DirectX 10 for everyone!?!?!

[Silenced_Coyote]

So... I guess this could maybe have gone into Technology Talk or Operating Systems, but it isn't a perfect fit. Oh well...

Anyways, someone is trying to get DX10 to work on XP. It's called the Alky Project (http://alkyproject.blogspot.com/). If it works out, this may be great for those who don't want to get Vista. He even claims that you won't have to upgrade your video card. Though if this guy actually makes this possible, I would assume you would get a performce hit.

As for me, I already took the plunge with Vista and a DX10 card.

Any questions, comments, cries, or lamentations? :p

[CanaBalistic]

Where the hell is that guys donate button... What a smart thing to do.

[Rankenphile]

I am cautiously optimistic.

[progbuddy]

I am cautiously optimistic.

Same.

Neat-o idea :).

[99e46]

If what you are assuming is correct with performance hit then I'd go with Vista.

[DaJe]

It still won't be real DirectX 10 without a DirectX 10 card. Instead it will be a DirectX 9 card stuggling to emulate DirectX 9 effects.

[bartvandenberg]

It still won't be real DirectX 10 without a DirectX 10 card. Instead it will be a DirectX 9 card stuggling to emulate DirectX 9 effects.

what is "real" directx10? If the card can do it...it can do it.

Who knows, maybe they'll figure out that the old architecture somehow handles DX10 better than the g80. that would be a real kick in the pants wouldn't it.


i just cant believe someone didnt figure it out sooner.

and it is currently up and working in a beta stage.

[simon275]

Yeah if they can get DX10 working on XP I reckon directx10 games will run better as the OS running in the background will be less of a system hog compared to Vista.

[LiTHiUM0XiD3]

.... well here is the informed bit.... it wont be a serious DX 10.... it will just allow u to run DX 10 games.... third party DX 10 things have been a idea for a while...
and performance hit? dont even talk about vista. performance isnt an option it that OS.. true DX 10 is built into the glass desktop...
we cant techincaly run DX 10 on the luna desktop (better known as XP)
it might help... it might not..... meh... keep in mind tho.... altho micro**** was a jackass and is tryin to phase out all XP ****...
the game developers wont be as st00pid..... there willl be DX 9 support in alota these DX 10 games..

[MaxOC]

eh i suppose about the os, id just say take the plunge, i did and after a week of tweaking, i likey my computer my way, it works like a charm

[DaveW]

As nice as it would be for those of us who bought an expensive graphics card at the wrong time, it is somewhat detrimental to progress if people keep doing things like this.

I'm on the fence. Personally i'd say take the plunge, but if, like me, you can't afford it...this perhaps allows gaming technology to progress properly, but may hold back system progress...who knows?

-Dave

[luciusad2004]

Is it really possible for a DX 9 card to run DX 10? I was always under the impression that their were some hardware specifications and capabilities which had to be in place to run Direct X. And if it's just emulation like someone else said, I imagine that would wreak havoc on system performance unless you have a pretty good card.

Edit: I guess you could add me under the "I would rather take the plunge and get vista" header. If you want to keep using Microsoft operating systems or keep gaming, your going to eventually have to upgrade anyway.

[onelegout]

I am going to stay on the 'pessimists' side of the room.

I would think that the performance loss from having to emulate DX10 will ruin any chances of playing any dx10 game smoothly.

If most computers can't even emulate a ps2 smoothly, I can't see them emulating such an advanced standard as DX10.

That said, I'm happy to wait and see if it works... although I've already got an 8800GTX vista rig.... ;)
H

[Silenced_Coyote]

I am going to stay on the 'pessimists' side of the room.

I would think that the performance loss from having to emulate DX10 will ruin any chances of playing any dx10 game smoothly.

If most computers can't even emulate a ps2 smoothly, I can't see them emulating such an advanced standard as DX10.

That said, I'm happy to wait and see if it works... although I've already got an 8800GTX vista rig.... ;)
H

I'm not sure "emulate" is the right word. Then again, it depends on how they are trying to achieve this. But my programming friend told me that it was possible for Microsoft to put DX10 in XP but that they wanted it on Vista instead.

Also, what makes a video card a DX10 card? This just popped up in my head. Is it because the architecture is different? The only thing I can think of off the top of my head is that Nvidia switched to unified shaders from pixel pipelines. Which makes sense because that is how DX10 works better with (?). Not sure on that one, but I thought I heard of someone describing DX10 having a unified design. Which I guess that is why Nvidia switched to it. But I know that way before Vista and the G80's came out, people were speculating which route Nvidia would chose - go with the unified shader route similar to ATI or stick with the pixel pipelines. So why can't older cards play DX10 stuff?

[Omega]

If most computers can't even emulate a ps2 smoothly, I can't see them emulating such an advanced standard as DX10.

PS2 processing is probably drastically different than what most computers use (such as SSE2 or SSE3). In order to "emulate" a PS2, there is probably tons of things that must be converted all while running, so it's slow.

DX10, however, is designed on and for computers, so it should be easier.