Question about DX9

[Archlyn]

I've heard Microsoft's new DX platfprm is going to be almost totally different from the current DX implemintation. Is this true? If so, will it still be backwords compatinle with the other DX platforms?

[Kane]

Yes it will.

[Archlyn]

Any idea why it's goinmg to be so different?

[campi]

well new technologies and stuff, new vertex and pixel shaders, support for the new technologies on geforceFX, radeon 9700 and stuff like that

[Kane]

That''s basicaly it. It's losing the fixed function set of DX8- and going for a completely programable pipeline for the GeForceFX and Radeon 9700+

[T.O.F.K.A.Z]

Originally posted by Kane
That''s basicaly it. It's losing the fixed function set of DX8- and going for a completely programable pipeline for the GeForceFX and Radeon 9700+

Is that a good thing or a bad thing for us with cards lower then those (read all ppl) ?

[Kane]

It matters not. All the DX8 and below feature sets are there, so it does't affect you in the slightest until you get a DX9 card.

[REi_FoX]

so it will perform better if you have a DX 9 based card...

another upgrade... i havent upgrade my CPU and MOBO yet and now....

[Kane]

>so it will perform better if you have a DX 9 based card...

No. Normally DX updates do not increase perfomance. It'll merely allow games to use Dx9 effects.

[AtomicFeline]

What video cards on the market could use some of the functionality of DX9? My card? The new (but never advertised) TI 4800?

[Kane]

Only the Radeon 9700 and theas yet unreleased GeForceFX.

[Craig Venom]

DX9 have some new vertex and pixel shader, since any cards that's lower than DX9 can't handle vertex and pixel shader very well and even slow when to execute them, how will the perfomance be in DX9 for lower card? Will it be run even slow or normal?

[Demigod]

DX9 will support vertex shader v2.0 and pixel shader v2.0. DX8 supports vertex shader v1.0 and pixel shader v1.3 (DX8.1 = pixel shader v1.4 - Radeon 8500/9000 specific). Feel free to correct me on the version numbers, I'm not entirely sure. Anyways, DX9 will extend upon the programmable shader concept of DX8. It'll add more flexibility in instructions and logic (allowing looping, etc.). The pipeline for DX9 cards will also be entirely floating-point, as opposed to the interger pipelines on DX8 cards. A floating-point pipeline will allow greater accuracy and color. Displacement mapping will also be a new feature, although I don't know much about it. Microsoft may also be releasing its Cg language soon (possibly with DX9), which will allow greater ease when developing DX9 programs.

[metal_ash]

so........improve graphics but ubtil you have purchased a dx9 graphic card.

[Juramatic]

Well actually the dx9 final hasn't been released yet. I read somewhere that it may support PS 3.0 & VS 3.0 also (But that is unsure) The Radeon 9700 supports PS 2.0 & VS 2.0 and the upcoming GeForceFx supports PS 2.0+ & VS 2.0+. So it has more advanced shaders than dx9 provides. The Radeon 9700/pro, GeforcefX & Matrox's card are NOT 100% dx9.0 compliant. None of them support dicplacement mapping 100% which is part of dx9. Installing dx9 on the dx8.1 (or lower) will not boost it's performance but adds SOME dx9 effects which can be done by EMULATING. Installing dx9 on dx9 card will make the next-gen card to use dx9 effects & it gives the card makers the opportunity to optimize the drivers so the card will run at maximum performance.

[w3_tennis_duran]

so do u say dx 9 is useless in my videocard hmm malabo kid

[Juramatic]

Originally posted by w3_tennis_duran
so do u say dx 9 is useless in my videocard hmm malabo kid

I quess so. You will probably not see any performance increase