Microsoft talks DirectX 10, Vista and fancy graphics

by Ludwig Kietzmann { Jun 29th 2006 at 2:00AM }

In a lengthy interview with ExtremeTech, David Blythe and Chris Donahue of Microsoft divulge some of the intricacies inherent in the tenth iteration of DirectX, the API powering much of Vista's gaming OS aspirations. Interestingly, there are several features being implemented that aren't even present in next-gen consoles yet, though the interviewees are quick to point out that, aside from the PC version of Halo 2, there will be very few games in the next few years that specifically require DirectX 10 to run.

If talk of unified shaders and procedural rendering gets your heart racing (those vertex buffers are hawt), you'll find the interview pleasing in a multitude of ways. Even if you don't particularly care for the technical jargon, you may still find some merit in pulling back the curtain and seeing just how much thought and effort go into creating the tools necessary for a game developer to realize a specific vision. Of course, that often leads us to wonder which aspect of game design holds the greater influence -- do technical features come about because of the needs of the graphic designer, or does the artist gain new ideas as technology improves?

[Via ars technica]

Tags: API, DirectX, Halo 2, Halo2, Microsoft, MSFT, Technology, Vista, Windows Vista, WindowsVista

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Zo� Kunami @ Jun 29th 2006 4:17AM

This article's telling me it's bedtime.

Well played, Ludwig! Well played.

cringer8 @ Jun 29th 2006 4:30AM

"which aspect of game design holds the greater influence -- do technical features come about because of the needs of the graphic designer, or does the artist gain new ideas as technology improves?"

It's evolutionary, my dear Watson.

Technology "mutates" from generation to generation. There are many, slightly different varieties available to choose from. The beneficial mutations will survive (because they have successfully attracted the artists). Any arbitrary mutations will eventually fade away; like a lion born with an extra thumb growing out of his left buttock.

So you see, the technology changes because that's what it does, but it is ultimately the artist who decides what direction technology goes. By collectively deciding on only a few new additions to become “standards,” the consumers actually keep the technology market in check.

Without the other, each would progress not.

Keith L. Dick @ Jun 29th 2006 4:53AM

Someone Talking Dx10 & gaming???... Anything to do with Ms???...

Wake me when there is something worth reading about...

Has nothing to do with you Ludwig, just me I don't care much anymore....

Merus @ Jun 29th 2006 7:50AM

So wait, that would make it DirectX X then.

Bamboo @ Jun 29th 2006 8:29AM

Our mod Obsidian Edge 2 (http://www.obsidianedge.net) will be built off of Crysis, the next game coming from Crytek.
Crysis is looking like it will be the first DX10 game to reach the market, sometime around Christmas or shortly after when Vista is released.
As the devs have said, you can still play off of DX9 hardwear, but to really blow your mind you are going to want a DX10 card.