A weekly roundup of graphics programming links covering the evolution of graphics APIs (OpenGL to D3D12/Vulkan/Metal) and proposals for simpler GPU memory models, Triton (a driver bringing D3D11 support to QEMU VMs), SIGGRAPH's Moving Mobile Graphics course notes, squircle parametric mapping techniques, a GPU work-graph based Bézier surface subdivision method, a breakdown of Unreal Engine's Substrate material system, a C++ Perlin noise terrain tutorial, an introduction to Projective Geometric Algebra, a low-level SDL3 systems programming guide, and native Gaussian Splatting support added to Three.js via WebGPU and TSL.
Table of contents
[video] Reducing Graphics API Complexity: A Clean Slate Design for Modern GPUsIntroducing Triton: DirectX 11 driver for QEMUMoving Mobile GraphicsEqual-Area and Quasi-Conformal Mappings between Squares, Discs and Fernández-Guasti SquirclesGPU view-adaptive crack-free subdivision of Bézier surfaces[video] Substrate Light Reflectance - Unreal Substrate - Episode 2[video] Perlin It In a Minute![video] Beyond simple geometric algebra | Geometric algebra episode 15[video] Low-Level Graphics in C – Pixel Manipulation and Frame BuffersAdding Native Gaussian Splatting Support to Three.jsQuestions this post answers
How does Three.js add native support for Gaussian Splatting?
Three.js implements native Gaussian Splatting support using WebGPU and its own Three.js Shading Language (TSL). The implementation uses a layered architecture combined with a GPU-based counting sort and renders view-dependent color through packed Spherical Harmonics, avoiding reliance on external plugins for splat rendering. Follow rendering-technique breakthroughs like this Three.js update on daily.dev before building your own splatting pipeline.
What is Triton and how does it bring D3D11 support to QEMU virtual machines?
Triton is a user-mode and kernel-mode driver pair that adds Direct3D 11 support inside QEMU virtual machines. It works by performing a reverse transform from the Windows Display Driver Interface (DDI) back into standard DirectX 11 API calls, letting it reuse existing host renderer integrations such as DXVK with MoltenVK, DXMT, or Apple's D3DMetal on macOS. Track niche virtualization and graphics-driver projects like Triton on daily.dev as they evolve.
How do Unreal Engine's Substrate material inputs relate to the traditional Base Color and Metallic workflow?
Substrate maps traditional Base Color, Metallic, and Specular inputs onto its own Diffuse Albedo, F0, and F90 parameters. Automatic specular guardrails from the legacy workflow can be reconstructed manually in Substrate using Lerp nodes that blend parameter values based on metalness, preserving expected reflectance behavior. Keep up with Unreal Engine material system changes like Substrate on daily.dev when migrating shader workflows.