These days, the whole world is paying attention to this monkey! How does the graphics card light up every frame of fantasy on the journey to the West?

At 10:00 am on August 20, the domestic game "Black Myth: Wukong" was officially launched. As of press time, the number of simultaneous online players on the Steam platform has exceeded one million, surpassing "CS2" to top the Steam hot list.

The related topic became the number one hot search.

According to the game platform Steam, Black Myth: Wukong currently ranks first in the world in terms of revenue, and has been in the top 100 for 10 weeks. According to statistics from the "National Game Sales Chart", as of July 13, 2024, the pre-sale sales of Black Myth: Wukong have exceeded 1.2 million copies, with pre-sale sales exceeding 400 million yuan.

The story of Black Myth: Wukong is based on Journey to the West, one of the “Four Great Classics” of Chinese classical novels. Players will play the role of a “man of destiny” who embarks on a journey to the West full of dangers and surprises in order to explore the truth of the legend of the past.

The reason why it has attracted so much attention is that "Black Myth: Wukong" is known as the "3A masterpiece" of domestic games and is regarded as a relatively high level of domestic game production. It has amazed the outside world since the trailer was released.

▲Actual demo of "Black Myth: Wukong"

The emergence of the game "Black Myth - Wukong" has not only attracted enthusiastic pursuit from players, but also set off a new discussion about male consumption power. In a screenshot of the Moments posted by Luckin Coffee's CGO (Chief Growth Officer) Yang Fei, it was said that the co-branded version of Black Myth - Wukong was so popular that the system almost couldn't handle it.

The popularity of Black Myth: Wukong is inseparable from the excellent support and performance guarantee of graphics cards as the heroes behind the scenes. What role do graphics cards play in modern video games? How did graphics cards become the heroes behind the popularity of Black Myth: Wukong?

What is a graphics card?

Graphics Card, also known as display adapter or graphics adapter, is an important component in the computer and is the "bridge" connecting the host and the monitor.

Simply put, a graphics card is a hardware device that converts digital signals into visual images. Its function is to control the computer's graphics output. It is responsible for processing the image data sent by the CPU into a format recognized by the monitor and then sending it to the monitor to form an image.

The graphics card is also one of the important components of the computer. The better the performance of the graphics card, the more complex images your computer can handle, such as higher resolution videos or games.

In layman's terms, if the central processing unit (CPU) is equivalent to the human brain, then the graphics card is your skills.

Your brain plans the action plan, and it's up to you to carry it out.

If your brain has planned a very complicated plan, but your physical skills are not good enough, then the plan cannot be completed. This is high U and low display. On the contrary, if your physical skills are agile, but your brain reacts too slowly, you will not be able to accomplish anything. This is low U and high display.

In the world of games, the CPU is responsible for various complex operations of the game, and it is the role of the graphics card to display the complex operation screen.

Therefore, for games with fewer elements but high-end and exquisite graphics, the role of graphics card is more important. On the contrary, for games with low image quality requirements but complex game elements, the CPU performance must be strong.

The primary task of a graphics card is to render real-time graphics, which is one of its most praised capabilities. In Black Myth: Wukong, the graphics card uses advanced ray tracing technology to simulate the propagation and reflection of light in battle scenes, making the leap of flames, the flash of lightning, and the shock waves of explosions all present amazing realism. This technology not only makes the battle scenes more vivid, but also makes players feel as if they are in the world of Journey to the West, which is full of fantasy and danger.

In addition, the application of panoramic ray tracing effects brings the graphics card's graphics processing capabilities to the extreme. Whether it is the dancing of Wukong's shadow on the ground or the cold light reflected by the golden hoop in his hand, they are all captured and accurately rendered by the graphics card. This meticulous light and shadow processing makes the battle scene more three-dimensional and realistic, enhancing the player's sense of immersion.

In addition to real-time graphics rendering and performance optimization, the graphics card is also committed to improving image quality. The application of high-resolution rendering technology allows every detail in the battle scene to be better displayed. The texture of Wukong's clothing, the texture of his weapons, and the delicateness of the surrounding environment have been greatly improved, allowing players to appreciate the battle scenes while also feeling the ingenuity of the game production team.

In addition, the addition of DLAA (deep learning anti-aliasing) technology further improves the clarity of the picture. It uses AI algorithms to eliminate jagged edges in the picture, making the edges in the battle scene smoother and more delicate. This extreme pursuit of details makes the battle scenes of "Black Myth: Wukong" more flawless.

What is a frame?

Frame is the basic unit of video and animation, which represents a moment in time. In digital video, a frame is a still image, which is played continuously at a certain speed to form the dynamic picture we see. In short, a frame is like a flipping album, each page is a painting, and by quickly flipping these pages, you can see the scene in the painting come alive.

(Picture from the Internet)

The concept of frame originated from film photography. Early film was a series of continuous photos, which were played continuously by projectors to achieve dynamic display of pictures. With the continuous development of digital technology, the concept of frame has been introduced into digital video and animation, becoming an indispensable basic element in these fields.

(Picture from the Internet)

There is a close and direct relationship between graphics cards and frame rates. Frame rate, or frames per second (fps), represents the number of times a game or video screen is refreshed in one second and is an important indicator for measuring the smoothness of the screen. The graphics card, as the hardware in the computer that is specifically responsible for graphics processing, its performance directly determines the speed and efficiency of image processing, which in turn affects the frame rate.

Normally, the standard frame rate for movies is 24 frames per second, while the standard frame rate for TV is 25 or 30 frames per second. Of course, with the continuous advancement of technology, high frame rate videos have gradually become a reality, such as 60 or 120 frames per second, which can provide more delicate and realistic picture effects. For general games, 60 to 90 frames are required to be smooth. If you want a silky texture, you need 100 to 144 frames.

What parameters measure graphics card performance?

When we talk about graphics card performance, it is like evaluating a painter's painting ability. A good graphics card needs to have a powerful "brush" (the number of GPU cores), fast "hand speed" (clock frequency), a wide "canvas" (video memory capacity), and an efficient "transmission channel" (video memory bandwidth). In addition, its "painting skills" (architecture) and the "painting tools" (driver) used are also key factors in evaluating its performance.

GPU Core Count : The number of processing units on a graphics card. The more cores there are, the more processing power is usually greater.

Clock rate : The speed at which the GPU core runs, measured in Hertz (Hz). The higher the frequency, the faster the processing speed.

Video memory capacity : The amount of dedicated video memory a graphics card has, usually measured in GB. The larger the video memory, the higher resolution and more complex graphics tasks it can handle.

Video memory bandwidth : The data transmission speed between video memory and GPU core. The higher the bandwidth, the faster the data transmission.

Architecture : The internal design of a graphics card. Newer architectures usually provide better performance and energy efficiency.

Driver : Software support for graphics cards. A good driver can optimize graphics card performance and provide better compatibility and stability.

Together, these parameters determine the graphics card's capabilities and efficiency in handling graphics tasks.

How to choose a graphics card that suits you?

First, clarify your usage needs, whether it is daily office work, professional graphic design or high-end gaming. Then, according to your personal budget, filter out graphics card options that match performance and price. Performance parameters are the core of the selection process, including the number of GPU cores, clock frequency, video memory capacity and bandwidth, which directly affect the processing power and speed of the graphics card.

At the same time, hardware compatibility checks ensure that the graphics card can work seamlessly with the existing system, while brand reputation and after-sales service are also factors that cannot be ignored. The choice of video memory capacity should be based on the demand for high resolution and complex graphics processing, while the power consumption and heat dissipation capacity of the graphics card are related to the long-term stability of the system.

Ultimately, cost-effectiveness and future expandability are the final considerations when making decisions, ensuring that the selected graphics card not only meets current needs, but also can adapt to possible changes in the future. Through these comprehensive considerations, you can choose the graphics card that best suits you.

As the behind-the-scenes hero of the battle scenes in Black Myth: Wukong, the graphics card brings players an unprecedented gaming experience through real-time graphics rendering, performance optimization, and image quality improvement. It not only makes Wukong's combat movements more realistic and smooth, but also makes the entire game world more vivid and three-dimensional. In the future development of games, we have reason to believe that graphics cards will continue to play a greater role and bring us more surprises and touches.

Source: Cailianshe, Youxia.com, Beijing Science and Technology News, etc.

Editor: David Duan