Sampling Anti-Aliasing with GeForce GTX 400

According to numerous reports, the performance has greatly improved over its predecessor, the equally important image quality should be the same. There is now a 32xCSAA mode (+ 24 8xMSAA coverage samples) and the Transparency Anti-aliasing is just acting on CSAA samples, but these are small changes official. Assume that on a newly acquired GeForce GTX-sampling anti-aliasing (SSAA) will work Super 480 - specifically in DirectX 10 and DirectX 11 titles. The setting for the TSSAA samples in the driver menu should make this possible. is not officially possible, because the option only really determine the number of samples and TSSAA SSAA not apply to the entire image. But in the end it works out anyway.

MSAA has the advantage, with little loss of performance, the edges to work with geometric objects and so to calm the image. The disadvantage of this method is that just one and only the geometry is smoothed. ATI and Nvidia offer as an alternative for some time yet, therefore a switchable function, the alpha test texture smooths - ATI calls this Adaptive AA, Nvidia TI-AA. But this is still not the last word is wisdom. The only significantly closer to the Super Sampling AA, short-SSAA, which processes the entire image. SSAA This is more or less optimal, but it costs very much power. Nvidia has long been unofficially SSAA with the aid of external tools and then it is also "only" a non-optimal Ordered grid method which has the disadvantage of some edges to be less effective. But still, if SSAA works through these means, the picture quality is very good. In addition, the technology has the advantage that the LOD Nvidia moves into the negative, thus improving according to SSAA stage also the anisotropic filter. Less prone to flicker in these initial SSAA, but also acts as 4xSSAA at 16x anisotropic filtering as 64xAF. But as I said, officially it was not previously SSAA at Nvidia.

ATI has, however, provides for the Radeon HD 5000-series officially SSAA to the sparse grid method which processes the geometry edges very well. SSAA works, but only in DirectX 9, this is the ATI process compatible with most games and improves the quality of AF as well. This one is Nvidia with a simple implementation (the TSSAA samples are no longer applied only to a part but the whole image) is a step ahead. At least officially, as is now evident. For with the GeForce GTX 400 now seems to be much more is possible - unofficially. Unlike ATi SSAA works while not in DirectX 9, but in DirectX 10 and DirectX 11 games, although the API is actually supposed to prevent that the driver determines the type of AA. But how is this possible? With the GeForce GTX 400 cards, it is in the driver menu, possible to switch the number of Transparency SSAA samples separately added. While in the past, eight forced 8xMSAA TSSAA samples had the effect, now other combination are possible.

Under DirectX 9 functions as the switch from Nvidia wanted. If you use it but in a DX10 or DX11 game that does this function, interestingly, not only to the alpha test textures but on the whole image - apparently the TSSAA samples are then used as for ATi to the entire image . If desired ie two, four or eight SSAA samples are possible, regardless of the MSAA level is set. Unlike the unofficial SSAA implementation under DirectX9 the LOD but not moved automatically. The AF quality is getting through to the quieter textures, AF level remains unchanged. And does the sample's test: SSAA under DX10/DX11 on a GeForce GTX 400 card is not a problem. We have made some screenshots to blogs to testify in color. Well you can, the effect uA in Crysis Warhead, as the game with the use of SSAA due to some post-processing effects (which often has difficulty SSAA) is unclear.

A large positive effect in the SSAA 1404th Anno There, the strong existing vegetation is smoothed considerably better than the traditional anti-aliasing (though this is already a transparency process), which makes the game noticeably quieter. There is slight blurring there but also it is in the game but not annoying. In the Dirt 2 SSAA also shows an effect. For normal AA has trouble calming the metal scaffolding in the background, which can strike at full speed a little uncomfortable. With the SSAA is no longer a problem. A small but practical effect SSAA in Red Faction Guerrilla. There, some pipes with MSAA are not processed and above all flicker from a distance. No SSAA are the floor grid in motion flicker very restless and uncomfortable. SSAA with these are hardly to be negative.

The unwanted SSAA on the GeForce GTX 400 works, moreover, under OpenGL, as Riddick shows. The game suffers from a disturbing but blur. The "driver trick" showing that even in DirectX 10 and DirectX 11 is possible Super Sampling AA and can bring as with the earlier API, a large optical advantage. The disadvantage of the blur in some games but is still present. In addition, the lack of texture LOD adjustment, so the AF level is not improved. Super-sampling anti-aliasing will cost us so much power traditionally occurs on the GeForce GTX 400 series. Because only two-fold in combination with SSAA 4xMSAA the performance is on a GeForce GTX 480 in average fall by 26 percent, 4xSSAA there are already 45 percent. The ratios of eight-times anti-aliasing and corresponding SSAA are similar, except that going again lost 15 to 20 percent power. The GeForce GTX 470 in percentage terms has suffered almost exactly the same penalty.