This summary of the video was created by an AI. It might contain some inaccuracies.
00:00:00 – 00:10:23
The video discusses Microsoft's new DirectStorage API, which significantly improves game performance by allowing GPUs to load data directly from SSDs, bypassing the traditional route through the CPU and system memory. DirectStorage enhances loading times, as demonstrated with a model viewer scene that loads nearly three times faster with the technology. Traditionally, game assets moved from storage through the CPU to the GPU, causing delays; improvements like texture atlases mitigated but didn't solve these issues entirely. DirectStorage simplifies and speeds up this process, beneficial especially for low-end GPUs with less VRAM. While decompression currently still requires the CPU, Nvidia's RTX IO could further enhance performance by using GPU-based decompression. Implementing DirectStorage on PCs is more complex compared to Xbox due to diverse hardware and operating systems, but it remains vital for future-proofing and enhancing gaming experiences. The video also touches on potential benefits with Windows 11, the need for testing, and includes a brief promo for NZXT mechanical keyboards.
00:00:00
In this part of the video, the presenter discusses how game performance is set to improve with Microsoft’s new DirectStorage API, which allows GPUs to load data directly from SSDs, contrary to past beliefs that storage speed did not impact gaming. The presenter explains that this technology is expected to be supported by games soon, enhancing their performance.
A demonstration follows, comparing loading times of a simple model viewer scene with and without DirectStorage. The non-DirectStorage version takes 0.33 seconds to load, while the DirectStorage version loads in just 0.08 seconds, highlighting a significant improvement. The scene is small, only 52.4 megabytes uncompressed, yet it loads nearly three times faster with DirectStorage. This suggests that larger scenes could see even more substantial benefits. The presenter emphasizes the underrated potential of DirectStorage now that it’s available on PC.
00:03:00
In this part of the video, the discussion centers around the efficiency improvements provided by DirectStorage technology in modern gaming. It explains that traditionally, game assets are transferred from storage to the CPU, then to system memory, and finally to the GPU, a process that slows down loading times. The video highlights the historical context where, due to limited video memory and expanding game worlds, techniques like streaming assets and compression were introduced to handle larger textures and 3D models more efficiently.
The segment also covers texture atlases, which reduced the number of textures and draw calls by consolidating small textures into one large texture. However, texture atlases have drawbacks, such as inability to tile and inefficiency in swapping individual textures. DirectStorage addresses these issues by enabling the GPU to read assets directly from storage, bypassing the CPU and thereby significantly reducing load times.
00:06:00
In this part of the video, the discussion focuses on how removing an entire copy step from the asset loading pipeline significantly reduces load times in games, allowing larger and more detailed game worlds without the need for high-end GPUs. This improvement is due to more efficient asset swapping by lower-end GPUs with less VRAM. The video also addresses DirectStorage’s scaling for larger assets, noting that while DirectStorage moves asset fetching to the GPU, decompression still requires the CPU, limiting its current efficiency on PC. Nvidia’s RTX IO can perform decompression faster by using custom hardware or the GPU, potentially improving performance by skipping two steps. However, as long as data passes through the CPU, DirectStorage remains less useful. Microsoft prioritizes fixing this issue before games fully utilize DirectStorage, aiming to avoid the necessity for uncompressed assets that increase storage demands. The challenge in implementing DirectStorage on PC, compared to Xbox, stems from the complexity of different hardware and operating systems. Enhanced tech like DirectStorage is crucial for future-proofing consoles by providing developers the tools to improve graphics and game complexity.
00:09:00
In this part of the video, the speaker discusses the challenges and potential benefits of supporting DirectStorage on both Windows 10 and 11, with an emphasis on how enhancements in Windows 11’s storage subsystem may improve performance. The speaker mentions that testing will be needed once games are released. Additionally, there’s a sponsored segment promoting NZXT’s new function mechanical keyboards, highlighting their features such as hot-swappable switch sockets, USB-C cables, and customizable RGB lighting. The video wraps up with a suggestion to watch a related video on the Radeon and Pro SSG.