Intel provides new opportunities for game developers

At the Game Developers Conference conference held at the end of March, Intel demonstrated some of its new developments, as well as the latest versions of already well-known products.
First of all, these are two extensions for DirectX, designed to use the new functionality of Haswell's upcoming core. The PixelSync extension will allow developers to create more realistic smoke, glass, hair, and other intricate objects in drawing. Realism is achieved by combining partially transparent pixels without the resource-intensive sorting process. The second extension, Instant Access , provides the graphics core with direct access to the RAM for writing or reading; thus, the graphics embedded in the processor behaves like a discrete video card. Extensions documentation is available on the Intel website .
At the conference, in addition, a new version of the Perceptual Computing Software Development Kit (PercSDK) 2013 was introduced , from which developers have the opportunity to create commercial products (previously there was no such possibility). Now the natural interface for a person (with the help of voice or gestures) can be embedded in any software product. The SDK is completely free, downloaded again from the Intel site .
Other news from GDC. Intel demonstrated the fruits of cooperation with the developers of the open source HandBrake video converter, namely, a new version of the converter that uses Intel Quick Sync Video technology to speed up work on the latest generation of Intel platforms.
Also announced:

• competition for game developers Intel Level Up 2013;
• the second phase of the Perceptual Computing Challenge contest (of the same, with a million dollars prize pool).