People behind DirectX 10

[flashbacck]

I never saw this posted in the video forums. It's a series of interviews with MS, ATI and Nvidia by Extremetech, discussing what's in DX10 and what's to come. ATI and Nvidia reps were asked the exact same questions. This is probably more for the people interested in the tech.

MS:
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,1982031,00.asp
ATI:
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,1985149,00.asp
nvidia:
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,1986937,00.asp

update:
Game Devs
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,1989811,00.asp

 

[josh6079]

Very nice stuff. This makes me even more anxious for DX10. (I need to invent a time machine)

 

[Tig Ol Bitties]

Great find OP!! This question caught my attention the most:

ET: It's disappointing that Vista won't launch for consumers until next year, and by the transitive property of software delays ?, neither will DX10. This shouldn't hold back the launch of DX10 compliant graphics card though, should it? The first DX10 cards are going to have to be the fastest DX9 cards on the market as well, right?

ATI:
"ATI is not tying the launch of our DirectX 10 hardware to the launch of Vista. While DirectX 10 may only be exposed under Vista, ATI's DirectX 10 capable graphics cards are designed to deliver strong performance in DirectX 9 games running on Windows XP as well. "

Nvidia:
"Yes. Every new-generation graphics processor must be good at everything that has come before, as well as delivering on the new features. History is littered with graphics architectures and companies that built graphics hardware that could do some new things fairly well, but couldn't run the existing applications or APIs well enough. "

I'm glad to see both are attempting to optimize the cards to run DX9 as well, but I'm just wondering what "strong performance" and "well enough" will mean to us users when the they come out...guess we'll just wait and see...wish I had a time machine too

 

[Nightmare225]

Originally posted by: Tig Ol Bitties

Nvidia:
"Yes. Every new-generation graphics processor must be good at everything that has come before, as well as delivering on the new features. History is littered with graphics architectures and companies that built graphics hardware that could do some new things fairly well, but couldn't run the existing applications or APIs well enough. "

I'm glad to see both are attempting to optimize the cards to run DX9 as well, but I'm just wondering what "strong performance" and "well enough" will mean to us users when the they come out...guess we'll just wait and see...wish I had a time machine too

I'm wondering if he was thinking of the FX series when he was asked that question.

 

[akugami]

Interesting to note that most of the screenshots of the upcoming games such as Crysis are DX9. So all those in the forums pimping DX10 can quit it now...or not knowing the fanboys. Most of the changes in DX10 seem to be built for performance, ease of programming, and better stability. It'll translate to better graphics but it doesn't seem like it will be as big of a boost as from DX8 to DX9 quality wise. One thing that popped up was the fact that the increased efficiency should allow for more objects (grass, trees, buildings, etc) being presented to the player. This should really help out in the realism department. The MS guys even admit that DX10 only games will take time so we're good for at least the next year and the DX10 only games will not be out for at least two years. So the really good stuff that takes full advantage of the new API's (like Oblivion and DX9) will be out in two years time.

ATI seems to re-iterate the ease of programming and efficiency using DX10. It's exciting to note the increased complexity of the pixel shaders may finally do away with one of my peeves in current 3d models used in games. That plastic look that you see so often, especially in MMORPG's.

nVidia tried to take a cheap shot at ATI implying the unified architecture from ATI won't perform as good as nVidia's. The final say on ATI's unified architecture of course will be held when both the G80 and R600 are released and we see which performs better in both DX9 and DX10. Though I'm of the opinion that we won't see much more than benchmarks for DX10 for at least the first half of 2007. Much like ATI, nVidia re-iterates the ease of programming and efficiency of DX10, which allows for increased performance.

Overall, DX10 seems like an API meant for the developers more than something that will greatly increase graphical effects and the like for gamers. It will allow for better graphics and effects but that is mostly due to increased efficiency rather than the implementation of new effects. While it sounds nice, I won't be holding my breath waiting for it as games utilizing DX10 will be a ways off.

 

[redbox]

very cool post.

 

[Elfear]

Thanks OP. That was a good read. It was unfortunate that Nvidia decided to sling mud instead of answer the questions presented. There sure seemed to be a lot of cheap shots aimed at ATI while ATI did a good job of staying on topic and just discussing the technical side of things. Oh well.

 

[flashbacck]

updated w/ part 4: game developers

 

[fierydemise]

Thanks OP, with all the flames wars we don't get too much real news here in video

 

[thilanliyan]

Originally posted by: Elfear
Thanks OP. That was a good read. It was unfortunate that Nvidia decided to sling mud instead of answer the questions presented. There sure seemed to be a lot of cheap shots aimed at ATI while ATI did a good job of staying on topic and just discussing the technical side of things. Oh well.

I noticed that too...I wonder why?? I presume NVidia are predicting G80 will be the better performer in DX9.

 

[flashbacck]

Originally posted by: thilan29

Originally posted by: Elfear
Thanks OP. That was a good read. It was unfortunate that Nvidia decided to sling mud instead of answer the questions presented. There sure seemed to be a lot of cheap shots aimed at ATI while ATI did a good job of staying on topic and just discussing the technical side of things. Oh well.

I noticed that too...I wonder why?? I presume NVidia are predicting G80 will be the better performer in DX9.

The Nvidia guy was the VP of Tech. Marketing. It's probably just part of his job to poke at ATI whenever he can.

 

[thilanliyan]

Originally posted by: flashbacck

Originally posted by: thilan29

Originally posted by: Elfear
Thanks OP. That was a good read. It was unfortunate that Nvidia decided to sling mud instead of answer the questions presented. There sure seemed to be a lot of cheap shots aimed at ATI while ATI did a good job of staying on topic and just discussing the technical side of things. Oh well.

I noticed that too...I wonder why?? I presume NVidia are predicting G80 will be the better performer in DX9.

The Nvidia guy was the VP of Tech. Marketing. It's probably just part of his job to poke at ATI whenever he can.

I suppose...but still!!!

ANyway, I think G80 will beat R600 in DX9 but fall behind in DX10...just my prediction since ATI already has some experience with the Unified design in the Xbox 360.

 

[linkgoron]

Originally posted by: Nightmare225

Originally posted by: Tig Ol Bitties

Nvidia:
"Yes. Every new-generation graphics processor must be good at everything that has come before, as well as delivering on the new features. History is littered with graphics architectures and companies that built graphics hardware that could do some new things fairly well, but couldn't run the existing applications or APIs well enough. "

I'm glad to see both are attempting to optimize the cards to run DX9 as well, but I'm just wondering what "strong performance" and "well enough" will mean to us users when the they come out...guess we'll just wait and see...wish I had a time machine too

I'm wondering if he was thinking of the FX series when he was asked that question.

Wasn't the FX series the opposite of what he said?
It ran DX8.1, or whatever extremely well, but died under DX9?

 

[flashbacck]

Originally posted by: thilan29
ANyway, I think G80 will beat R600 in DX9 but fall behind in DX10...just my prediction since ATI already has some experience with the Unified design in the Xbox 360.

Sure. ATI engineers aren't stupid... They MUST know that they can get decent performance with the unified architecture. Otherwise why would they be doing it?

 

[DeathReborn]

Originally posted by: flashbacck

Originally posted by: thilan29
ANyway, I think G80 will beat R600 in DX9 but fall behind in DX10...just my prediction since ATI already has some experience with the Unified design in the Xbox 360.

Sure. ATI engineers aren't stupid... They MUST know that they can get decent performance with the unified architecture. Otherwise why would they be doing it?

Unified may not shine until the API it is running was built for Unified. I think there will be a little extra communication in ATI's drivers which could add a little overhead. It's debatable but we have no idea how well or poorly Unified will perform under DX9.

It's a case of years of tried & tested (split pipe design) & new (unified pipelines), we kinda know that G80 will be good at DX9 but have to guess at ATI's performance with unified. Under DX10 we have no clue as to how each will perform.