Mantle ( Russian mantle ) is a low-level API specification developed by AMD as an alternative to DirectX and OpenGL [1] . At present, it is supported only by AMD GPUs of the GCN architecture (Graphics Core Next, Engl. Next graphic core) [2] , although there is an assumption that other GPU manufacturers could implement it in the future [1] .
| Mantle | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type of | API |
| Developer | AMD |
| operating system | Windows |
| Latest version | 9.1.10.0295 |
| Site | |
Content
Benefits
- AMD claims that Mantle can handle up to nine times as many rendering requests per second as comparable APIs, while reducing CPU overhead.
- More precise hardware control .
- All hardware features are provided through the API.
- New imaging techniques are possible.
- Direct access to GPU memory.
- DirectX HLSL compatible for easy porting.
- Independence of game developers from existing AMD GPU drivers.
- Simplification of the development of cross-platform games for PCs and consoles (theoretically, all low-level requests written for a PC will be understood by the new APU Playstation 4 and Xbox One).
- Performance gains over higher-level APIs such as DirectX and OpenGL.
Usage
During the presentation of “GPU 14 Tech Days,” it was announced that Frostbite 3 would have Mantle support [3] . The first game to use Frostbite 3 was Battlefield 4: the patch that activated Mantle support, the game received on January 30, 2014.
The EA DICE development team is working on 15 more new projects (Need For Speed: Rivals, Dragon Age: Inquisition, Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare, Mirror's Edge, a new game from the Mass Effect series and others) on the Frostbite 3 engine, which are “from boxes ”will support Mantle [4] .
At GDC 2014, Jevat Yerli announced support for Mantle at CryEngine and said that thanks to Mantle, developers using Cryengine will be able to achieve the level of CG graphics. Yerli believes that using Mantle, CryEngine will be the first engine to offer the visual quality of CG. In addition, Crytek is due to present the results of a collaboration between AMD and CryEngine soon.
The development of the API was stopped in 2015. In graphics drivers, starting with version 19.5.1 (released May 13, 2019), all compatibility with Mantle is completely absent [5] .
Mantle on Linux and the Steam Machine Console
Richard Huddy is back at AMD after three years at Intel Graphics. In an interview with PC World, he said that the low-level graphics API Mantle will also appear on the Linux platform: the company is really going to direct its resources over time to port its API to this platform. In his opinion, the new graphical API can provide a number of advantages to Valve gaming systems running on Steam OS (based on Linux). The time of the planned appearance of Mantle for Linux is not yet known.
Hardware Support
The following series of products based on the Graphics Core Next architecture are currently supported:
- AMD Radeon R7;
- AMD Radeon R9;
- AMD Radeon R9 Fury;
- AMD Radeon HD 7000;
- AMD Radeon HD 8000;
- AMD hybrid central processing units (Kaveri family);
- AMD Radeon RX 400 Series;
- AMD Radeon RX 500 Series.
Mantle-enabled game engines
- Frostbite Engine ( DICE )
- Unreal Engine ( Epic Games )
- Asura ( Rebellion )
- CryEngine ( Crytek )
- Panta-Rhei ( Capcom )
Mantle Supported Games
- Issued
- Battlefield 4
- Thief (2014)
- Sniper elite 3
- Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth
- Plants vs. Zombies: garden warfare
- Star Swarm (Benchmark)
- Dragon Age: Inquisition
- Battlefield hardline
- Star Wars: Battlefront (2015)
- Mirror's Edge: Catalyst
- Rise of the tomb raider
- Mass Effect: Andromeda
- Unreleased (Mantle Confirmed)
- Star citizen
- Offworld Trading Company
- Star control
- Unreleased (Mantle Not Confirmed)
- Lichdom: BattleMage
- Sleeping Dogs: Triad Wars
See also
- Vulkan (API)
- Glide is another low-level API
Notes
- ↑ 1 2 Smith, Ryan Understanding AMD's Mantle: A Low-Level Graphics API For GCN .
- ↑ AMD Radeon R9 Series Graphics .
- ↑ AMD Livestream at GPU 14 Tech Days (2013). Archived on September 27, 2013.
- ↑ Mantle update will be easily available for future Frostbite 3 games .
- ↑ AMD video cards no longer support the Mantle software interface