has been generated can dramatically improve the look of your characters. This feature is especially useful for filters that tend to over-blur as they create the smaller mipmap levels.
Compression. Compression can improve the look of your character too, allowing you to squeeze in greater amounts of detail into the same area.
Fading. Fading mipmaps to a specific color can create the look of fog
Dithering/Error Diffusion. Adding dithering and/or error diffusion to texture with smooth gradients can help the look of compressed textures.
Back to top
|
|
|
|
Job Openings
NVIDIA's Developer Technology group is always looking for talented engineers and artists in the US, Japan, and Europe. See http://talent.nvidia.com for more general information, or our specific openings for: Handheld Devices Developer Technology Engineer, Developer Technology Engineer (Korea), and Developer Technology Engineer (USA).
Back to top
|
|
|
|
  |
Slides and coverage from several recently concluded developer events are now available:
The 
