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
Seriously though, with the PS4 using OpenGL, I see a shift towards OpenGL as the game standard, since games will be extremely easy to port from the PS4 to Windows and OSX and Linux. I wouldn't be surprised if devs start developing for the PS4 originally, in OpenGL, so they can easily porting the game to PC/OSX/Linux, and then porting the game to Xbone.
OpenGL FTW!
Seriously though I think it's just another way to patch the fact that the hardware of the xbone is somewhat inferior to the PS4's or at least it needs more working on it just to get the goods out...and these 11.2 are just that tool the devs could use to better do that. And like someone else said it won't be used on the first games... so only time will tell how much relevance the newest APIs will actually have :)
To the gamers with half of our IQ, go ahead and purchase these products not knowing that the features are mostly pointless.
It doesn't matter what is AVAILABLE, game developers will focus on the majority of the market, and like you said, windows 7 numbers are still climbing. So that means several more years of 9.0c (although in fewer numbers) and 11.0 games (not 11.1 or 11.2) are what we will continue to see.
No games will be using these features within the next few years either. Most people aren't even using DX11 yet to it's full potential.
In short.. Who cares?
At the beginning of Vista MS introduced directx 10. This was supposed to move operating system sales, and be a feature integral to new games.
At the beginning of 7 MS said they'd introduce directx 11. Almost none of the newest games had feature support for directx 10, and those that did had them almost universally hidden because the consumer base had given Vista the finger.
Now people bought into 7, because it was a genuine improvement over xp. There were quibbles, but a functional 64 bit variant, better performance, and a smaller footprint had 7 beating out xp in almost every metric.
Windows 8 was introduced, with a ham-fisted attempt to unify the windows experience. People couldn't, and still can't, look past the UI for the incremental improvements. Rather than addressing the issue, MS gives people back a feature from the old UI without regards for what is actually being asked. People offer the same finger back to MS, that it offered them.
Knowing that OS sales are stagnating, MS introduces a new variant of directx just like the one packaged with Vista. They think that this time it will work, because their console will have it. Of course, the directx variant hasn't yet been released. This means that launch titles will not be able to use it, and the as yet unreleased OS won't see anything that uses it for a solid year.
So we have one of two situations here; MS hasn't talked to itself internally or they are raging idiots. The first conclusion is valid if the xbox arm hasn't been kept in the loop with the OS arm. If the struggles of the OS haven't been made clear, a person at the top could dictate the (for the sake of the Windows experience) inclusion of a new directx variant in the console to match the new OS.
This would be logical, assuming three things weren't true. MS has gone with slower RAM than Sony, so sharing that pool seems like a desperate effort to make it work better based on the aging directx standard. MS is giving away free upgrades to 8 users, basically saying that 8.1 is not bringing enough value to users to justify the cost of a new OS. Finally, the MS track record speaks volumes. They don't listen to customer feedback, crush dissenting views rather than understanding and addressing them, and developers are the ones being put in a tight place here. Who would spend valuable resources coding for 11.2 when the features can't be ported to another console, and only a small percentage of PC users might see the benefits? My money is on MS drawing a line in the sand, and telling the sea of change that they'll stab it if it crosses the line. In short, MS is being stupid.
So isn't it more-so a case of being a bit late with the news?
Anyway they should listen to some of the people and upgrade win7 instead of trying to strong arm the money off us , I paid a decent amount for win 7 ulty dont I deserve a bit of loyalty and service.
Microsoft: OK we will put back the start button.
Users: This start button you put sucks MS please fix it.
Microsoft: Naaa you fix it yourself but you can take this, DX11.2 for the Xbox One and 8.1.:toast:
Users: But most people don't care about that and most developers won't even use it.
Micosoft: Someone will, and thats all that matters so you can eat a ****.:cool:
Very well written, you should apply for a job as a writer here ;)