Techniques for improving msaa rendering efficiency

A device comprising:

• a processor circuit;
• and
• a storage communicatively coupled to the processor circuit to store instructions that when executed by the processor circuit cause the processor circuit to:
• render a pixel from multiple samples taken of a three-dimensional model of an object, the pixel corresponding to a pixel sample data, the pixel sample data comprising multiple color storage locations that are each identified by a numeric identifier, and the pixel sample data comprising multiple sample color indices that each correspond to a sample of the multiple samples to point to at least one color storage location of the multiple color storage locations;
• allocate color storage locations of the multiple color storage locations in a selected order that defines a first subset of possible combinations of binary index values among all of the sample color indices as invalid combinations and a second subset of possible combinations of binary index values among all of the sample color indices as valid combinations;
• and
• defer storage of a clear color data value that specifies a clear color in any color storage location of the multiple color storage locations based on a current combination of the binary index values stored in all of the sample color indices comprising an invalid combination.

A computer-implemented method comprising:

• rendering a pixel from multiple samples taken of a three-dimensional model of an object, the pixel corresponding to a pixel sample data, the pixel sample data comprising multiple color storage locations that are each identified by a numeric identifier, and the pixel sample data comprising multiple sample color indices that each correspond to a sample of the multiple samples to point to at least one color storage location of the multiple color storage locations;
• allocating color storage locations of the multiple color storage locations in an order selected to define a subset of possible combinations of binary index values among all of the sample color indices as invalid combinations;
• and
• initializing the multiple sample color indices with binary index values that create a first invalid combination of binary index values among all of the sample color indices that indicates the pixel sample data is initialized to an uncolored state.

At least one machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to:

• render a pixel from multiple samples taken of a three-dimensional model of an object, the pixel corresponding to a pixel sample data, the pixel sample data comprising multiple color storage locations that are each identified by a numeric identifier, and the pixel sample data comprising multiple sample color indices that each correspond to a sample of the multiple samples to point to at least one color storage location of the multiple color storage locations;
• allocate color storage locations of the multiple color storage locations in a selected order that defines a first subset of possible combinations of binary index values among all of the sample color indices as invalid combinations and a second subset of possible combinations of binary index values among all of the sample color indices as valid combinations;
• and
• defer storage of a clear color data value that specifies a clear color in any color storage location of the multiple color storage locations based on a current combination of the binary index values stored in all of the sample color indices comprising an invalid combination.