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Windows gaming pioneer Eric Engstrom dies at 55
Eric Engstrom, who played a key role in propelling Windows gaming and the Xbox through DirectX, has died at 55.
'Fortnite' DirectX 12 update boosts performance on high-end PCs
Fortnite is about to make better use of your fast gaming rig. Epic is rolling out an update to the Windows version of its battle royale shooter that adds support for DirectX 12. If you have a high-end graphics chipset, you should see "higher and steadier" frame rates thanks to both better CPU peformance and better distribution of 3D rendering tasks across multiple cores. Accordingly, AMD has posted new drivers that enable DirectX 12 support in Fortnite.
Windows 7's first DirectX 12 game is 'World of Warcraft'
Gamers who remain on Windows 7 can now play World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth with the added boost of DirectX 12. Microsoft announced that Blizzard would be the first game developer to offer DirectX 12 support for Windows 7. This will be good news for stubborn Windows 7 users who still haven't upgraded to Windows 10. Thanks to the API's support for multi-threading, players can expect a framerate boost even on the older OS.
Ray tracing explained: The future of hyper-realistic graphics
Ray tracing has long been gaming's holy grail. A method of creating hyper-realistic lighting and graphics, for years ray tracing has been promised as the technology that will take games the next step closer to total realism. Ray tracing has perennially been just on the horizon, but at GDC 2018, both NVIDIA and Microsoft showed off technology that could make real-time ray tracing a reality. Typical graphics technology, struggle with how light works. Most games used rasterization, which draws a frame almost the same way someone paints a picture, one bit at a time, and with a lot of approximation. Ray tracing hews closer to how light works in the real world, by modelling millions of beams of light, and calculating how they'd bounce around a scene.
NVIDIA announces exclusive features for GPUs that don't exist
It's been exactly five years since NVIDIA announced Volta, its next-generation GPU architecture. The closest thing to a Volta consumer graphics card we've seen since is the Titan V, a $3,000 offering targeted at scientists that was announced three months ago. Well, today at GDC, NVIDIA is... still not announcing a new GeForce card based on Volta. What it's doing instead is teasing that Volta cards will have some exclusive GameWorks features. The new features are part of "RTX," a "highly scalable" solution that, according to the company, will "usher in a new era" of real-time ray tracing. Keeping with the acronyms, RTX is compatible with DXR, Microsoft's new ray tracing API for DirectX. To be clear, DXR will support older graphics cards; it's only the NVIDIA features that will be locked to "Volta and future generation GPU architectures."
Microsoft aims to power up PC and mobile games with DirectX 12
The time for teasing is over. Today at GDC, Microsoft pulled back the curtain on DirectX 12, a shiny new edition of its venerable graphics APIs that some lucky developers can start mucking around with later this year. Microsoft Graphics Development Manager Anuj Gosalia talked up a storm out in SF: he noted that DX12 would (among other things) yield performance boosts across all of Microsoft's platforms, including Xbox One and Windows Phone.
Microsoft teases DirectX 12 reveal for GDC, rumors pit it against AMD's Mantle
That death knell AMD has been ringing for DirectX? Microsoft's having none of it. The software giant is now teasing the next version of the Windows graphics API, inviting developers to join it at GDC for the official reveal of DirectX 12. The splash page reveals little besides the version's numeric and announcement time, but it does feature partner logos for Intel, Qualcomm, Nvidia and, of course, AMD. AMD's disdain for the platform helped birth Project Mantle -- a competing API that gives developers lower-level access (and as a result, more leverage over) PC graphics hardware. One of Microsoft's GDC sessions suggest that something similar is in the works for its own development platform: "You asked us to bring you even closer to the metal... ...so that you can squeeze every last drop of performance out of your PC, tablet, phone and console," reads the description for one of the firms DirectX presentations. "Come learn our plans to deliver." It sure sounds similar, and indeed, it meshes well with recent rumors. Sources close to ExtremeTech say that while the two APIs will have different implementations, both should offer the same benefits. They also say that Microsoft's "close to the metal" lower-level access API is a relatively new project in Redmond, meaning it probably won't muscle in on Mantle's territory until sometime next year. Between that, and the fact that Microsoft has recently taken to limiting Direct X upgrades to Windows upgrades, it's possible that we might not see DirectX 12 in access until we're installing Windows 9.
Battlefield 4 won't get AMD-powered frame rate boost until later in January
The company known affectionately as Advanced Micro Delays has just confirmed something we already knew: the intriguing Mantle update for Battlefield 4, which promises a "significant" frame rate bonus for PC gamers running AMD hardware, has been postponed. It didn't arrive in December like it was supposed to, but is now officially meant to be on track for release sometime in January. The gossip is that the source of the delay isn't actually on AMD's side, but rather on EA DICE's, since the game developer has been swamped with bug-fixing chores and hasn't had time to focus on luxuries. Meanwhile, other developers tell us that they're getting on well with Mantle, thanks to its ability to circumvent DirectX and make better use of AMD's Graphics Core Next and octa-core CPU designs -- and that's something that we expect to be able to prove, one way or another, in the next few days.
Intel details 4th-gen Core's HD 5000, Iris and Iris Pro graphics: up to 3X faster, 3-display collage mode
Many already believe that the real highlight of Intel's 4th-generation Core processor lineup would be a giant graphics update. Today, Intel is revealing that they're right -- and, importantly, that there's an equally large shift in naming strategy. Where 3rd-generation Core graphics were divided into two tiers, the new generation is focused on three, two of which are built for performance over efficiency. Ultrabooks with 15W U-series processors will use comparatively ordinary (if still faster) HD 5000 graphics. Thin-and-light laptops with 28W U-series chips get a new tier, Iris, that Intel claims is up to twice as fast in 3D as last year's HD Graphics. Power-hungry parts see even more of a boost: they can carry Iris Pro graphics with embedded DRAM, which should double the 3D speed on H-series mobile chips (47-55W of typical power) and triple it for the R-series (around 65-84W) on the desktop. We also know that M-series laptop and K-series desktop CPUs will have Iris Pro options. The feature set for the graphics trio is slightly more familiar to us, although there are a few tricks up Intel's sleeve. All three can draw DirectX 11.1 and OpenGL 4 visuals, as well as take on OpenCL 1.2 computing and faster media processing. We're almost more interested in the display modes, though. Along with receiving "enhanced" 4K output, the new Core graphics can handle a 3-screen collage mode -- we won't need dedicated video for a large, multi-monitor canvas. Sadly, Intel isn't providing more than incidental details about the processors themselves, although it has already teased that we'll get the full story around the Computex show in early June. %Gallery-187340%
Microsoft warns gamers DirectX 11.1 is Windows 8-only
We hope there weren't too many PC gamers clinging to Windows 7 for dear life, because Microsoft isn't about to rescue them with a near-term DirectX update. The company's Daniel Moth (and supporting documentation) states that DirectX 11.1 is exclusive "for all practical purposes" to Windows 8-based platforms, including Windows RT and Windows Server 2012 -- you can't leap forward in media support without a full-on OS switch. None of the changes are large enough to trigger any immediate envy outside of the occasional fan of 3D glasses, but they could pose problems for conservative gamers in the long run if games and other visually intensive titles start demanding 11.1 as a baseline. There's no known plans to port the code back or release a harmonizing version, either. We can at least take comfort in knowing that Windows 8 upgrades are cheap enough to be low-hanging fruit for all but the most Metrophobic.
Linux Left 4 Dead 2 outperforms Direct X Windows version
Valve recently announced that it will be bringing a few of Steam's most popular games to Linux, the first of those being Left 4 Dead 2. But besides the novelty factor of running the now classic zombie simulator on penguin-emblazoned hardware, there may be another reason to try the new platform out: It'll be faster. Even now, during development, the Valve team has L4D2 running at 315 frames per second on the Linux text platform, as compared to the standard Windows speed of 270.6 FPS.At that point, of course, the speeds are mostly arbitrary. But as Valve says, this speed shows the potential in customizing a game for the Linux operating system. This work on Linux is also benefiting the Windows teams - in working on the Linux version, Valve was able to speed up the OpenGL implementation on Windows to 303.4 FPS.
Microsoft digs deep into Windows 8's hardware graphics boost, says fast just isn't slick enough
While Microsoft has been exploring the sensory experiences that will go into Windows 8, like sight and touch, there's only one thing that many enthusiasts care about: speed. To their delight, Redmond has just devoted one of its pre-release blog posts to showing just how much faster its hardware graphics acceleration will be in a Metro-focused universe. The goal is a hiccup-free 60Hz frame rate, and virtually everything in Windows 8 centers on that ambition. Baked-in transition effects, optimized geometry and even improved font rendering give modern computers a huge jump in performance versus Windows 7. Microsoft is just as keen to expose that power, as well: Direct3D 11.1 is now the root of all video acceleration in the pipeline, making it both easier and faster to mix 2D and 3D. All told, Windows 8 promises to get responsiveness freaks and benchmark lovers all hot and bothered. If either label describes you, the source link might satiate your lust until October 26th.
AMD reveals Trinity specs, claims to beat Intel on price, multimedia, gaming
Itching for the details of AMD's latest Accelerated Processing Units (APUs)? Then get ready to scratch: Trinity has arrived and, as of today, it's ready to start powering the next generation of low-power ultra-portables, laptops and desktops that, erm, don't run Intel. The new architecture boasts up to double the performance-per-watt of last year's immensely popular Llano APUs, with improved "discrete-class" integrated graphics and without adding to the burden on battery life. How is that possible? By how much will Trinity-equipped devices beat Intel on price? And will it play Crysis: Warhead? Read on to find out.
Imagination Technologies unveils G6200 and G6400, first two GPUs based on PowerVR Series6
First announced in February of last year, Imagination Technologies has officially announced the licensing availability of its first two GPUs based on the Series6 platform. The PowerVR G6200 and G6400 each promise to bring low power graphics to unprecedented levels and are said to deliver up to 20 times more horsepower than the current generation while also being five times more efficient. In tangible terms, the Series6 GPU cores are capable of exceeding 100 gigaflops and are said to approach the teraflop range. All chipsets based on Series6 are backward compatible with Series5 and fully support OpenGL 3.x, 4.x and ES, along with OpenCL 1.x and DirectX 10. Further, specific models will also support DirectX 11.1 with full WHQL compliance. Poised to shake up the mobile gaming ecosystem, Imagination has already lined up partners that include ST-Ericsson, Texas Instruments, Renesas Electronics and MediaTek. The full PR, complete with all the bragging, can be found after the break.
Display changes for graphics and levels in Star Trek Online
As the free-to-play conversion for Star Trek Online continues to approach, the game's development team continues to make more last-minute polishes. As outlined in the most recent entry in the Path to F2P blog series, one improvement directly pertains to the game's graphics, putting in DirectX 11 support for players whose cards can support the display mode. While it won't offer a performance increase for every player, there are players who have reported big jumps in FPS with DirectX 11 on while testing on the Tribble server. The other major improvement deployed to the test server is a change to the game's rank display. Previously, the game displayed levels by rank and grade -- a player would move from Commander 10 (level 29) to Captain 1 (level 30), which was evocative of the setting but a bit hard to process at a glance. So the display has been trimmed up and improved, with player level displaying as a rank followed by the level (the previous example would now display as Commander 29, then Captain 30). No actual levels have been lost -- it's just a change to ensure that new players have an easier time understanding the level differences.
Windows Server 8 and Azure platform introduced, Metro-style app building starts today
Server and Tools Business President Satya Nadella, amongst others, took the stage at Build today in order to showcase something a bit less consumer-facing: Windows Server 8 and the revised Windows Azure platform. Fret not, though -- this all plays a vital role in how you'll be enjoying Windows 8 in the months to come. A Visual Studio 11 Developer Preview will be made available to coders starting today, enabling devs to concoct Metro-style applications with HTML 5, JavaScript, C#, Visual Basic and C++. We're told that the Visual Studio 11 Developer Preview is available today for Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) subscribers and will be made available to the public on Friday. Microsoft also announced that Server 8 would provide multi-tenant infrastructure for cloud services, while the Azure Marketplace would expand to 25 new nations in early October. Those hoping to dig deeper can head on past the break (and visit the source links below). %Gallery-133730%
Microsoft launches Windows 8 developer preview, downloads are live!
We got a taste of Windows 8 back at D9, but the real bounty is waiting in Anaheim. The company's kicking off its Build conference with a full-on developer preview of its next major desktop operating system, still code-named Windows 8 for the time being. According to Steven Sinofsky -- president of the Windows and Windows Live Division at Microsoft -- the company has "reimagined Windows," bringing about a "new range of capabilities" that coders will begin to dig into sooner rather than later. As we'd seen before, the "Metro-styled" user interface is front-and-center, bringing graphical elements of Windows Phone 7 to desktop, laptop and tablet users of the future. Internet Explorer 10 is also onboard, as well as a focus on "apps" that can communicate with one another, and content that can sync across devices. Folks comfortable in a Win7 environment ought to be right at home here -- Win8 is built on the same foundation, though the retooled Task Manager and Windows Explorer should tickle the average fancy. The Windows Store will enable devs to hawk their apps to any nation where Windows is sold, and yes, support for ARM-based chipsets is proudly included alongside compatibility with x86 devices. In other words, everything from "10-inch tablets to laptops to all-in-ones with 27-inch HD screens" will be able to ingest Win8 with ease. That's a markedly different take than the folks in Cupertino have expressed, with an (admittedly limiting) mobile OS being chosen to run the tablet side of things. Only time will tell which mantra proves more viable, but we're guessing the both of 'em will find varying levels of success. Microsoft has also confirmed backwards compatibility with "devices and programs" that support Windows 7, and while an exact time has yet to be revealed, we're told that developers will be able to download the Windows Developer Preview via the new Windows Dev Center later this week. Full fact sheets can be seen in the source link below, and our hands-on impressions of the new code can be found right here. Update: Downloads are live! Get in! %Gallery-133323%
Wii U graphics chip outed as last-gen Radeon (which is still pretty good, apparently)
Let's be upfront here: we don't know thing one about chipsets and motherboards. We play video games, we don't build the hardware they come on. But our friends at Engadget, well, they're all about that kinda stuff. So when they tell us that Nintendo's Wii U console will come packing a custom Radeon GPU with a chip similar to the R770, and that the chip is competitively stronger than the GPUs of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, we believe them. Additionally, the chip is said to run DirectX 10, and is capable of handling four SD video streams -- presumably only one of those streams will be necessary, however, given Shigeru Miyamoto's statements about the WiiPad. As GAME Watch points out, the Xbox 360 was limited to a variation of DirectX 9, while the PS3 employs OpenGL APIs. But now we've gone right off the deep end -- what we're trying to say is this: the Wii U has a pretty decent graphical processor. Or, more simply, Wii U games will look good, and likely even better than Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 games. There, that wasn't so bad!
Texas Instruments announces multi-core, 1.8GHz OMAP4470 ARM processor for Windows 8
When Qualcomm announced a pair of Windows 8-compatible ARM processors yesterday, we knew Texas Instruments wouldn't be far behind. Sure enough, the company has just announced a new addition to its OMAP 4 family of ARM SoCs, with the 1.8GHz OMAP4470. TI's new chip is powered by a pair of 1.0GHz ARM Cortex-A9 MPCore engines, as well as two, 266MHz ARM Cortex-M3 cores that handle multimedia duties. According to the company, this multi-core structure will enable faster web browsing and more frugal power usage, while putting the OMAP4470 in square competition with quad-core chips like NVIDIA's Kal-El and Intel's latest Sandy Bridge line. The SoC was designed for tablets, netbooks and smartphones running Android, Linux, or the next version of Windows, and can support a max QXGA resolution of 2048 x 1536, and up to three HD displays. There's also a single-core PowerVR SGX544 GPU capable of running Direct X 9, OpenGL ES 2.0, OpenVG 1.1, and OpenCL 1.1. The OMAP4470 is expected to hit the OEM and OED markets in the first half of 2012, but you can find more information in the specs sheet and press release, after the break.
Game developers want DirectX to 'go away,' says AMD man
Like a pesky video game villain that just won't go away, Microsoft's DirectX has been a mainstay of mainstream PC gaming pretty much since the inception. Its existence hasn't been without its tensions, however, with notable graphics guru John Carmack of id Software ignoring it in favor of OpenGL -- until last week when he finally acknowledged that Direct3D had outgrown its cross-platform alternative and was now the preferable API for PC game development. That's all well and good, but plenty of game devs, says Richard Huddy, head of AMD's developer relations team, don't want any API at all. Huddy points out the sadly obvious fact that modern graphics cards can pretty much stomp any console hardware into the dirt in a straight fight and yet fail to show the full extent of their superiority in actual game visuals. He'd prefer to see developers given direct low-level access to the hardware, so they can maximize their own talents and really push things forward. Of course, the beauty of DirectX is that it's a standard that every Windows game designer can code to, leading to predictable and more widely compatible (if not necessarily spectacular) results. For more on how the future's shaping up, hit the links below.