Elysian Shadows

Hi chaps wondering if you could answer my questions?

I am running a windows XP machine ,now as I understand it the highest version of Direct X I can run is 9.0c right? So what I want to know is should I use the latest version of the SDK or should I use an older version for Direct X 9 cards?

Luke

Well, first you can go up to Direct X 11, it just depends on your video card. To see what version you're running, go to Start -> Run -> and type in dxdiag

Personally, I'd stick with the latest version that your card can run, but you'll limit your platforms for sure if you're using DX11 or DX10.

you'll limit your platforms for sure if you're using DX11 or DX10.

That's what I thought, I think I will use an earlier Version of the SDK, I don't want to develop something where I won't see all the bells and whistles for myself. Saying that if I use DX9.0c SDK and someone with an older card trys the game, will it automatically degrade gracefully Or do I have to take this into account?

Uncle-Ruckus wrote:

you'll limit your platforms for sure if you're using DX11 or DX10.

That's what I thought, I think I will use an earlier Version of the SDK, I don't want to develop something where I won't see all the bells and whistles for myself. Saying that if I use DX9.0c SDK and someone with an older card trys the game, will it automatically degrade gracefully Or do I have to take this into account?

I'm honestly not sure how that works, I mean if you're using features only available in the DX version, how do they run on older DX's? I'm building an engine in 9.0c, but the book I'm using mentions nothing about older versions, so I'm not entirely sure of the compatibility. If someone here knows, I hope they can enlighten us. :D

Trask wrote: I'm honestly not sure how that works, I mean if you're using features only available in the DX version, how do they run on older DX's? I'm building an engine in 9.0c, but the book I'm using mentions nothing about older versions, so I'm not entirely sure of the compatibility. If someone here knows, I hope they can enlighten us. :D

Hmmmm.

Well I'm sure when I tried crysis a year of two ago it was DX10 it worked fine just some of the new techs they were boasting about weren't activated. Can't be sure though..

Uncle-Ruckus wrote:

Trask wrote: I'm honestly not sure how that works, I mean if you're using features only available in the DX version, how do they run on older DX's? I'm building an engine in 9.0c, but the book I'm using mentions nothing about older versions, so I'm not entirely sure of the compatibility. If someone here knows, I hope they can enlighten us. :D

Hmmmm.

Well I'm sure when I tried crysis a year of two ago it was DX10 it worked fine just some of the new techs they were boasting about weren't activated. Can't be sure though..

But what I'm not sure is if in their code, they specifically singled out the differences between the different version of DX and wrote exceptions to create the compatibility OR, if DX is smart enough to be able to handle that. All I know is that using a deprecated function, it bitches at me, but that's speaking of the SDK and using the newer function may in fact be able to handle the old stuff just as well.

Trask wrote: But what I'm not sure is if in their code, they specifically singled out the differences between the different version of DX and wrote exceptions to create the compatibility OR, if DX is smart enough to be able to handle that. All I know is that using a deprecated function, it bitches at me, but that's speaking of the SDK and using the newer function may in fact be able to handle the old stuff just as well.

Oh why,oh why did I stray down the garden path away from XNA

Uncle-Ruckus wrote:I am running a windows XP machine ,now as I understand it the highest version of Direct X I can run is 9.0c right?

Yes. There are unofficial 'portings' of DX10 and maybe 11 but I haven't heard much about it in a long time, they probably don't work too well, etc etc.

Trask wrote:Personally, I'd stick with the latest version that your card can run, but you'll limit your platforms for sure if you're using DX11 or DX10

Obviously, you'll be limiting yourself off WinXP only. While it's true a lot of people still use it, it IS a dieing platform.

Uncle-Ruckus wrote:Saying that if I use DX9.0c SDK and someone with an older card trys the game, will it automatically degrade gracefully Or do I have to take this into account?

No. To run older versions of DX, the game MUST be programmed for it. Now, it's not too difficult to simply disable XYZ feature. On the other hand, DX9.0c has been out for years, and only really really old computers won't be able to run it.

Right okay, I think that DX9 SDK will be the way forward for me, thanks guys

Live-Dimension wrote:

Uncle-Ruckus wrote:I am running a windows XP machine ,now as I understand it the highest version of Direct X I can run is 9.0c right?

Yes. There are unofficial 'portings' of DX10 and maybe 11 but I haven't heard much about it in a long time, they probably don't work too well, etc etc.

Trask wrote:Personally, I'd stick with the latest version that your card can run, but you'll limit your platforms for sure if you're using DX11 or DX10

Obviously, you'll be limiting yourself off WinXP only. While it's true a lot of people still use it, it IS a dieing platform.

Uncle-Ruckus wrote:Saying that if I use DX9.0c SDK and someone with an older card trys the game, will it automatically degrade gracefully Or do I have to take this into account?

No. To run older versions of DX, the game MUST be programmed for it. Now, it's not too difficult to simply disable XYZ feature. On the other hand, DX9.0c has been out for years, and only really really old computers won't be able to run it.

Really, really old? No, not that old dude, trust me. Remember DX10 was barely out for a year when they jumped to DX11. I was pretty sure that you could use DX10 in XP, no? Maybe not, I dunno.

Trask wrote:Really, really old? No, not that old dude, trust me. Remember DX10 was barely out for a year when they jumped to DX11. I was pretty sure that you could use DX10 in XP, no? Maybe not, I dunno.

I meant for dx9.0c. Well there will be people with really old computers who can't run your game, but they wont be able to run anything released today so yeah.

You can't use DX10 in XP, at least not officially.