Microsoft Speaks DirectX 10

SpinnerSpinner Birmingham, UK
edited September 2005 in Science & Tech
Microsoft has finally saw sense and decided to drop Windows Graphic Foundation (WGF) and replace it with the more easier and logical DirectX 10 name for its next generation API.
The DirectX 10 API will have completely new and faster dynamic link libraries (DLLs) and is supposed to run much faster. The company decided to cut the backward compatibility with DirectX 9, 8, 7 and lower in this API but there will be a way to use games programmed for those APIs. Microsoft will enable support for DX 9 or lower games through a software layer, meaning it might run slower.
Source: The Inquirer

Comments

  • RWBRWB Icrontian
    edited September 2005
    Me no likey.... :wtf:

    After reading a bit more though and thinking about it, it probably wouldn't be that bad conisdering the incredible pace that graphics cards are advancing. Being slower might not be that much slower, but still faster in the fact that the hardware will be so much faster it wouldn't be noticable?
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited September 2005
    Yeah, can't say I like this either. What is wrong with DX detecting what version the program wants to use and using a secondary DX9 mode or somesuch rather than a compatability layer?
  • CyrixInsteadCyrixInstead Stoke-on-Trent, England Icrontian
    edited September 2005
    Isn't 'secondary DX9 mode' just a posh name for a compatability layer? I didn't read the article but I'm all for cutting true backwards compatability if it means that it jettisons excess baggage and makes things better. As long as the compatability issue is no slower than today, then there's no problem.

    I won't make a judgement on that until it happens but I think Microsoft know it would be stupid to force people to play their games slower just to adopt a new DX version, especially as the vast majority of people won't be upgrading to DX 10 hardware for a long time. It's only the geeks that adopt early.

    ~Cyrix
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited September 2005
    CyrixInstead wrote:
    Isn't 'secondary DX9 mode' just a posh name for a compatability layer? I didn't read the article but I'm all for cutting true backwards compatability if it means that it jettisons excess baggage and makes things better. As long as the compatability issue is no slower than today, then there's no problem.

    I won't make a judgement on that until it happens but I think Microsoft know it would be stupid to force people to play their games slower just to adopt a new DX version, especially as the vast majority of people won't be upgrading to DX 10 hardware for a long time. It's only the geeks that adopt early.

    ~Cyrix

    No, by secondary DirectX9 mode I mean like dual booting, so it has DX9 for things that need it and DX10 for the new things. They have already stated that it will be using a compatability layer and that things WILL be slower...
Sign In or Register to comment.