DirectX 9 Finally Out

T-Kir writes "Microsoft has finally released DirectX 9... although we'll have to wait until the games that fully exploit it are released, at least those with high end cards (aka Radeon 9700+) will be able to unlock more of the advanced features. Now all we have to wait for is OpenGL 2.0!"

Comments

Wow, two releases in one day

[Anonymous Coward]

First FreeBSD 5.0-RC2 and now DirectX 9.0. If I had a FreeBSD box running DirectX I would shit my pants.

Re:Wow, two releases in one day

[Overand]

If you had a FreeBSD box running DirectX, I'd shit your pants too.

Spyware, modified EULAs et al

[Compact Dick]

Are there any bombs in the EULA? Or the latest version of Magic Lantern?

This is the reason for Windows's advantage

[tempfile]

Microsoft, with its money and power, is able to deal with hardware manufacturers, to receive specs of planned features early and to develop API for those extremely quickly.

This is the reason why Windows and DirectX will always have a huge advantage over every independent implementation, be it MesaGL or something else. Programmers can be sure that MS will implement every new interesting feature of coming graphics hardware quickly, so that they can make use of it. Therefore, DirectX is the obvious choice.

Re:This is the reason for Windows's advantage

[Blaskowicz]

Microsoft, with its money and power, is able to deal with hardware manufacturers, to receive specs of planned features early and to develop API for those extremely quickly

Hmm... The major Hardware manufacturors (and software developers) are members of the OpenGL ARB :

http://www.opengl.org/developers/about/arb.html

The OpenGL Architecture Review Board (ARB), an independent consortium formed in 1992, governs the OpenGL specification. Composed of many of the industry's leading graphics vendors, the ARB defines conformance tests and approves new OpenGL features and extensions. As of June 2002, voting members of the ARB include 3Dlabs, Apple, ATI, Dell Computer, Evans & Sutherland, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Intel, Matrox, NVIDIA, Microsoft, SGI, Sun. Other companies and organizations are encouraged to join the ARB as non-voting participants by signing the ARB Participant Undertaking (PDF, Word format, Postscript format), so they are covered by participation and disclosure terms similar to the ARB member agreement signed by voting Members. Prospective participants should talk with the OpenGL ARB Secretary (email to arb-secretary 'at' sgi.com) to discuss their reasons for joining and their projected level of committment to the group, and to find out how to submit the Participant Undertaking. Participants may apply for ARB membership when new slots are opened up. A partial list of participants includes Alt.software, Crytek GmbH, Discreet, Empire Interactive, Ensemble Studios, Epic Games, GLSetup, Id Software, Imagination Technologies (PowerVR), Intelligraphics, Micron, NEC, Obsession Development, Quantum3D, RAD Game Tools, Raven Software, S3/Diamond Multimedia, SiS, Spinor GmbH, Tungsten Graphics, University of Central Florida, Verant Interactive, and Xi Graphics.

ATI

[damiam]

Note that ATI has also released its Catalyst 3.0 drivers with full DX9 support for those cards which can handle it. Those demos look sweet.

If you do have a Radeon 9700...

[Schik]

Download the latest drivers, then download the demos. They're nothing short of incredible. The Animusic one is spectacular.

Re:Old card support?

[Zeinfeld]

It will support the new cards well, but what about the older cards, ie. Voodoo 3,4 and 5?

You got an expensive doorstop there.

I couldn't get Tombraider Chronicles to run on my Voodoo 3, so I don't think it is very likely you are going to find Direct X 9 support from anywhere. OK you might get something to run, but you can be certain Lara hasn't tested it.

However, if you could afford one of the cutting edge 3dfx cards when they were new you can certainly afford a replacement nvidia board of the same vintage, they have them at frys for $50. OK so they won't run as fast as the latest GForce but neither would the Voodoo.

Incidentally, I discovered that the chronic unreliability problem of my '98 machine went away as soon as I swapped out the voodoo for a GForce...

EULA- can't "Accept"

[pommiekiwifruit]

I love the new microsoft EULA :-) To fix the security bug of the week, e.g. the bugs in MP3 that let anyone take over your machine, you have to download a patch. When I used Windows Update to download the patch you have to accept the EULA. The EULA comes up with the buttons "Don't accept" and "Cancel".

"Accept" is greyed out! While it may be true that a sane person might sometimes query accepting Microsoft's terms, it does seem a bit rich that you can't download the patch even if you do. Also the license includes Javascript and HTML as text. I wonder if this is due to a hypothetical previous patch turning stuff off for safety? Can I be bothered tracking it down at this time of year, when there is such wonderful televi... hmm.

Re:EULA- can't "Accept"

[jon787]

I had the same problem getting the windows .net server release candidates.

Just look at where the form submits to and right your own basic form that will do the same thing, their site doesn't check referrer strings for submitting forms :)

Re:EULA- can't "Accept"

[fraxas]

Some MS licenses from windowsupdate won't let you accept them until the entire license is downloaded (even the parts at the bottom that nobody reads).

Some of them require that you read the whole thing too (i.e. page down to the bottom).

New things in DX9

[MagPulse]

High-level shading language

It has a language very close to Cg but that is integrated with VS.NET, meaning you can debug it just like C code. Here's a newsgroup thread where MS says they are working to keep it close to Cg, but it won't be 100% compatible.

Managed support

If you're programming in C#, Managed C++, or any other managed language, you can now use DirectX 9 directly.

Links

Converting to DirectX 9

DX9 client stand-alone download

DX9 SDK download

Network Setup already bogged down...

[Knunov]

Using the DX9 Network Setup program is already bogged.

Here is a direct link to the redistributable setup file (i.e. the .EXE file)

I'm getting about 100KBps right now. The file is a tad over 30MB. My DL is currently at 99%, so I suppose this is safe to post now :)

Knunov

Re:Old card support?

[Curien]

You've got it backwards... DirectX doesn't support cars, cards support DirectX (hereafter, "DX"). When we say, "The Radeon 9700 is a DX9 card," what we mean is that the Radeon 9700 can support all of the DX9 features *in hardware* (in the DX HAL ("hardware abstraction layer"). The GeForce4 is a DX8.1 card, meaning that it can support all of the DX8.1 features *in hardware*, but if you install DX9 on your system nothing horrendous will happen. All that will happen is that when a program tries to use DX freatures that your card doesn't support, DX will simply implement those features in software (on the HEL ("hardware emulation layer")), which is slower. But when a game just uses DX8.1 features, it'll still run on the HAL.

So, assuming that there aren't any bugs in the new version of DX, upgrading isn't harmful. And no, the Voodoo 3, 4, and 5 aren't going to support many of the new features in hardware. But that doesn't mean you can't install and play DX9 games -- it just means they'd run like ass.

Is Direct X really better?

[snitty]

As a mac user I have to wonder: Is direct X really better than OpenGL. I have heard that it is more difficult to program than OpenGL, but as I have never seen the code I can't substantiate it. From people who have programmed both; which is easier to program, which can output better graphics more easily?

Re:Is Direct X really better?

[john_uy]

i believe that directx is geared towards the consumer. like you said, it is more than just video but also network, sound, and input.

opengl, on the other hand, is geared for professional applications especially 3d. look at the pro graphic cards like firegl and quadro, they are supporting opengl. and most pro apps like maya, softimage, and lightwave require opengl and do not support the regular consumer video cards even though it may be faster and supports directx.

so i don't think that directx and opengl are closely matched. they are made for different applications and each is doing very well in their respective fields.

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[account_deleted]

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Important for Multiplayer/LAN gamers

[ancarett]

From the DirectX 9.0 FAQ:

Due to enhancements in the way DirectPlay functions, it is strongly recommended that all users who want to join or host multiplayer games upgrade to DirectX 9.0. A user with earlier versions of DirectX may have trouble joining or hosting games, or my see a significant performance reduction when playing with users who have 9.0 installed.

exploit?

[runderwo]

although we'll have to wait until the games that fully exploit it are released

Heh heh...oh yes, "exploit" all right. I can't wait until DirectX 9 is fully exploited, preferably giving me a system-level shell.

Not terribly impressed

[NeoSkandranon]

I'll be excited when
1) there are DX9 games available
2) a DX9 compat. card can be had without forking over a majority of my month's paycheck

Re:Pathetic.

[NineNine]

PR department for MS? I've *never* seen a positive article here about anything MS. Even this one has a jab about OpenGL. PR department it ain't. On the other hand, every time there's a new Linux x.xxxx.xxx.xxx or Mozilla 0.xxxxx release, it's announced as the "MS killer". I don't know what you've been reading kiddo.

Besides, believe it or not, geeks actually use MS stuff all the time. And kid, let me suggest that if you're so utterly offended, that you just set your preferences to ignore all MS related articles. You'd think that suck a l33t Linux h4x0r such as yourself would have figured this out already.

Bad match.

[Anonymous Coward]

A better comparison would be between Direct3D and OpenGL, with SDL up against all other parts of DirectX.

Re:radeon AIW 7500

[MtViewGuy]

The Radeon 7500 will work under DirectX 9.0, but due to the design of the chipset on the Radeon 7500 the majority of the desireable features of DirectX 9.0 won't be available to your card.

You need a card that takes full advantage of DirectX 9.0; the ATI Radeon 9500/9500Pro (just released) and Radeon 9700/9700 Pro (which has been around for a couple of months) will fully take advantage of DirectX 9.0, especially if you install ATI's CATALYST 3.0 display driver that works with Windows Me, Windows 2000 and Windows XP.

Unfortunately, nVidia's GeForce4 Ti4xxx series chipsets won't take advantage of DirectX 9.0 features; that will have to wait for the GeForce FX that will ship in the first quarter of 2003.

Re:Old card support?

[JaredOfEuropa]

"DirectX doesn't support cars, cards support DirectX (hereafter, "DX")."

That sounds like one of those "In Soviet Russia..." jokes.

Bacteria screensaver?!?

[Bob-o-Matic!]

HOLY SHIT!!!

Honey-- I told you not to turn off the antivirus autochecker!!

All kidding aside, I downloaded the demos and screensavers (If you upgraded from the DX9 Beta you have to reinstall all the demos), and I for one am astounded! I NEVER use screensavers at home, but will now... with the lights off, and some Pink Floyd...

I wish ATI will release an "aquarium" themed screensaver or demo... something with jellyfish would be awesome! I mean, just replace the bacteria, right?

Re:Old card support?

[Schnapple]

When I was running a Voodoo3, I couldn't run crap once I upgraded to DX 8.1 (though IIRC, RX 8.0 was fine). Due to the wonderful way DX works, I had to reinstall Win98 (yeah yeah I know) to ditch it. I then found Voodoo Files where, somehow, people were still writing/hacking/whatever new Voodoo drivers. I downloaded some recent ones and viola - DX 8.1 worked - minus things even the HAL couldn't even do at that point. My best guess was that something in DX 8.1 did something the last official 3dfx drivers really didn't like, so DX wouldn't get along with them at all - but newer, obviously unofficial ones did.

So if you want to upgrade to DX 9 I'd say hit up Voodoo Files first. By that token though, I don't think DX 9 will go any faster for you and you in all likelihood won't be able to run any of the "new" features, but it's better than nothing. Might help put off that upgrade for a little while.

I'd love to know how people are making these new drivers, though.

License Changes?

[nurb432]

Anyone know how MORE restrictive its licensing will be? Given Microsoft's track record of tightening its grip on each and every release/update of all its software.

Not intended to start a flame war, I'm just curious.. as the last update of media player we weren't able to install, due to the 'added' bits, as they violated some of our privacy polices.. the license latest service pack for Win2000 is still being evaluated.

In the end, at the rate they are going we may have to go OSS for these reasons alone. ( which is fine by me )

exploit?

[evilviper]

although we'll have to wait until the games that fully exploit it are released

Exploit is an interesting choice of words when used to describe any aspect of Windows...

Perhaps CmdrTaco is hard at word on the DX9 version of CodeRed...

Sure, you might get Rooted, but at least the defacing will look purty.

DirectX 9 Problems

[neosiv]

I installed this yesterday, mostly because Microsoft's Impossible Creatures wanted it installed. Later I tried running a networked game of Dungeonsiege but it would crash when I tried start it. My guess was that DirectX 9 broke the networking module. To test my theory I went back to a restore point before DirectX 9 and sure enough directX networking was working again. I have XP installed, I'm not sure if anybody else has seen this. Maybe it is just an issue with my config.

ATI and naming conventions

[T-Kir]

Although I can't be bothered to search for the link (it was on Anandtech or Toms Hardware), but apparently the ATI cards incorporate the DirectX version in their names.. hence the 9xxx cards were designed with DirectX 9.x in mind (hardware manufacturers have had the spec for months), and the Radeon 8xxx series was designed with DirectX 8.x... etc.

nVidia on the other hand started messing things up with the MX's, Ti's and Pure versions (let alone the FX, what next? FX2 or FX Part Deux?)... let alone any correlation to new or existing graphics technologies... i.e. they're just there to confuse Joe Public into thinking a GeForce 4 MX is better than a GeForce 3 etc.

Re:Old card support?

[strictnein]

DirectX doesn't support cars

Does it support cdrs?

(for those who read slashdot daily... yes, I did indeed rip off that lame attempt from humor from a post a day or two ago)

=)