DirectX 10: The Future of PC Gaming

There is already one big DX 10 only title set for release next year: the PC version of Halo 2. Then again this is from MS owned Bungie, so that isn't too surprising.

Depending on how fast Vista is adopted will mean how soon more DX10 only titles are released. I don't think anyone right now can make the call about how fast Vista will spread on PC's. It is a given that most new computer purchases from major manufacturers will have Vista pre-installed once it is formally released. Beyond that is purely variable. While developers do seem genuinely pleased the improvements in DX 10, most of them are not abandoning DX 9 because of this.

Open GL could certainly handle a geometry shader in Windows XP (or any other modern operating system for that matter) in theory. I haven't seen the three new nVidia extensions (EXT_gpu_shader4, EXT_geometry_shader4, and EXT_bindable_uniform) appear on SGI's Extension Registry. From the sound of it though, those extensions are available under Windows XP with Geforce 8800 cards and recent nVidia drivers.

One thing worth noting is that Vista is playing catch up to OS X, Linux and modern UNIX systems a bit. Those operating systems have allowed for multiple applications to take advantage of 3D hardware for years.

 

ok I did check know one else mentioned this as far as I can see. It also maybe a really stupid question that im asking but i dont know myself, what happens if I install DX10 on my pc and I am running a 7800 GTX? Will it work? and if not what will happen?

 

It will work fine. DX10 cards are fully reverse compatible to systems running DX9.

 

You won't get DX10 on a DX9 card.

 

No, but a DX9 card in a system which has a DX10 capable OS will ignore the DX10 parts and run fine.

 

DX9 card on DX10 software

You mixed it up

 

I shouldn't post without caffiene.

However, my original statement stands. You can run a 8800GTX on a DX9 system and it will work. You just won't get the DX10 features.

 

Yea, thats obvious.

 

There are two versions of DirectX installed on Windows Vista - DirectX 10, and DirectX 9Ex. DirectX 9Ex is "compatible" with all GPUs and DirectX 10 is only used with DirectX 10 hardware - any hardware that isn't DirectX 10 compatible will not use DirectX 10.

 

Are you sure Supreme Commander will be a dx10 game? I'm playing the open beta right now and it's on dx9.0c .

 

Yes, the DirectX 10 libraries aren't available until January when Windows Vista ships.

 

SC is to be released in 'early 2007', that'll be a quick job implementing dx10

 

Well, Devs have had DirectX 10 hardware since October at the earliest, maybe even late September.

 

True, but they had DX10 hardware emulators (+ DX10 proto drivers running on XP) for quite some time now, it's not that hard to do on DX9 hardware, it will look the same, but you just won't get any umpf out of it.

 

Thanks everyone that replied

 

Upgrading to DX10 and Vista - requirements?

Tim -

So let's say that we've already got a powerful DX9 WinXP gaming rig. Besides a nice DX10 GPU (or two), what other hardware bits are going to need upgraded to run Vista well? (By well, I mean being able to run bleeding edge games, silly!)

For example, I'm hearing some buzz about how Vista won't run well on existing hard drive technology. Apparently, there's a new HD tech on the horizon which is, in my simple understanding, a typical hard drive with a bunch of flash memory integrated (for fast access to frequently-used data).

 

Vista runs find on existing drive tech

 

DX 10 on laptops?

Does anyone have any idea how long it will be till we get DX10 GPUs on laptops?
"Nvidia Geforce GO 8800" thats what i want!

 

Hi Alex25994 - welcome to the bit-tech forums.

DX10 on notebooks? It will certainly happen. I don't have any specific roadmap info (and would be bound by an NDA if I did) BUT I would take a stab at "Summer 2007". Mobile graphics aren't really influenced in the same way that the desktop race-for-pace is. Having said that, I read today somewhere that ATI are prepping DX10 mobile chips (though beware: not all X2xxx mobile series are DX10; some are still DX9 apparently).

My question to you is this: do you *really* want to play DX10 games on the move? OR do you want the portability of a notebook with the option to play games when you're plugged in at home? Keep an eye on the site for news of a funky Docking Station that lets you use *desktop* PCI-E graphics.

That way you can have Intel integrated graphics and a thin laptop (battery life ++ ) when you travel BUT with the grunt of a desktop 8800 GTX for when you want to game at home.

 

There are some people for whom mobile gaming is somthing of a must. Two years ago I spent three months living in a hotel room on deployment with FEMA and spent a lot of my off time playing CS:CZ on my laptop. In that instance battery life was unimportant but performance was. I can see laptops splitting into two evolutionary paths, a "luggable" desktop replacement and the more portable thin systems. To some extent it is already happening, but the distinction has not hit the marketing departments yet.