Already a visually impressive game, Cyberpunk 2077 by CD PROJEKT RED takes graphics to new heights with the introduction of the Ray Tracing: Overdrive Mode technology preview. Arriving on April 11th, this update pushes the boundaries of the gaming experience by incorporating full ray tracing, also known as path tracing.
Until the advent of GeForce RTX GPUs with RT Cores and the AI-powered acceleration of NVIDIA DLSS, real-time full ray tracing in video games was an unattainable goal due to its high GPU demands. Full ray tracing, which accurately simulates light throughout an entire scene, has been primarily utilized by visual effects artists to create film and TV graphics that appear indistinguishable from reality.
In contrast to previous techniques that separately tackled ray-traced shadows, reflections, and global illumination for a limited number of light sources, full ray tracing models light properties from virtually limitless emissive sources. As a result, the game delivers physically accurate shadows, reflections, and global illumination on all objects.
One of the most notable inclusions in the Ray Tracing: Overdrive Mode technology preview is NVIDIA RTX Direct Illumination (RTXDI), a free SDK that allows developers to closely emulate light in scenes with numerous light sources. With RTXDI, thousands of objects can emit ray-traced light.
In Cyberpunk 2077, every neon sign, street lamp, LED billboard, car headlight, and other light sources are now ray-traced, accurately illuminating objects, walls, passing cars, and pedestrians.
The combination of direct and global illumination through full ray tracing offers gamers the most advanced real-time lighting seen in gaming so far, providing a preview of how future games will appear.
To achieve these effects at optimal frame rates, CD PROJEKT RED and NVIDIA have collaborated to introduce new optimizations for the fully ray-traced pipeline. NVIDIA Shader Execution Reordering (SER) boosts performance by aiding GPUs in executing incoherent workloads. Additionally, NVIDIA Real-Time Denoisers (NRD) have been employed to further enhance performance and image quality. The drivers have also been specifically tuned to optimize frame rates, so make sure to update to the Cyberpunk 2077 Ray Tracing: Overdrive Mode GeForce Game Ready Driver.
NVIDIA DLSS 3, the performance multiplier, along with these technologies, adjustments, and optimizations, enable GeForce RTX 40 Series gamers to enjoy Cyberpunk 2077 with fully ray-traced graphics while maintaining maximum performance.
To fully appreciate and experience the power of the Ray Tracing: Overdrive Mode update, NVIDIA advises using GeForce RTX 40 Series GPUs. These powerful graphics cards are designed to handle the demanding requirements of full ray tracing while maintaining smooth and optimal performance.
The upcoming Ray Tracing: Overdrive Mode technology preview for Cyberpunk 2077, arriving on April 11th, is set to revolutionize the gaming industry with its stunning and realistic graphics. This update marks a significant milestone in the journey toward achieving real-time full ray tracing in video games and offers players a glimpse into the visually immersive future of gaming.
Comments