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Microsoft Introduces DirectX Raytracing 1.2 with Major Performance and Visual Advances

The new API features opacity micromaps and shader execution reordering, offering substantial improvements in raytraced gaming performance and fidelity.

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Screenshots from Half-Life 2 RTX, showing the various new effects delivered by full ray tracing and enhanced assets.
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Microsoft

Overview

  • DirectX Raytracing (DXR) 1.2 introduces opacity micromaps (OMM) and shader execution reordering (SER), promising up to 2.3x and 2x performance boosts, respectively, in specific scenarios.
  • NVIDIA RTX GPUs already support key DXR 1.2 features, while Microsoft is collaborating with AMD, Intel, and Qualcomm for broader adoption.
  • Neural rendering advancements, including cooperative vectors and Neural Block Texture Compression, aim to enhance AI-driven graphics efficiency and realism.
  • Updates to Windows WARP ensure DX12 Ultimate compatibility, enabling raytracing and other advanced features on systems without dedicated GPUs.
  • The preview Agility SDK for DXR 1.2 is set to launch in April 2025, with Remedy's Alan Wake 2 showcasing the technology’s potential at GDC.