Vulkan API
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulkan_(API)
Vulkan is a low-overhead, cross-platform 3D graphics and compute API first announced at GDC 2015 by the Khronos Group. The Vulkan API was initially referred to as the "next generation OpenGL initiative" by Khronos, but use of those names were discontinued once the Vulkan name was announced. Vulkan is derived from and built upon components of AMD's Mantle API, which was donated by AMD to Khronos with the intent of giving Khronos a foundation on which to begin developing a low-level API that they could standardize across the industry, much like OpenGL.
Like OpenGL, Vulkan targets high-performance realtime 3D graphics applications such as videogames and interactive media across all platforms, and offers higher performance and lower CPU usage, much like Direct3D 12 and Mantle. In addition to its lower CPU usage, Vulkan is also able to better distribute work amongst multiple CPU cores.
Operating system Android, Linux, Tizen, Microsoft Windows
Khronos Group
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khronos_Group
The Khronos Group is an American non-profit member-funded industry consortium based in Beaverton, Oregon, focused on the creation of open standard, royalty-free application programming interfaces (APIs) for authoring and accelerated playback of dynamic media on a wide variety of platforms and devices. Khronos members may contribute to the development of Khronos API specifications, vote at various stages before public deployment, and accelerate delivery of their platforms and applications through early access to specification drafts and conformance tests.
On 31 July 2006, it was announced at SIGGRAPH that control of the OpenGL specification would be passed to the group.
What Is Vulkan & Why Should Gamers CARE?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvioALNs_Bc
Please watch!!!
What Is Vulkan & Why Should Gamers CARE?
Vulkan vs DirectX
http://www.digitaltrends.com/computi...an-vs-directx/
Generously, AMD handed over the code to its own API, Mantle, over to the Khronos Group in an effort to accelerate the production of a unified low-overhead API standard (ironically, the consortium is led by Nvidia vice president Neil Trevett, though there are some AMD members on the board).If the Khronos Group’s messaging is to be believed, Vulkan is not only easier to port to from OpenGL and OpenGL ES than DirectX 12, but it also provides more significant performance improvements. And that goes without mentioning, once again, that this is in fact a cross-platform API spanning a vast assortment of devices. The apparently inferior DirectX 12, on the other hand, is still limited to Windows 10 and Xbox One.It’s so potent, in fact, that its LunarG SDK (wiki) is being sponsored by Valve, and its working group participants consist of companies as reputable as Google, Sony, Nvidia, Nintendo, and Epic Games.
Benefits of Vulcan (or DX12) for System Upgraders
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETzA1kDKwbI
NVidia Officially Supports Vulkan just like it Supports OpenGL
https://developer.nvidia.com/Vulkan
We have been using NVIDIA hardware and drivers on both Windows and Android for Vulkan development, and the reductions in CPU overhead have been impressive.High-Performance, Low-Overhead Rendering with OpenGL and Vulkan (presented by NVIDIA)
http://www.gdcvault.com/play/1023516...head-Rendering
CryEngine Plan for Vulkan
CryEngine plan for Vulkan
CryEngine 5.2 is set with DirectX 12 multi-GPU support, the complete DX12 renderer, then full C++11 support for engine code, possibly PhysX support and even more.
Now, with CryEngine 5.3 due out in mid-October, the developers have planned full support for the Vulkan API. Along with other graphics and rendering updates, audio improvements, sandbox enhancements and still more.
Unreal Engine 4 Already has Support for Vulcan
Epic Games adds Vulkan support to Unreal Engine 4
Epic Games has announced that it has added support for the Vulkan 1.0 low-level API to the popular Unreal Engine 4, making it the first major game engine vendor to do so.
DirectX 12 is just starting to do what Mantle was already doing, old post
http://www.littletinyfrogs.com/artic...oversimplified
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mantle_(API)In theory, all your cores can talk to the GPU simultaneously. Mantle already does this and the results are spectacular.
Mantle is a low-overhead rendering API targeted at 3D video games. AMD originally developed Mantle in cooperation with DICE, starting in 2013. Mantle was designed as an alternative to Direct3D and OpenGLAccording to AMD, Mantle will make a shift in focus after March 2015 to other areas since DirectX 12 and the Mantle-derived Vulkan API are largely replacing it in the gaming industry.
Discussion:
Do you think Vulcan is going to be the API that developers will use more, or prefer, seen as it is open like OpenGL, in preference to DX12 and the predecessor OpenGl? Vulcan is cross-platform!
My Thoughts
- Xbox One and PS4 are on GCN which supports and should benefit from Vulcan. Even though there are different game console "Operating Systems", there maybe a way to integrate Vulcan API in some layer close to the hardware on the consoles, or on the Game discs. If something similar is not already been done. Developers may prefer Vulcan API so less work in porting the graphics code.
- NVidia is likely to release next gen hardware more with the future in mind, whether it be DX12 or Vulcan. Vulcan and DirectX will be competitors, which will benefit gamers. A better programming approach leads to more beautiful and faster graphics. Muhuhaaahaa.
- Vulcan can run on Windows, no need for DX12? Allows same games on Windows 8???
- Vulcan (and DX12) is more parallel with regard to the cpu core and gpu.
- Vulcan (and DX12) has reduced work on the cpu, as opposed to in OpenGL and DX11. Cpu traditionally did more work. Now a lot of that work is moved to Gfx card via future design architecture. Thus the bottle neck from the cpu, tru the drivers, to the graphic card is removed, since the work is instead done right on the graphics card.
- Vulcan is more advanced than OpenGL, better gains, so Androids developers could switch from OpenGL. Google support Vulcan in Android 7.
Vulcan has a better programming approach to parallelism, and there is also explicit control over memory management and synchronization than OpenGL which does not mean developers have to write them tediously. There are templates and Engines.
I skipped tru theses vids
Vulkan Session @ GDC 2016 Part I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HM8vYJQtHpA
Vulkan Session @ GDC 2016 Part II
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EX1RKhlOYmY
PS. Just because an Engine supports Vulcan does not mean benefits are automatic. Developers still need to have a understanding of the basic programming concepts that it brings, and use it effectively.