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3D Graphics Grand Prix
We put 14 of the latest 3D graphics boards at the starting line and turned them loose on our challenging course of 3D games and imaging applications; no pit stops allowed.
Gamer's Glossary
-
DirectX: This set of application
programming interfaces (APIs) was created by Microsoft to
help programmers write multimedia applications that will
work on any Windows PC, regardless of its hardware
configuration. DirectX also allows programmers to make sure
that their apps (games, for example) can take advantage of
advanced hardware capabilities for faster performance, and
it helps graphics board vendors create specialized drivers
that get the most out of a graphics chip set.
-
Direct3D: One of Microsoft's
DirectX APIs, Direct3D consists of a set of procedures for
interacting with computer hardware, such as a graphics
card. Complex graphics and game programs use Direct3D or
OpenGL to draw 3D scenes.
-
OpenGL: Open Graphics Library, or
OpenGL, is a set of APIs originally developed by Silicon
Graphics. This programming standard is used for displaying
graphics.
-
Curved-surface support: This
technique allows developers to model 3D objects using
curves, rather than a fixed number of polygons. Graphics
hardware then breaks the curves into a more manageable
number of polygons to render the objects. Curved-surface
support reduces the amount of information that passes from
the CPU to the graphics card, and it permits more-realistic
3D models--although portraying complex objects, such as a
human form, can be very difficult using curves.
-
Multiple-matrix skinning: Movement
of many 3D models is shown using
skeletal animation, a technique in which
a "skin" of polygons is stretched around invisible bones in
the model. Graphics cards that support multiple-matrix
skinning accelerate this animation technique, and they can
use more matrices or control points around joints to
provide more-realistic animation.
-
Key-frame interpolation: Graphics
hardware and software use this animation technique to move
an object between two positions, or
key frames. Using the key frames as
starting and ending points, an algorithm plots a smooth
path to move the object from one position to another.
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