DirectX10 Coming for everyone, with the help of the 'Alky Project'

[zekrahminator]

We all know that DirectX10, for many of us, means an expensive upgrade and the move to a new operating system. We also know that DirectX10 is going to be necessary to play DX10 games such as Crysis and Halo 2 for the PC. What if I told you that a project sought to change that? That you could run DirectX10-exclusive games such as Halo 2 for PC on a DirectX9 platform with Windows 2000? Thanks to the Alky Project, we may not have to spend a penny to enjoy DirectX10 goodness. A quote from their official blog (I know, it's not an official web-page, but they do link to working models) tells us exactly how we can make DirectX10 work without spending at least $270 on a DirectX10 upgrade ($170 NVIDIA GeForce 8600GT, $100 Windows Vista Home Basic).

I'm proud to release a preview of our DirectX 10 compatibility libraries. These libraries allow the use of DirectX 10 games on platforms other than Microsoft Vista, and increase hardware compatibility even on Vista, by compiling Geometry Shaders down to native machine code for execution where hardware isn't capable of running it. No longer will you have to upgrade your OS and video card(s) to play the latest games.

The preview/beta build is here. Make sure to read the README file, as it will tell you exactly how to install the project.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[DrunkenMafia]

Sounds nice, but I thought that you could still play dx10 games on dx9 just without all the eye candy??? Maybe I was wrong..

 

[Fusion]

i bet m$ will try to block it somehow, i can see them loosing huge revenue if that does indeed happen.

 

[Deleted member 3]

i bet m$ will try to block it somehow, i can see them loosing huge revenue if that does indeed happen.

I doubt it, they aren't blocking(or trying to) WINE either are they?

 

[Deleted member 3]

Just tried it, tried it with the Cascades demo, doesn't work yet. Though the readme doesn't say any demos/programs work yet. I hope they get such demos and games working soon.

 

[b1lk1]

Of course all games will come encoded in DX9 for many years. Game designers, not MS, are the ones that will do this because they would lose untold millions of dollars if they didn't. Valve has said they plan on supporting DX8 for a few more years. DX10 is overhyped and you either have to spend too much on the 8800 series cards or you have to spend too much on lousy underpowered 8600 series cards.

 

[Mussels]

This will most likely end up the same as the pixel shader emulator in some openGL drivers - it works, only very slowly.

Also, Halo2 IS NOT DX10.

 

[jocksteeluk]

Alky Project, two thumbs up, these are the kind of thing people should be doing rather than being a buch of dick make viruses, even if it doesn't work 100% perfect at least it show Microsoft could allow dx10 on os's other than Vista but chose not to.

 

[Jimmy 2004]

I'm not surprised that it's being moved to other OSes, I always thought it would be - but I don't get how they can 'improve hardware support' - perhaps DX10 emulation, but I wouldn't expect good performance from that.

 

[EastCoasthandle]

I think the point being made is simple, DX10 should have been made available on XP. The nay sayers stated that it was impossible. That it would take a re-write of XP API and HAL to get DX10 to work. Hopefully, sometime in the near future it will be proven that DX10 will in fact work in XP and, all the nay sayers who said other wise was only posting FUD!

 

[Rodster]

If dx10 is ever made available for Windows XP, that will spell the end for Vista. As it stands right now very few want that bloatware in the first place. Most PC users have had the feeling that Vista was forced on us by Microsoft just to increase it's revenue and bring in some cash. It's no different than Sony forcing it's Blu-Ray player on PS3 owners.

So take that Microsoft if dx10 makes it to XP.

 

[Chewy]

I tried out vista with my dads laptop and I like it once I removed the bloatware.. but yeah they should of made dx10 compatible with XP.. it wont look good on them if it was this easy implement dx10 on XP, noone likes to get "forced" to stuff when its not really needed.

 

[RickyG512]

im a little confused, i understand u can play DX 10 games on XP without the DX10 card and vista, but do you still get the DX10 image features and eye candy

 

[Chewy]

From what I read your not seposed to be able to, but people are trying to get it to work, hopefully with 100% success.

edit: actually I was thinking of playing with dx10 enabled on XP.. yeah Im sure dx10 games will be able to be played on dx9cards in xp otherwise they game producers would lose a ton of money.

 

[BXtreme]

It's a really cool attempt But, it's emulated i.e not really made for it...
if M$ would give dx10 someway for xp by itself...

 

[Jimmy 2004]

im a little confused, i understand u can play DX 10 games on XP without the DX10 card and vista, but do you still get the DX10 image features and eye candy

Halo 2 will be Vista only - even though I don't think it's DX10. I mean come on, if it works on the original Xbox it could easily be made to work on XP as well as Vista.

 

[BXtreme]

Looks like there's a need for the creation of a New app called compatup, for upwards compatibility

 

[erocker]

I just think back on the Windows 98 to XP transition, and all I have to say is that most of us will be using Vista anyways once 3rd parties stop making the drivers. Just wait until the non-beta version of Windows Vista comes out which will also be known as SP1. (that is sarcasm folks) I use Vista on my other system (don't use it much) and it's still got plenty of bugs for those not using the latest and greatest hardware. And even they have problems. Plus it's a complete memory hog, good luck running any high-end applications with 1gb of memory. I would use 4gb minimum on vista. Or if you are not into dual-channel the minimum would be 2.5gb.

 

[Firedomain]

Halo 2 will be Vista only - even though I don't think it's DX10. I mean come on, if it works on the original Xbox it could easily be made to work on XP as well as Vista.

exept for the fact that they revamped HALO 2 for the PC...


& as for erocker... i'd have 2 fully agree there... vista atm SUCKS for running games... hows a game ment 2 reach great graphics & speed when vista hogs all the resources!!!!!!!

 

[ktr]

Also, Halo2 IS NOT DX10.

that is what i am saying...lol.

 

[Rodster]

I just think back on the Windows 98 to XP transition, and all I have to say is that most of us will be using Vista anyways once 3rd parties stop making the drivers. Just wait until the non-beta version of Windows Vista comes out which will also be known as SP1. (that is sarcasm folks) I use Vista on my other system (don't use it much) and it's still got plenty of bugs for those not using the latest and greatest hardware. And even they have problems. Plus it's a complete memory hog, good luck running any high-end applications with 1gb of memory. I would use 4gb minimum on vista. Or if you are not into dual-channel the minimum would be 2.5gb.

That's the reason why soooooo many are pissed at Vista. In order to get it to run like XP you have to use 4X the memory, buy a new CPU, video card and you might as well throw in a sound card because Creative Labs still has trouble releasing stable Vista drivers.

The day i'm forced to use this bloatware/shit operating system to play games is the day I switch exclusively to consoles. It's almost as if Windows Vista is bad joke by Microsoft.

 

[mtosev]

Not bad but Im already running Vista

 

[WarEagleAU]

Well at least its a start to help those of us who cant get a dx10 card and vista. btw, what is WINE?

 

[selway89]

Vista seems fine to me, just make sure you turn the stuff you dont need off.

I can run CS:Source with no problems everything maxed out. Cant speak for all games, but its a hell of alot better than the Beta2 and RC1, they didnt have opengl or video acceleration (anything like dvds and hd videos didnt run properly).

 

[Conti027]

well you guys have fun with that program ill stick with the right.