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SGI and Architecture Review Board Release Next-Generation, 3D Enhancements to OpenGL
New Features and Functionalities for Advanced Realism for World's Leading Graphics Specification
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Jul 15, 2002 /PRNewswire-FirstCall from COMTEX/ -- Designing the next-generation sports car, creating a must-have game, training future fighter pilots or producing the next blockbuster movie will become easier with the latest version of the OpenGL(R) application programming interface (API). SGI, building on its 20 years of graphics leadership and innovation, and the OpenGL Architecture Review Board (ARB) today announced the availability of the OpenGL(R) 1.4 specification. Introduced 10 years ago by SGI (NYSE: SGI chart, msgs), OpenGL is now the premier environment used by software developers to create interactive 2D and 3D visual applications for computer systems ranging from consumer PCs to graphics workstations and supercomputers.
With new features and functionality designed to increase the level of graphics quality and realism, the OpenGL 1.4 specification represents the latest enhancement to the industry's leading cross-platform 2D and 3D graphics API. OpenGL 1.4 implementations are expected to be available for various platforms later this year.
The OpenGL 1.4 specification evolved with input from both the OpenGL ARB, an independent consortium, and interested additional participants, reflecting predominant trends in the graphics industry. The ARB's process of enhancing OpenGL includes evaluating and determining which features proposed by ARB members should be incorporated and officially supported within the API. In OpenGL 1.4, several additional features and functions have been ratified and brought into the API's core functionality.
"We are proud of the global acceptance OpenGL has earned in its 10-year history, as evidenced by the broad range of hardware vendors and independent software vendors that rely on its cross-platform functionality and depth of graphics quality. We are also pleased that the ARB is delivering on its intention to provide a new specification every year, and OpenGL 1.4 is the latest proof point," said Shawn Underwood, director of marketing, SGI.
New OpenGL 1.4 Core Features at-a-Glance
* Depth textures and shadow textures, enabling real-time shadows and related image-based rendering techniques
* Vertex programming framework, setting the stage for user-defined geometry, lighting and shading programs and enabling high-level general-purpose shading languages
* Automatic texture mipmap generation, providing rapid updates and high-quality texture filtering for dynamic textures
* Numerous smaller enhancements including:
-- Multiple draw arrays, for higher geometry throughput
-- Window raster position, for precise 2D and image rendering
-- User-defined fog coordinate, for advanced fog effects
-- User-defined secondary color, point parameters, texture level-of-detail bias, texture crossbar, and new frame buffer blending modes and stenciling functions for more flexible shading and rendering effects
Most Widely Adopted Graphics Standard
With more than 60 hardware developer licensees, OpenGL has the broadest industry support of any openly licensed graphics API. In 1992, SGI formed the industry-wide ARB that now governs the evolution and ongoing development of OpenGL, a technology originally created by SGI, as an open, platform-independent standard for professional-quality 3D graphics.
The 13 voting members of the OpenGL ARB are 3Dlabs, Apple, ATI, Dell Computer Corporation, Evans & Sutherland, Hewlett-Packard Co., IBM Corp., Intel Corp., Matrox Graphics, Inc., Microsoft Corp., NVIDIA, Sun Microsystems and SGI. Other ARB participants include Discreet, Id Software, NEC, Quantum 3D, SONICblue and the University of Central Florida. In addition to the voting members and participants, OpenGL is universally licensed throughout the graphics hardware developer community. Platforms supporting OpenGL include AIX(R), HP-UX(R), IRIX(R) OS, Linux(R) OS, Mac(R) OS X, Microsoft(R) Windows(R) 2000 and Windows(R) XP OS, Solaris(TM) operating environment (OE) and many other operating systems. More information on OpenGL 1.4 and its supporters will be made available on the OpenGL Web site at opengl.org .
"With the advancements in depth and shadow textures, plus increased flexibility in shading and rendering, the increased value of OpenGL 1.4 will soon be seen in dynamic software development," said Neil Trevett, senior vice president of market development for 3Dlabs. "While 3Dlabs develops OpenGL API-based silicon for the PC, we are committed to the concept and future development of the OpenGL cross-platform API standard as the only truly open standard that will determine the future feature set of graphics programs."
"OpenGL 1.4 brings graphics and visualization developers one step closer to movie-quality images by setting the stage for user-defined shading programs and languages," said Bjorn Andersson, group marketing manager for graphics and visual media at Sun Microsystems, Inc. "As a contributor to the OpenGL 1.4 specification and having shipped high-quality OpenGL implementations for the Solaris OE since 1996, the high-performance capabilities of OpenGL 1.4 directly benefit customers using Sun's Solaris OE to drive graphics realism to new levels."
Future Development
As OpenGL prepares to enter its second decade, the foundation for the next generation of graphics is being readied. OpenGL will be advanced, appropriately, via the open industry consortium that has ensured its continued significance in the graphics industry. The ARB has already started working toward enhancing OpenGL with a higher-level language that will impact programmability of current and future graphics architectures while still maintaining full backwards compatibility.
"As SGI celebrates our 20th anniversary and looks forward to 20 more years of providing high-performance computing and visualization solutions for technical and creative users, we anticipate announcing the next major version, OpenGL 2.0, very soon as well. This next version will be instrumental in advancing shaders, the new frontier in cinematic-quality graphics realism," added Estes.
For more information about SGI products, services and solutions, users can call (800) 800-7441 or visit sgi.com .
About OpenGL
The OpenGL graphics system specification allows developers to incorporate a broad set of rendering, texture mapping, special effects and other powerful visualization functions and provides a graphics pipeline that allows unfettered access to graphics hardware acceleration. Since its introduction by SGI in 1992, OpenGL has become the industry's most widely used and supported 3D and 2D graphics API. OpenGL is available on all other major computer platforms, including IRIX, Solaris OE, HP-UX, AIX, Windows NT(R), Windows(R) 98 and Mac OS X. An industry-wide architecture review board governs the evolution and ongoing development of OpenGL. With broad industry support, OpenGL is a vendor-neutral, multiplatform graphics standard and is uniquely positioned to leverage the continuing improvements of graphics hardware.
About SGI
Celebrating its 20th year, SGI, also known as Silicon Graphics, Inc., is the world's leader in high-performance computing, visualization and the management of complex data. SGI(R) products, services and solutions enable its technical and creative customers to gain strategic and competitive advantages in their core businesses. Whether being used to design and build safer cars and airplanes, discover new medications and oil reserves, predict the weather, entertain us with thrilling movie special effects or provide mission-critical support for government and defense, SGI systems and expertise are empowering a world of innovation and discovery. The company, located on the Web at sgi.com , is headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., and has offices worldwide.
Silicon Graphics, SGI, OpenGL, IRIX and the SGI logo are registered trademarks of Silicon Graphics, Inc., in the U.S. and/or other countries worldwide. Sun and Solaris are trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. Microsoft, Windows and Windows NT are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries. Apple and Mac are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. AIX is a registered trademark of IBM. All other trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.
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