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Anandtech: AMD's Mantle PC API is the same as the Xbox One low level API

JaggedSac

Member
Just to point something out, It's actually more likely this would be true for PS4 than xbox one as xb1 uses esram and the original article doesn't really provide any info what so ever other than it uses HLSL, which isn't exactly absent in the PS4 Development, it's just slightly different (PSSL). It is of course extremely unlikely for either.

I literally cannot believe this is going to turn into the next secret sauce going by what some people are posting on here...It's ridiculous.

This wouldn't be secret sauce regardless of if it were true or not. The Bone will be using a low level API either way.
 

TechnicPuppet

Nothing! I said nothing!
No, it means that making Mantle / XBox One games is going to be similar, they still have to develop for non-AMD cards on PC, which means DirectX, which is the same as it is now.

Xbox One has mantle and Direct X though does it not? It should still make things a bit easier no?

What is the point of it, if it doesn't do anything.
 

Skeff

Member
This wouldn't be secret sauce regardless of if it were true or not. The Bone will be using a low level API either way.

you know that, I know that, everyone with technical knowledge on the subject knows it, but just wait, it's coming....
 

QaaQer

Member
& this just made things more expensive and complicated for multiplats. Amd's market share is around 30% and I get that they need a hail mary, but having devs split the PC code for amd/non-amd cards...well I guess if you are really into frostbite3 games.

It does hint at some interesting politics behind the scenes though, can't wait for the story to come out.
 

IN&OUT

Banned
Isn't this kind of obvious guys?

Mantle must work on windows environment therefore to achieve low-level api access for PC means that Mantle would be similar to XboxOne API derived from direcX.
 

jwhit28

Member
Hopefully this means PC versions of lots and lots of next-gen games.

PC versions won't be any less or anymore likely. Any PC game released will still work with DirectX as usual. It CAN mean that what ever games do come from Xbox One are more likely to be Mantle compatible and perform better on AMD hardware.
 

QaaQer

Member
There was a Mantle thread earlier and it seemed to be very positive, like it was a good thing, so now it's just marketing?

It's not just marketing, but getting at a real understanding of things will be harder because of marketing. And making PC devs use 2 sets of APIs is going to do nothing to make things cheaper for them.
 

Finalizer

Member
Xbone provides something good for gamers for once. [/snark]

dismantled

2PZc9c4.jpg
 

MaulerX

Member
So, is this dat truth that major nelson couldn't wait to drop? I must say, this is pretty saucy if true.
 

IN&OUT

Banned
That doesn't make any sense.

Maybe I didn't word my post correctly. I mean Mantle is a low-level API for PC. in order to achieve great market penetration it needs to be compatible with DirectX "Windows", therefore similarities to X1 low level API is expected since X1 API is derived from DirectX already.

by doing that AMD can achieve similar console low access for PC + easier porting between platforms.
 

QaaQer

Member
Maybe I didn't word my post correctly. I mean Mantle is a low-level API for PC. in order to achieve great market penetration it needs to be compatible with DirectX "Windows", therefore similarities to X1 low level API is expected since X1 API is derived from DirectX already.

by doing that AMD can achieve similar console low access for PC + easier porting between platforms.

Only for the tiny percentage of the PC market that will have AMD 7000+ series gfx cards.
 

Toski

Member
It allows AMD to market their cards since they are losing the tech battle with Nvidia.

AMD hasn't lost any "tech" battle, GCN is competitive with Kepler. Mantle is AMD leveraging their console contracts into the PC realm. IF they can get the low level optimizations made on the PS4 and X1 onto the PC, they hope that they can use this to beat Nvidia on benchmarks and performance. I wouldn't be surprised if MS uses Mantle as a starting point for DirectX 12 and tries to cutdown on DirectX overhead.
 

DieH@rd

Banned
Why is it Dice and AMD working on it then instead of Microsoft?

Microsoft is way more focused on OS development. Changing on DirectX landscape was not important to them as long every GPU vendor supports it, and now they found themselves in situation that AMD holds 100% of hardware in two nextgen consoles and have vision of unified PC hardware for the future.

Add to that developers who are not satisfied with slow PC DirectX... and Mantle is born.
 

Finalizer

Member
There was a Mantle thread earlier and it seemed to be very positive, like it was a good thing, so now it's just marketing?

Depends who you ask, heh. I think most folks are just curious to see what it actually ends up bringing to the table, though I'd imagine nVidia fans will prefer it to ultimately end up irrelevant.

As to how all the news fits into place, there's just way too much dust being kicked into the air to get a clear picture. MS could be perfectly cool with Mantle as an additional API for Windows to help market games on the PC. On the flip side, they could be opposed if SteamOS heavily leverages Mantle and Steambox ends up taking off thanks in part to something like that. Or some other combination of factors.

Main point is, there's a ton of questions in the air with these developments. How everything will actually play out has to remain to be seen, really.

wouldn't that make the XB1 the lead platform for multiplats?

Not in itself, no. It would just make porting an Xbone game to Mantle on the PC easier, but devs would still have to work out a DirectX version as well for full PC support. What this does mean, in part, is that PC gamers with AMD hardware can looks forward to possibly better optimized software for their systems.

"Lead platform" will still mostly be up to the individual developers.
 

Ce-Lin

Member
does this mean almost "straight" ports from at least XB1 games to PC ? my next upgrade will be AMD again for sure, seems a no-brainer ?
 

Raydeen

Member
So does this officially mean.

Xbone >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> PS4?

ESDRAM >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> GDDR5

CERNY AM SMILE >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> CERNY AM CRY?

SHAPE >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> WILLIAM SHATNER
 
The elephant in the room is 'will Mantle support Linux?'

Because I cannot fathom either console company doing this if Mantle is going to be supported by Linux/Steambox, unless this is all an AMD's Montreal Screwjob of copying as much of both console's API for their own.
 
So does this officially mean.

Xbone >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> PS4?

ESDRAM >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> GDDR5

CERNY AM SMILE >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> CERNY AM CRY?

SHAPE >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> WILLIAM SHATNER

Nope, just that Anandtech is being dumb.
 

Igo

Member
I thought AMD's future cards were supposed to have more in common with what the PS4 is running than the One. Why then would Mantle be derivative of the One's API's instead of Sony's?
 

DieH@rd

Banned
Valid question regardless, let's just hope they don't start making something similar which only works for them, split the community even more.

Shame they couldn't force MS to turn Directx into this.

Nobody could force MS to significantly change DirectX....
 
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