Headline Archive 2002

CgShaders.org Contest Results

The September CgShaders.org shader contest ended recently, and there were some stunning submissions. Images from the four winning shaders, as well as a movie for the winning NV30 shader (submitted by the shader author), are available below. Click here for more details. To check out all the shaders at CgShaders.org, visit www.cgshaders.org/shaders/.

>> Watch the fire shader movie

(Please note that the movie requires a DivX codec.) 

Cg Tutorials Available for MS Visual Studio .NET

The NV2X Cg tutorials that we presented at SIGGRAPH are now available for Microsoft Visual Studio .NET as well as 6.0. This package includes three tutorials: diffuse lighting only, diffuse and specular lighting, and dispersion. Each tutorial comes with a Microsoft Visual Studio workspace and project, a PowerPoint presentation that gives step-by-step instructions, and solution code. The tutorials are set up so that you can focus on the Cg effects that you're trying to achieve, so they are a great way to learn Cg as well as to teach it. The framework that we have provided can be modified and extended to create other tutorials.

You can download the labs here.

Cg Toolkit Beta 2.1 Released

We've released Cg Toolkit Beta 2.1, which fixes some problems with ARB_vertex_program support and array/matrix indexing in the vp20 and vp30 profiles. This version also contains some improvements to the documentation.  You can get a patch, or the updated complete installer, here.

Iron Developer Conference

You are invited to attend NVIDIA's "Iron Developer" Seminar in Roppongi, Tokyo. Co-hosted by Silicon Studio Corporation and sponsored by Microsoft, SoftImage, AMD, and Elsa, this event is a must for game and real-time application developers. This year's conference will focus on:

• Cg - A high-level language for programming GPUs through DirectX 8, DirectX 9, and OpenGL
  
• Details on NVIDIA's next generation GPUs, including NV30 and the CineFX architecture
  
• Microsoft® DirectX® 9.0 - the latest version of Microsoft's suite of multimedia application programming interfaces
  
• The latest real-time rendering technologies for cinematic shading, with advanced shadows, lighting, high precision and high dynamic range rendering, and more
  
• Softimage|XSI 3.0 - with Cg and real-time shader integration
  
• Performance optimization
  
• Hands-on coding labs

Find out by clicking here.

Press release: NVIDIA Holds "Iron Developer" Conference for Japanese Developers

NV30 Emulation Driver Released

We have released a Detonator Driver (Version 40.41) with CPU emulation support for the CineFX platform. In addition, we have included detailed OpenGL Extensions Specifications as well as slides that give an overview of them. Stay tuned to www.CgShaders.org, where you'll have a chance to showcase your Cg coding skills and win some great prizes!

All this is available here.

Cg Toolkit Beta 2 Released

Delve into the next generation of real-time programmability!  NVIDIA is pleased to publicly release the latest Cg Toolkit that includes Beta 2 of the NVIDIA Cg Compiler.  This revision supports the recently ratified ARB_vertex_program and also the "CineFX" (NV3X class) architecture.  With NVIDIA's Cg Compiler, complex vertex and pixel shaders can be easily written to fully leverage the "CineFX" architecture.  Developers should peruse the updated Cg User's Manual and release notes, which detail minor changes in keeping with the latest DirectX 9 Beta.

You can download this updated version on the Cg Toolkit page.

Cg Compiler Code Released

This release builds the Cg compiler (cgc.exe) with a "generic" profile, which does some minimal semantic checks and prints out a tree representation of the code. It can be built either with the included Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0 projects and workspace, or with the included Makefile. The release also includes examples, along with a detailed description of the release contents in the Readme.txt file.

Click here for more info.

SpeedTree Demo Using Cg

Interactive Data Visualization (IDV), a developer of real-time nature tools for film, video and game developers, debuted its Cg-enabled SpeedTree product line during SIGGRAPH 2002.  By rapidly integrating Cg into their OpenGL graphics engine in the days following Cg availability, IDV was able to deliver compelling special effects, such as realistic swaying trees, adjustable wind, dynamic shadows and running water on a very tight development schedule.

Click here to see more and download the SpeedTree demo.

NVIDIA at SIGGRAPH 2002

NVIDIA was heavily involved in SIGGRAPH 2002.  In addition to announcing the upcoming CineFX architecture, we were involved in panels, Cg Shader Workshops, our Got Art? art contest, and many other exciting events.  To find out more, you can visit www.nvidia.com/siggraph2002.

NV3X Architecture for Developers

At SIGGRAPH 2002, NVIDIA uncovered various aspects of the upcoming NV3X architecture. Stay tuned for more information about this revolutionary architecture.

Learn more about:
NVIDIA "CineFX" Architecture
NVIDIA Programmable Graphics Technology
Interactive Geometric Computations Using Graphics Hardware

Cg Toolkit 1.0.1 Released

Version 1.0.1 of the NVIDIA Cg Toolkit has been released, and includes the following bug fixes and improvements:

• Fixed Visual Studio .NET compatibility issues for Direct3D runtime
• Fixed a bug when output was written using add followed by multiply
• Fixed a bug with OpenGL runtime that corrected which attribute parameter was set
• Fixed some Direct3D demos
• Added Depth Sprites demo
• Disabled some demos when running on GeForce 256 class hardware
• Documentation typos fixed

Announcing Cg

You've demanded an easier way. You've waited patiently. Now here it is! C for Graphics. The Cg Language is the new standard high-level language for programming today's powerful GPUs and the next-generation of GPU architecture. Developed by NVIDIA in close collaboration with Microsoft, Cg provides a clear path to create shaders in DirectX 8, DirectX 9, and OpenGL. The NVIDIA Cg Compiler outputs standard Vertex and Pixel Shaders for compatibility with all DirectX 8 compliant hardware, while giving you additional optimization, performance and flexibility for NVIDIA platforms.

For more quotes from developers, click here. To watch the Cg testimonial video click here. For the official announcement of Cg, including press releases and high-level descriptions, please visit the NVIDIA homepage at http://www.nvidia.com.

A public beta of NVIDIA's Cg Toolkit Version 1.0 has been released, and is available here.  To find out more about Cg, visit our Cg site at http://developer.nvidia.com/Cg/

Free Cg Workshop

NVIDIA will be hosting intimate classes throughout Siggraph 2002, right in the convention center, for those interested in getting their fingers dirty with the latest innovation in graphics programming. Classes are free, though space will be strictly limited.

The Gathering 2

NVIDIA's developer relations group is excited to host our European developer community in London, on June 13th and 14th. Two days of focused technical tutorial sessions will give you the opportunity to test your software reflexes on NVIDIA's latest, greatest and future hardware and tools. Don't miss it! Details here...

Quest3D Contest

NVIDIA, 3D World Magazine, and Act-3D invite you to enter a 3D art competition for real-time graphics.  You could win an NVIDIA nForce-based PC with an AMD 1700+ processor and a GeForce4 Ti 4600 from Leadtek!  To find out more, click here.
 

NVSDK 5.2 

NVIDIA is proud to release the NVSDK5.2.1, an upgrade to the major components of the developer's toolkit. The NVEffectsBrowser 3.0 has been expanded and now you will find hundreds of effects and permutations of the latest graphics effects possible with NVIDIA GPUs.

Note: Dynamic Web updates to the NVSDK are now enabled in the current version of the browser. Please see this page for details on a patch to enable upgrades. 

GDC 2002 Presentations

We recently concluded a great GDC and it was fantastic to see all of our partners and developers at the booth and in the sessions.  We've compiled all of our GDC content here:
 

• In-Game Special Effects
• Contentment
• DirectX8 Performance
• Extending Textures Beyond Simple Pixels
• Real-Time Hatching
• High Dynamic Range
• Occlusion (HP and NV Extensions)
• OpenGL Multisample
• OpenGL Render-to-Texture
• Balancing the Rendering Pipeline
• Hardware-Accelerated Procedural Texture Animation
• Projective Shadows
• Render-To-Texture Caching
• Texture Space On Real Models
• Vertex Program 1.1 and Texture Shader 3
• What Comes After 4?
• Practical Per-Pixel Effects

DirectX^TM Development with NVIDIA - GDC 2002

NVIDIA is happy to sponsor FIVE additional lecture sessions to our GDC efforts, running all day on Thursday, March 21st. These are free and open to all! We look forward to seeing you there.

DirectX^TM Development Day with NVIDIA: (Thursday)
Practical Per-Pixel Lighting
Extending Textures Beyond Simple Pixels
Graphics Performance: Balancing the Rendering Pipeline
ShaderFX
Advanced Audio for the Absolute Beginner


Complete listing of sessions and more information...

NVIDIA is proud to support the Game Developer Conference again this year, and we look forward to seeing you at the show. There are many great tutorials and lectures we're involved with. As always, don't forget to stop by our booth (same spot as last year), and check out the latest tools and technology while meeting the developer relations/developer support team. 

New OpenGL Specs

Developers, unleash the power of GeForce 4 Ti with NVIDIA's latest OpenGL specifications for nfiniteFX II, occlusion query and other new features!

View the latest OpenGL specs here.

NVIDIA Shading Technology Recognized for Advancing Game Development

Game Developer Magazine has recently bestowed the NVIDIA GeForce3 GPU with the Front Line Award for Hardware. We are very pleased to accept this award and recognize the supporting efforts by our developers for this platform. The pervasiveness of NVIDIA Shader Technology can be attributed to the high priority NVIDIA places on supporting content developers.  Every year, we hold over two-dozen developer events worldwide, where engineers educate developers on NVIDIA graphics architectures, as well as industry Application Programming Interfaces (API), and help them write code for their current projects.  We hope that our continued efforts educating and developing the NVSDK will enable our developers to reach new levels of graphic excellence.

press release

NVSDK Beta now closed

Our beta program for this release cycle is now closed. If necessary, we may have a wider beta, and details will be posted here. Thanks to all those who have applied.