Chapter 12. Using the High Level Shader Language

IN THIS CHAPTER

• Using Simple Formulas to Simulate Animation

• Determining Color by Blending Textures

• Lighting Textures

• Adding Specular Highlights

• In Brief

In dealing with the programmable pipeline and the High Level Shader Language thus far, the possibilities of what can be accomplished have barely been touched. The items completed up to this point include basic functionality that exists in the fixed-function pipeline, but nothing more advanced. With the open-ended nature of the programmable pipeline, these advanced features that don't exist in the fixed-function pipeline should be the tasks you try to accomplish.

During this chapter you will look a little more deeply into HLSL, and how you can use this technology to implement features that are impossible (or difficult) in the fixed-function pipeline. Advanced features that will be discussed in this chapter include

• Simple vertex animation

• Simple color animation

• Texture blending

• Lighting models with textures

• The difference between per-vertex lighting and per-pixel lighting