| Vertex and pixel shader programming allows graphics and game developers to create photorealistic graphics on the personal computer for the first time. And with DirectX, programmers have access to an assembly language interface to the transformation and lighting hardware (vertex shaders) and the pixel pipeline (pixel shaders). Direct3D ShaderX begins with an introduction to vertex and pixel shader programming and moves on to a wide array of specialized shader tricks contributed by 27 experts in game and graphics programming. These range from character animation and lighting to photorealistic faces and non-photorealistic rendering. Special effects shaders are also presented, including those for such effects as bubbles, rippling water, animated grass, and particle flows.
With the advent of Microsoft® DirectX® version 8.0, the revolution of programmable graphics
had arrived. With vertex shaders for the programmable geometry pipeline and pixel shaders for
the programmable pixel pipeline, the control over geometry and pixels was handed back to the
developer. This unprecedented level of control in the graphics pipeline means graphics developers,
once they have mastered the basics of shaders, now have the tools to generate new, as
yet unheard-of, effects. Wolfgang and his contributors have selected shader topics that they
believe will help to open wide the doors of illumination on shaders and the programmable
pipeline. Read on, be illuminated, and learn how to create your own effects using the programmable
graphics pipeline. |
