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
I get what your saying but id rather ms levied better features , content and connect ability then just cut off features from 7 , its the bs strongarming that's unnecessary and annoying, oh and since you don't have a point bar were all dicks stop trollin.
For a few in this thread.
What I truly don't understand is why people don't use windows 8, and then if they hate the UI so much, use Start8 or Classic Shell? That way you get all the performance enhancements, while staying with your beloved Windows 7 UI. :laugh:
Unless Windows 8 does not support software you use on a daily basis, or manufacture of a specific hardware or device doesn't have drivers for windows 8, theres not much of a reason to not use Windows 8 with all the options out there to get it to function like Windows 7 in minutes.
Whats not to get ?..
Have enough of the government and it's BS( all Americans Insured crap but that's another story which you can truly do shit about ) so one thing for sure i am not going pay some one to make some thing i dislike.
none of us use it, because the UI is asshat backwards. i got paid to fix a win 8 users printer problems, and windows kept taking me to the metro 'devices' app where printers have NO OPTIONS AT ALL. i had to load the printer settings through fracking IE!
the OS is decent, but metro totally fecks it over.
microcenter had full versions for like $20 dollars or so at launch. I bought 2. 1 for my night stand pc and one for the main. main is still on 7 only because I haven't gotten around to reformatting yet. but my secondary has 8 and runs great. just a e8500 dual core @ 4.2ghz 4 gigs of ddr2 and a gtx285, runs flawless. actually if just surfing or watching vids it is just as fast as my sandy rig.
Stop being all butthurt over Microsoft, they will do what they want regardless. and windows 8 is ok. 8.1 with a stock start button, should be better than 7.
I've found the speed improvements people talk about are more an effect of starting fresh and not really Win8.
My testing has shown me that it is dumbed down....it's like "MS for Dummies," with your ability to control many things gone. You need the desktop.
or
windows + x > p > Printers and devices
Satisfied W8 user here :D
windows + x > p is the new one. Less typing. Or windows + i > Control Panel > Devices and printers. Or windows + c > Configuration > Control Panel > Devices and printers.
And yes, power users should familiarize with system shorcuts IMO.