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Staged metaprogramming for shader system development

Authors:

Kerry A. Seitz, JR.,

Serban D. Porumbescu,

John D. OwensAuthors Info & Claims

ACM Transactions on Graphics (TOG), Volume 38, Issue 6

Article No.: 202, Pages 1 - 15

https://doi.org/10.1145/3355089.3356554

Published: 08 November 2019 Publication History

Abstract

The shader system for a modern game engine comprises much more than just compilation of source code to executable kernels. Shaders must also be exposed to art tools, interfaced with engine code, and specialized for performance. Engines typically address each of these tasks in an ad hoc fashion, without a unifying abstraction. The alternative of developing a more powerful compiler framework is prohibitive for most engines.

In this paper, we identify staged metaprogramming as a unifying abstraction and implementation strategy to develop a powerful shader system with modest effort. By using a multi-stage language to perform metaprogramming at compile time, engine-specific code can consume, analyze, transform, and generate shader code that will execute at runtime. Staged metaprogramming reduces the effort required to implement a shader system that provides earlier error detection, avoids repeat declarations of shader parameters, and explores opportunities to improve performance.

To demonstrate the value of this approach, we design and implement a shader system, called Selos, built using staged metaprogramming. In our system, shader and application code are written in the same language and can share types and functions. We implement a design space exploration framework for Selos that investigates static versus dynamic composition of shader features, exploring the impact of shader specialization in a deferred renderer. Staged metaprogramming allows Selos to provide compelling features with a simple implementation.

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Cited By

Yang JDev SCampbell A(2024)RenderKernel: High-level programming for real-time rendering systemsVisual Informatics10.1016/j.visinf.2024.09.0048:3(82-95)Online publication date: Sep-2024
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.visinf.2024.09.004
Chueca JVerón JFont JPérez FCetina C(2024)The consolidation of game software engineering: A systematic literature review of software engineering for industry-scale computer gamesInformation and Software Technology10.1016/j.infsof.2023.107330165(107330)Online publication date: Jan-2024
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infsof.2023.107330
Bangaru SWu LLi TMunkberg JBernstein GRagan-Kelley JDurand FLefohn AHe Y(2023)SLANG.D: Fast, Modular and Differentiable Shader ProgrammingACM Transactions on Graphics10.1145/361835342:6(1-28)Online publication date: 5-Dec-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3618353
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Index Terms

Staged metaprogramming for shader system development
1. Computing methodologies
  1. Computer graphics
2. Software and its engineering
  1. Software notations and tools

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cover image ACM Transactions on Graphics

ACM Transactions on Graphics Volume 38, Issue 6

December 2019

1292 pages

ISSN:0730-0301

EISSN:1557-7368

DOI:10.1145/3355089

Issue’s Table of Contents

Copyright © 2019 ACM.

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Publication History

Published: 08 November 2019

Published in TOG Volume 38, Issue 6

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Cited By

Yang JDev SCampbell A(2024)RenderKernel: High-level programming for real-time rendering systemsVisual Informatics10.1016/j.visinf.2024.09.0048:3(82-95)Online publication date: Sep-2024
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.visinf.2024.09.004
Chueca JVerón JFont JPérez FCetina C(2024)The consolidation of game software engineering: A systematic literature review of software engineering for industry-scale computer gamesInformation and Software Technology10.1016/j.infsof.2023.107330165(107330)Online publication date: Jan-2024
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infsof.2023.107330
Bangaru SWu LLi TMunkberg JBernstein GRagan-Kelley JDurand FLefohn AHe Y(2023)SLANG.D: Fast, Modular and Differentiable Shader ProgrammingACM Transactions on Graphics10.1145/361835342:6(1-28)Online publication date: 5-Dec-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3618353
Zheng SZhou ZChen XYan DZhang CGeng YGu YXu K(2022)LuisaRenderACM Transactions on Graphics10.1145/3550454.355546341:6(1-19)Online publication date: 30-Nov-2022
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3550454.3555463
Seitz KFoley TPorumbescu SOwens J(2022)Supporting Unified Shader Specialization by Co-opting C++ FeaturesProceedings of the ACM on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques10.1145/35438665:3(1-17)Online publication date: 27-Jul-2022
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3543866

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