14 DAY TRIAL // Gaming Evolved is a program whereby Advanced Micro Devices collaborates with game developers to optimize their titles on its graphics architecture and, most recently, the Mantle API. The latest news from this front was a trio of new partnerships.
To make a long story short, AMD has signed agreements with Rebellion Developments, Square Enix and Xaviant for its Gaming Evolved initiative.
The company describes AMD Gaming Evolved as a program that helps developers create an “enhanced PC gaming experience.”
Which is to say, it provides game makers with license to visually-enhancing technologies, and also provides technical and programming assistance when needed.
And AMD does have a few interesting things, like the TressFX technology, which simulates hair so well that it may as well be real.
Then, there's the Mantle Application Programming Interface, which enables a much better, smoother gameplay on GCN graphics cards than DirectX.
GCN stands for graphics core next and is the codename that the Sunnyvale company uses when talking of its Radeon HD 7xxx and Radeon R-series graphics cards.
That said, Rebellion Developments is making the “Sniper Elite III,” the second sequel to the first Sniper Elite game, set in the second World War in North Africa.
Square Enix is using AMD technology in the “Murdered: Soul Suspect,” supernatural thriller, a mystery and puzzle game with the goal of solving the player's own murder.
As for Xaviant, the company is promoting “Lichdom, The Sixth Age of Roth,” where you are a creature that wields great magic granted by bracers originating from a mysterious patron.
In addition to TressFX, AMD's TrueAudio technology will be employed in the titles, or at least the last one. On that note, we only have confirmation that the Mantle API will be used in Sniper Elite III, but not the others.
For extra details, we will, unfortunately, have to wait until Rebellion Developments, Xaviant and Square Enix deem it proper to share additional information.
Depending on the success of these titles, and Battlefield 4, makers of games may become more amenable to the idea of using the Mantle API in the future. It's not likely to push DirectX aside any time soon, but the shift will be noticeable.
No clue if NVIDIA is working on an alternative to Mantle, or if it's too busy and focused on Tegra K1 at the moment. If the company does launch an API of its own, it will be interesting to watch the three-way hate triangle in the years after.