Microsoft's Agility SDK 1.613.0 introduces Work Graphs, taking game development to the next level
The Work Graphs utilizes the full potential of the GPU.
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The latest Agility SDK 1.613.0 is out now, and Microsoft introduced Work Graphs with it, among a plethora of new capabilities for game developers, such as Shader Model 6.8, GPU Upload Heaps, Incrementing Constants in ExecuteIndirect, and Generic Programs in State Objects.
However, Work Graphs especially can take game development to the next level, due to its very promising capabilities. For instance, this API will enable the usage of the GPU at full capacity: with it, developers will be able to generate and schedule work directly on the GPU, bypassing the CPU.
What does this mean? According to Microsoft, it means you can achieve higher performance, lower latency, and greater scalability for your games with tasks such as culling, binning, chaining of compute work, and much more.
Microsoft published an in-depth overview of the new Work Graphs, and you can read all about it here.
The Redmond-based tech giant also introduced new capabilities to Shared Model 6.8:
- SV_StartVertexLocation and SV_StartInstanceLocation will offer greater control when working with shaders.
- Wave Size Range will enable developers to specify their preferred wave size in the shaders they author.
- Expanded Comparison Sampling will allow developers to create better cross-platform shaders.
Microsoft says that the GPU Upload Heaps will provide new and easier ways to copy data from the CPU to the GPU, and it uses the latest technology to make the transfer of data faster and initiate low latency whenever possible.
What’s interesting is that the Redmond-based tech giant is making the GPU Upload Heaps available to Windows insiders, on machines equipped with Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26080 or later.
Last March, GPU Upload Heaps was released as a developer preview that required the use of Developer Mode. Now, we are pleased to announce that the retail release can be used in any application where the target machine is Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26080 or later.
Microsoft
Make sure to check out the Agility SDK 1.613.0 blog post, where Microsoft talks about the Work Graphs and other capabilities.
