Microsoft notifies variable shading rate to DirectX 12

Microsoft is pleased to announce that DirectX 12 is the first graphics API to offer extensive hardware support for variable-rate shading, allowing developers to invoke GPU resources in a more efficient and intelligent manner. The system needs to calculate what color each pixel should be on the screen, and a higher coloring rate means more look and feels on the output device (display), but this puts higher demands on GPU performance.

For game developers, if the variable shading rate feature is enabled, the graphics API will automatically apply to all pixels by default. The problem is that the different coloring rates required for different pixels are not the same. The good news is that variable rate coloring schemes can solve this problem well. It allows game developers to selectively reduce the shading rate of the screen area to achieve better performance in the game.

Microsoft said that several game studios and engine developers have announced support for this feature in DX12, including Unity, Activision, Ubisoft, Epic Games, 343 Industries, Massive Entertainment, Playground Games, Stardock, IO Interactive and Turn 10 and so on.

Via: mspoweruser