Thursday, July 4th 2013
DirectX 11.2 Exclusive to Windows 8.1 and Xbox One
Our recent editorial on adoption of Windows 8.1 by PC enthusiasts concluded saying "...and Microsoft isn't stopping with its innovations that will get increasingly out of reach for Windows 7 users." It looks like the first of such innovations is DirectX 11.2. Microsoft revealed that the latest version of its multimedia API will require Windows 8.1 on the PC, and comes built into its next-generation Xbox One console. With this, Microsoft established that you will need Windows 8.1 or later, to access future versions of DirectX.
Microsoft has often used the tactic of limiting DirectX versions to certain versions of Windows, often citing driver-model changes, to force PC enthusiasts to either upgrade, or lag behind in PC technology, and in the past it worked. Windows XP capped out at DirectX 9.0c, forcing gamers to upgrade to Windows Vista, to experience cutting-edge games of the time, such as "Crysis," with new visual effects that DirectX 10 brought to the scene. DirectX 11.0 had the unique distinction of spanning across Windows Vista and Windows 7. DirectX 11.1 was exclusive to Windows 8 and above, as it required WDDM 1.2 (Windows display driver model). The Direct3D component of the API didn't bring anything substantial to the scene. With Windows 8.1, Microsoft is introducing DirectX 11.2, it requires WDDM 1.3, which the operating system introduces. Since Windows 8.1 will be offered as a free upgrade to current Windows 8 users, it's effectively the Windows 7 user-base, that's being asked to take a hike.
DirectX 11.2 introduces a few new Direct3D features that could matter to games. The "D3D tiled resources" feature is analogous to OpenGL MegaTexture, implemented on id Software's "Rage." The feature offers a better alternative to the current model of streaming textures as a 3D scene is being rendered; by letting developers use larger textures that are fewer in number. Portions of these giant monolithic textures would be accessed by an application, as they become relevant to the scene being rendered. The complete texture needn't be loaded to the memory. In essence, mega-textures heralds a sort of virtual memory system to GPUs, and shifts the focus from increasingly larger video memory to faster memory.
With Windows 7 user-base being cut out from DirectX 11.2, game developers may think twice before spending time to implement D3D tiled resources, but there's also Xbox One to consider. DirectX 11.2 is at the heart of the console, and Microsoft could recommend developers to take advantage of tiled resources, to optimally use the console's limited hardware resources. That could hasten the adoption of DirectX 11.2 by developers, on the PC front.
Among the features DirectX 11.2 introduces are:
Sources:
Microsoft, NextPowerUp
Microsoft has often used the tactic of limiting DirectX versions to certain versions of Windows, often citing driver-model changes, to force PC enthusiasts to either upgrade, or lag behind in PC technology, and in the past it worked. Windows XP capped out at DirectX 9.0c, forcing gamers to upgrade to Windows Vista, to experience cutting-edge games of the time, such as "Crysis," with new visual effects that DirectX 10 brought to the scene. DirectX 11.0 had the unique distinction of spanning across Windows Vista and Windows 7. DirectX 11.1 was exclusive to Windows 8 and above, as it required WDDM 1.2 (Windows display driver model). The Direct3D component of the API didn't bring anything substantial to the scene. With Windows 8.1, Microsoft is introducing DirectX 11.2, it requires WDDM 1.3, which the operating system introduces. Since Windows 8.1 will be offered as a free upgrade to current Windows 8 users, it's effectively the Windows 7 user-base, that's being asked to take a hike.
DirectX 11.2 introduces a few new Direct3D features that could matter to games. The "D3D tiled resources" feature is analogous to OpenGL MegaTexture, implemented on id Software's "Rage." The feature offers a better alternative to the current model of streaming textures as a 3D scene is being rendered; by letting developers use larger textures that are fewer in number. Portions of these giant monolithic textures would be accessed by an application, as they become relevant to the scene being rendered. The complete texture needn't be loaded to the memory. In essence, mega-textures heralds a sort of virtual memory system to GPUs, and shifts the focus from increasingly larger video memory to faster memory.
With Windows 7 user-base being cut out from DirectX 11.2, game developers may think twice before spending time to implement D3D tiled resources, but there's also Xbox One to consider. DirectX 11.2 is at the heart of the console, and Microsoft could recommend developers to take advantage of tiled resources, to optimally use the console's limited hardware resources. That could hasten the adoption of DirectX 11.2 by developers, on the PC front.
Among the features DirectX 11.2 introduces are:
- HLSL shader linking
- Inbox HLSL compiler
- GPU overlay support
- DirectX tiled resources
- Direct3D low-latency presentation API
- DXGI Trim API and map default buffer
- Frame buffer scaling
- Multithreading with SurfaceImageSource
- Interactive Microsoft DirectX composition of XAML visual elements
- Direct2D batching with SurfaceImageSource
192 Comments on DirectX 11.2 Exclusive to Windows 8.1 and Xbox One
Now how's about you respect others opinion instead of insinuating idiocy , churlishness and that were all crying, im not even all that bothered tbh as its unimportant until a games out in two years im just discussing it as I like others are sat bored.
I used win8 for three months with classic start , I didn't much like it but Am used to using it and still on the whole dont like it but ill try it again when it actually matters.
who cares?
really.
i mean the last x.1 that got any real play was 8.1 and that was soon killed of by 9.
dx10.1 had what, 2 games?
11.1 looks like nobody cares and 11.2 is probably only going to make it into games which microsoft pay for it to be there in.
It's difficult to understand why MS refused to simply give us the option of a classic interface that blends the good features of W7 and W8 for desktops, while using the new interface exclusively on mobile touch devices. It could easily be done in a fashion that still has the feel of the new UI, so MS could market the UI as unified on all platforms, while still giving us some choice out of the box. OOB is key because while 3rd party apps / tweaks already provide this, they don't remedy resentment for not getting what we should have already had.
As for DX 11.2, what a mess too. We have just now reached the point where developers are willing to fully utilize DX11 with no backwards compatibility. I can't imagine who or why anyone would spend a nickle adding in DX11.2 features to a PC game if it's not available in W7.
Like I care about some useless **** in equally hopeless W8. All games I play run between DX7 and 9. Sorry but I haven't found anything interesting created in last 5-6 (more?) years
I've been using W8 since it launched and the only thing I see of metro is the start screen. For everything else I use the keyboard just as well as I did on W7.
windows + x is awesome BTW. I think that was added as a transition tool or something, it's extremely useful. Like a handyman belt or something.
I seriously can't see why most developers in future would choose DirectX over OpenGL on Windows for multiplatform ... it's faster, more flexible, more features, much easier to modify and update once the game has released, and more importantly PS4, Linux and Mac share it ... only the XBoxGoHome is exclusively restricted to DX.
It actually uses DirectX 11 as well and I'd assume most games will be DirectX 11 API based for Playstation 4.
The fact that desktop PC's last longer and people don't buy a complete system every year or two like they do with tablets or laptops doesn't mean it's a dying market. It's in fact still a strong sales market for the pc and components. Everyone I know has a PC, and also has a tablet and/or laptop, and a smartphone. They use them all at different times for their own niche, but each has a purpose in their lives. And yes, most of the people I know upgrade their PC's bit by bit.
And yes, I and everyone I know has a good cross-section of OS too, some Apple products, some Windows Vista, W7, and even beginning to do Windows 8. But no one I know has completely wiped the slate clean and replaced them all with W8. Not one of them, even the non-power users, likes W8. I use it on one of my computers, and I'm getting used to it, but it just is not favored to me like W7 is. W8 quite frankly, the way MS intended it to be used, with the average user never leaving the start screen, feels like Microsoft For Dummies.
Bottom line is, it ALL has it's place. But here you are on a PC enthusiast community talking about the demise of the desktop like has been predicted for ten years, when it's still as strong as ever. There are just a lot more tools to use now (which get purchased more frequently, giving artificial usage results), that's all, and that is perfectly fine!
No the SONY (not MS) console does not implement or have any support whatsoever for the DX API. None. If games don't use OpenGL for various things, it's because they're doing something direct to metal.
.
I have not followed the thread but I hope I did the right thing because i do not like Win 8 when i saw first time but i can get used to me.
www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=182646&highlight=decline
That being said, it says nothing about the number of parts being sold, and it doesn't take into account that for most average, non-techie people, there is no reason to buy a new PC just because a new operating system comes out. It doesn't mean they aren't using them. They last for years. And a lot of those average (non-enthusiast) people will upgrade at least the memory and video card, giving more years of life.
Really, what they should do is a comprehensive survey on USAGE, not sales. That would show a different story.
And if you believe ever thing some site tells ya which i am sure you don't your blind as a bat.
For all those idiots know more people could be building there own systems and then still there is always ups and downs in every market and the PC market as pre built or as parts are selling.
Lets face it a person can only afford so much and that tablet might have to come 1st as the only time i am going believe crap like that thread goes on about is if it continues over a lot more than 1 year LMFAO Shii weather man is more accurate and they suck at it.