Microsoft will host a new Game Stack in April

Despite the fact that we have just started this 2021, the truth is that many of us are looking forward to a new event (digital, because at the moment it is still not safe to celebrate them in person) where we can see information on some of the most anticipated games for the next few months.

For that we will have to wait a few more months, but Microsoft is preparing the ground with the celebration of a new Game Stack, which you can pre-register for. here. For those of you who don’t know what they’re all about, these types of events are primarily aimed at other developers, and they’re really really focused on technology and video game development.

Here are some of the lectures we’ll see in the Microsoft game stack

This new Game Stack will take place in April, specifically on the 20th and 21st, and while it is certain that we will not see any videos or other types of material on the new games, it will be possible to attend conferences where they will talk about technologies that will be in just about all video games in a few years, like ray tracing. Below we leave a small list of some of the conferences or discussions that will take place during the Game Stack:

• Key Graphics Note: Delivering the Next Generation of Gaming Graphics

  New consoles and graphics cards are ushering in a new wave of more immersive video games. In this session, we’ll cover the latest innovations in our graphics platform, making it easier for game developers to push the boundaries of graphics on PC and Xbox with DirectX, HLSL, PIX, HDR, and more.

• Accelerate DirectX innovation
  The DirectX team has worked on a revolutionary way for developers who want to be at the cutting edge of graphics. We’re finally ready to show the world how we’re pushing the boundaries with an exciting new update.

• Level 2 variable speed shading in gears
  This talk will cover the use of Variable Speed ​​Shading in Gears 5 and Gears Tactics. Our implementation targets zero perceptual loss of visual quality, works seamlessly with dynamic resolution, and runs on Xbox Series X | S and PC.
• Eliminate Soft Shadow Noise with Ray Tracing on Xbox Series X | S and Windows with FidelityFX (presented by AMD)
  With ray-traced visuals improving rendering quality even more than ever before, significant adjustments are needed to maintain real-time performance. A typical way to accomplish this is to draw fewer rays and make sense of the stronger output offered by the method. This presentation will explain how AMD FidelityFX Denoiser enables high-quality ray tracing results without increasing rays per pixel, and delves into specific RDNA2-based optimizations that benefit Scarlett and PC.
• Introduction to Ray Tracing en realtime with Minecraft (presented by Nvidia) This conference is intended for graphic engineers who have little or no experience with ray tracing. It serves as a gentle introduction to many topics, including “What is ray tracing?”, “How many rays does it take to create an image?”, “The importance of sampling [importancia]. (And most importantly, what is significance sampling?) ”,“ Denoising ”,“ The problem with the little shiny things ”. Along the way, you’ll learn about the specific Minecraft implementation details.
• Xbox Speed ​​Architecture – Faster streaming of game assets and minimal load times for games of any size
  The New Xbox Speed ​​Architecture on Xbox Series X Consoles S allows developers to reimagine how to make their games. By combining an ultra-fast SSD, hardware decompression, and a new DirectStorage feature, game developers have tools to develop immersive experiences with minimal load time for users. This session will review the benefits of Velocity Architecture and show a concrete example.
• DirectStorage for Windows
  Microsoft is pleased to provide DirectStorage, a DirectX family API originally designed for Velocity Architecture for Windows PCs. DirectStorage will bring best-in-class IO technology to both PC and console, just like DirectX 12 Ultimate does with rendering technology. With a DirectStorage compatible PC and a DirectStorage compatible game, you can expect dramatically reduced load times and virtual worlds that are larger and more detailed than ever before. In this session, we will discuss the details of this technology that will help you create your next generation PC games.

#GameStackLive is back. Join us April 20-21 for two digital game development days. Shoot for
• In-depth technical dives
• New tools and middleware
• Connection with industry professionals
Learn more here: https://t.co/FnIIrBOfQf pic.twitter.com/jnxcxfe1EX

– Microsoft Game Stack (@MSFTGameStack) February 22, 2021