directx-9
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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!
Skyrim 'mostly a DirectX 9 game,' PC mods could make it to consoles
In a recent interview with Eurogamer, Bethesda's Todd Howard discussed the differences between the PC and console versions of the studio's upcoming RPG, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim -- or, rather, the lack thereof. "The game looks the same," Howard said, though he later added, "With the PC, the texture sizes are going to be as big as you want to make them, and you can pump the resolution up, obviously." As far as the visual nitty-gritty (yes, that's a technical term), Howard explained that Skyrim is "mostly a DirectX 9 game in terms of how the shaders work." Sure, that may mean that the game could lack some of the technical punch of DX11, but there's an advantage to Skyrim's platform neutrality. Speaking to Edge, Howard said that the user-generated content authored by the game's PC players could be made available to console gamers, as well. "We'd like to see it happen, because it works, it's how we made the game," Howard said. We'd like to see it happen, too -- but only if it results in us getting those pretty environmental updates, and not the creepy ones that make everyone so very naked.
NVIDIA ION LE hack adds DirectX 10 support, raises interesting questions
If myHPmini forum member runawayprisoner is to be believed (and why not?), rather than featuring some sort of dumbed-down hardware, the sole difference between the NVIDIA ION and the XP-friendly ION LE is that the latter has DirectX 10 support disabled in the device drivers. Indeed, when the full-blown ION drivers are hacked to recognize the ION LE device ID, not only do you get to run DX10, but performance increases markedly as well. Of course, DX10 is Windows 7 only, but you should conceivably be able to take your ION LE machine, install Windows 7 and the driver hack, and get on with your life (and save a few bucks in the process). Why bother with the charade, you ask? Theories abound, but we think it's a pretty good guess that NVIDIA is merely adhering to Microsoft licensing requirements here, and that in the long run crippling an existing chipset is cheaper than developing an entirely new one for an OS that's likely to be phased out sooner than later. [Via SlashGear]
NVIDIA clings desperately to XP with the DirectX10-hating ION LE chipset
Anything that makes our netbooks, nettops, and smartphones into slightly less mediocre video performers is okay in our book, so we're fond of NVIDIA's ION platform and are looking forward to finding out exactly what the company has up its sleeve for ION 2. We weren't, however, expecting an even cheaper revision of the chipset, but that's exactly what's been announced this morning. NVIDIA is creating ION LE, a sibling of the existing ION that does everything its big sister can do except support DirectX 10. The idea, of course, is to lower costs while providing all the functionality XP-packing netbooks and nettops need, but as Windows 7 sits at home getting made up for its débutante party we have to wonder just how much longer Microsoft's old faithful will be on the market -- and how much longer DX9 will be relevant.[Via SlashGear]
Dubious marketing: Microsoft makes DirectX 9 look REALLY bad
Microsoft has been caught using misleading images to promote the power of DirectX 10. Digg user, LtGenPanda, has spotted a Games for Windows Live DirectX 10 product page featuring the dubious marketing images. In order to easily characterize the power of DirectX 10 versus previous versions, Microsoft compared pre-release rendered screens of 2007's Crysis (using DX10) against the 2003 PC release of Halo: Combat Evolved (running DX9). Considering Crysis can also be played using DirectX 9 (albeit at lower quality), we call shenanigans! If the misleading images weren't enough, Microsoft adds some choice words to spin its web of deceit. In regards to the OMGness of DX10, the page reads: "The facial expressions, details of the face, the handle-bar moustache and the glazed looking eyes all add to the realism." Kids, the harsh truth is that handle-bar mustaches will only lead to a loss of friends and respect.
Age of Conan's DX10 put to the test
It's been a long time coming, but Age of Conan's Testlive server is now running a version of the game that can output DirectX 10 graphics, a feature that many people missed at launch. The current implementation probably isn't indicative of what will end up on the Live servers, but if you just can't wait and want to see the work-in-progress, Age of Conan Vault has a number of DX9 to DX10 comparison screenshots on show right now. The test client as-is doesn't have some of the cooler features like volumetric fog or windy trees just yet, but these would be better seen in video form anyway.The most stand-out difference between the screenshot pairings that we can pick is the upped brightness and visibility in dark areas on the DX10 side. In some (but not all) of the shots, the textures look noticeably better too. The AoC Vault reviewer experienced a significant FPS drop, from roughly 50FPS down to 20FPS, when switching from DX9 to DX10, but this is apparently not that common among other testers -- most do get their share of graphical glitches and crashing though. Hopefully it's all ironed out when Funcom decides to push DX10 to the live servers at a later date.
Is your DirectX up to date?
Did you wake up this morning, anxious about something you could not describe? Some nagging worry you couldn't shake? A little paranoia? Have you looked at your computer and felt it was wanting something from you? And you just didn't know what?It's the new update to DirectX 9.0c. That's what your computer has been wanting, assuming it runs Windows versions later than Windows 98 and earlier than Windows Vista. This latest version contains all the bug fixes and performance enhancements they've ever published, so if you want to make sure your graphics engine is at its best, fire up Internet Explorer and head on over to the DirectX download page. You'll have to validate your copy of Windows is genuine, and if you're lucky, you may be invited into an exclusive beta just for visiting the page. Microsoft is revamping their website to use their new Silverlight technology (an alternative to Flash for Windows and OS/X computers), and you may be invited to give Silverlight a test drive.[Via Pumping Irony]
One Shots: Rivendell waterfall
One of the things that many people have asked in the course of us showing off all the great Lord of the Rings Online screenshots is if the game looked as good under DX9 as it dos under DX10/Vista. This One Shot, courtesy of Massively's very own Tateru Nino who has been lurking around in the lands of Middle-earth, shows that it does indeed look fantastic under DX9. This particular area is in Rivendell, just as you come down from the heights. That just goes to show you that no matter which version of Direct X you're running, Turbine's LotRO looks really sweet. Do you have a great panorama that you'd like to show off? Perhaps you've got a snap from an in-game event, or an epic battle. Any and all screenshots of MMOs are welcome (please, no UI, though) from the simple landscapes to the tumultuous scenes of combat! Just snap a screenshot and drop it to us at oneshots@massively.com. Include your name, and anything you want to tell us about your particular screenshot, too! Without you, we must rummage through our own folders, and while it's cool to show you what we've been doing, we'd love to see what you've been up to as well.%Gallery-9798%
Rumorang: Crysis game for Xbox 360, not PC port
Xboxic reports that an unnamed developer, speaking to 1UP, has revealed details about a Crysis game headed to Xbox 360. Allegedly, the console version will not be a direct port of the PC title that's currently in development. Like Far Cry before it, Crysis will be stripped down for its console debut.The Xbox 360 version will supposedly incorporate similar story elements to its PC brethren, but will feature different gameplay aspects (physics, environments, etc.) that better utilize 360's DirectX 9 technology (the PC version is being built using DirectX 10). Expect full details if and when Crytek finally (and officially) announces this much-anticipated console installment of its high-profile franchise.See also: Crytek says 360 and PS3 can't handle Crysis Crytek revises claim: Crysis could be ported
Xbox 360 can't run DirectX 10, confirms ATI
1up reports that ATI has debunked a rumor that Xbox 360 could be upgraded to support DirectX 10 via a patch. "Xbox360 cannot run DX10," an ATI spokesperson told 1up. Currently, Microsoft's console runs an advanced version of DirectX 9, which, according to ATI, features "memory export that can enable DX10-class functionality such as stream-out."It's difficult to say when and if studios that are developing cross-platform titles for Xbox 360 and Vista will hit a roadblock because of DirectX variances between the two platforms, but certainly a game like Crytek's Crysis, which does support DX9 with some DX10 features, could be optimized and ported to consoles.
