Microsoft has announced the details of its new DirectX version; to ensure full support one need not only to install Service Pack 1 for Windows Vista but may also need to replace a graphics card. Contemporary graphics accelerators from Nvidia GeForce 8800 and AMD/ATI Radeon 2900 may not support all the new features added to Direct3D 10.1. The features of DirectX 10.1 include incremental improvements to 3D rendering quality. As for the innovations, among them are 32-bit floating-point operations (instead of 16-bit ones, used today by default) and obligatory support of 4x FSAA.
Microsoft's Sam Glassenberg did however note that "DirectX 10.1 fully supports DirectX 10 hardware. No hardware support is being removed. It's strictly a superset. It's basically an update to DirectX 10 that extends the hardware functionality slightly." Glassenberg says DirectX 10.1 will be fully compatible with all graphics cards supporting DirectX 10. All the company wants to do now is to increase the API life cycle. Sam confirmed that existing graphics cards may still not be able to use all the new features of DirectX 10.1 but also stressed that applications designed specifically for DirectX 10.1 are very unlikely to appear, because overall, the updates aren’t that critical.
News source: Xbit Laboratories
Microsoft's Sam Glassenberg did however note that "DirectX 10.1 fully supports DirectX 10 hardware. No hardware support is being removed. It's strictly a superset. It's basically an update to DirectX 10 that extends the hardware functionality slightly." Glassenberg says DirectX 10.1 will be fully compatible with all graphics cards supporting DirectX 10. All the company wants to do now is to increase the API life cycle. Sam confirmed that existing graphics cards may still not be able to use all the new features of DirectX 10.1 but also stressed that applications designed specifically for DirectX 10.1 are very unlikely to appear, because overall, the updates aren’t that critical.
News source: Xbit Laboratories
"Get your DX10.1 card NOW, nothing uses it yet, but it sure costs money."
You mean the Geforce 9800 series that's due out in November? It's already the end of the 8x00 series, whether anyone develops for DX10.1 or not.
I think there is a disconnect between what the hardware companies want (selling new hardware), what Microsoft wants (selling Vista), and what the public wants (a card that performs better than the previous generation at the same price and lasts more than 6 months! ).
You mean the Geforce 9800 series that's due out in November? It's already the end of the 8x00 series, whether anyone develops for DX10.1 or not.
I think there is a disconnect between what the hardware companies want (selling new hardware), what Microsoft wants (selling Vista), and what the public wants (a card that performs better than the previous generation at the same price and lasts more than 6 months! ).
The cards last more than 6 months, people just think they need to keep upgrading each time a new one comes out. Unless some new game pushes your shiny new Geforce 8800 or ATi HD2900 to the point that you can't play the new game in question, THEN you upgrade.
Staying ahead of the curve is what hardcore gamers do, but not what everyone does. I know lots of people on 2-3, even more, year old gfx cards.
That aside, DX10.1 makes minor changes when it comes to graphics. Many things that are optional in 10.0 are now manditory in 10.1. The biggest change would have to be the updated shader model, that's where new hardware is needed, but the update to that is minor and many devs won't rush to move to 10.1. The really key area where 10.1 differs from 10.0 is in sound. They've finally replaced DirectSound fully and will use Xaudio, the same API used by the Xbox 360 and so on. True 5.1 and up sound, and no emulation like with EAX and so on.
But that shouldn't stop people from updating to 10.1 on their systems and then using the new audio API even if the game itself is still using only DX10 for gfx.
vista is beyond fail
vista is beyond fail
Spoken like someone who has no idea what they're talking about.
That's not what was said.
The point was that that they won't design specifically for 10.1 ... that doesn't mean the new stuff won't be utilised if possible.
You do kindoff realize that the nvidia/ati drivers for vista are far from the quality of the ones on xp right?
I don't know what you are using but the perf hit of Vista and DX10 is so small it's not worth worrying about on my PC.
Nvidia and ATI now have DX10 cards from low to high spec so you're not right their either.
And by the time we reach the DX10 2x slower for the same game you've lost any credibility that you ever had...
I don't know what you are using but the perf hit of Vista and DX10 is so small it's not worth worrying about on my PC.
Nvidia and ATI now have DX10 cards from low to high spec so you're not right their either.
And by the time we reach the DX10 2x slower for the same game you've lost any credibility that you ever had...
Exactly, where do they come with the 2x slower number from? The games that have DX10 patches out don't use the DX10 API fully, they only use part of it to make graphics look a bit better. Also any DX10 scores for a game vs DX9 are purlly driver limited. If the video card drivers aren't up to the job, then you get ****ty scores. Simple fact.
"DirectX 10.1 Requires No New GPU" -- only as in "... if not using certain DirectX 10.1 features".
I understand the title refers to its backwards compatibility, but it sounds like you still need a new GPU if you wish to take advantage of some DX10.1 features.
"DirectX 10.1 Requires No New GPU" -- only as in "... if not using certain DirectX 10.1 features".
I understand the title refers to its backwards compatibility, but it sounds like you still need a new GPU if you wish to take advantage of some DX10.1 features.
You're right, but the key changes in DX10.1 over 10.0 are actually in Sound and not in video. No one sems to bring that fact up though. DX10.1 fully replaces DirectSound and now uses XAudio, the API used by the Xbox360 for true hardware surround sound support. It also takes full advantage of Vistas new audio stack. No more emulation of 5.1 in games, etc. Now devs can fully control the sound in their games, per speaker, per volume level and so on.
:|
If you are afraid of buying tech. simply because you fear it may be soon replaced by a newer technology, then save your money and wait fifteen years before buying your next system. But be aware that even that system, though 100x faster than today's computers, will still be superceded by yet newer technology only six months later.
If anything, this can only force 8800 prices down, which I'm more than happy with.
I'm looking forward to Crysis and Gears of War PC which support directx 10.
I'm looking forward to Crysis and Gears of War PC which support directx 10.
You built or you didn't built? Your speech is confusing LoL
Besides a slight update to DX10 overall, the biggest change is Xaudio completely replacing DirectSound.
This is good news, as there will be less to audio hardware emulation anymore. Games can take advantage of the new audio stack found in Vista (which is spectacular, BTW http://channel9.msdn.com/Showpost.aspx?postid=145665)
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