While Windows Vista and Direct X10 have their hardened supporters, the majority of gamers and PC users would rather just forget about the entire fiasco and move on.
The combination of these two advancements yielded disappointing results, with little noticeable improvements in visuals and generally lower frame rates being the order of the day. Many gamers and PC enthusiasts opted to skip Vista and DX10 altogether, choosing to stick with Windows XP and DX9.
The entire affair has left many gamers feeling skeptical about the approaching DX11.
While Windows 7 has won the majority of PC enthusiasts over with its well optimized system structure, solid performance and excellent driver support, DX11 remains a mystery to many.
Obviously Microsoft and AMD want users to adopt the new technology as quickly as possible, but many users do not necessarily want to purchase new hardware in order to do so. Add the dreaded memories of DX 10, and Microsoft and AMD is left with a tough crowd.
So, why should we look at DX11?
Well firstly, you don’t stop climbing a ladder because one rung is broken. You skip that rung and continue progressing. DX10 and Windows Vista are broken rungs, but that is no reason to stand still. In fact, it is all the more reason to progress.
AMD has announced its top 10 reasons why DX11 and Windows 7 will improve gaming.
10. Shader Model 5.0
An all new instruction set and improved compute and shading language should improve performance, and allow for advancements in visual quality. Furthermore, the object-orientated programming model simplifies code development, and makes it easy for developers to jump from DX9 to DX11. This should mean that far more developers get involved with DX11 than with DX10.
9. Faster frame rates
AMD claims that features such as Direct Comute 11, texture compression and tessellation enable significantly increased performance for DX11 over DX10. Battleforge was used as an example, and runs 30% faster in DX11 than it does in DX10.1.
8. Tesselation
Advanced tessellation techniques allow large polygons to be broken up into multiple small polygons. This creates a far more detailed image. We should therefore see more life-like characters and organic-looking objects in games.
7. Direct Compute 11
DirectCompute11 enables new improved processing of graphical techniques such as Image Process & Filtering, Order-Independent Transparency, Shadow Rendering, Physics, Artificial Intelligence and Ray-tracing. It also allows game developers to easily move workload from the CPU to the GPU.
This should result in improved 3D affects.
6. Multithreading
Windows 7 in conjunction with DX11 allows for significantly improved multithreading support. This should optimize distribution of work load over multiple CPU and GPU cores, and therefore, improve performance for those with multi core hardware.
5. Texture Compression
DX11 features a new technique for compressing and decompressing textured data. This should minimize data size and memory bandwidth consumption when rendering textures which will improve performance in DX11.
4. Refined Render Post Processing
This new technology basically allows for the GPU to apply advanced touch-up techniques to an image once it has been processed. This should create more realistic and impressive 3D visuals. The early footage of Dirt 2 and Aliens Vs Predators that we saw in London showed this new technology off nicely, yet it remains to be seen how consistently it is implemented in final products.
3. Unified Driver Support
While the other 9 reasons listed seem pretty valid, this one is a farce. The truth is that unified driver support is available for most modern hardware, and is not exclusive or new to DX11. It means that the installation and updating procedure for the HD 5xxx series graphics cards will be simple and straight forward, which it is already with most DX10 hardware.
2. DX11 Games
AMD is very proud of the fact that it already has top tier AAA game developers working on DX11 titles. These include DX11 versions of the following:
– BattleForge
– S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat
– Dirt2
– Lord of the Rings Online
– Dungeons and Dragons Online: Eberron Unlimited
– Aliens vs. Predator
– Genghis Khan
While there are definitely some great DX11 games in the pipleine, AMD would have done well to get something like Modern Warfare 2 or Crysis 2 on board for its DX11 push. Still, the early support shown for the new API by developers is a very positive sign. Interestingly, developer DX11 feedback presented at September’s HD 5800 launch in London was very positive.
1. Windows 7
DX11 has a very clear advantage over its predecessor- its operating system. Most gamers will be moving on to Windows 7, and the only way to take full advantage of the operating system and its features, is with a DX11 graphics card.
DX11 is off to a good start. AMD’s launch products, the HD 5870, HD 5850 and now HD 5770 are all looking like very good performers in their price range. Furthermore, claims of increased performance and improved visuals in DX11 are looking realistic, and a decent stable of DX11 launch titles on their way, with hopefully more to follow, should ensure a steady adoption of the new technology.
While things look good for now, it remains to be seen if DX11 can make good on its promises of improved performance, visual quality and support. DX11 will ship with Windows 7 next week, and the only way to unlock the new technology will be with an AMD HD 5xxx series graphics card.
DX11 vs DX10 screenshots and benchmarks to follow.
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