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DirectX 9.0 ?

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Thunder Child

Post Wed Feb 12, 2003 5:31 pm

DirectX 9.0 ?

Hi

Yesterday while idling in the IRC channel, one of the preview winners installed his CD. (I think it was Xel). During the installation the install program installed DX9 on his machine. So my question is: Has the game engine been updated for DX9? Will a DX9 compatible card (Radeon 9xxx) benefit from it? (Like it needs any extra boost LOL). Or is it just becuase of some optimization used by the coders?

I have DX9 installed for over a month without any problems, allthough i have heard that it will crash you if you try to run messenger.



I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the darkness at Tan Hauser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time like tears in rain. Time to die.

Edited by - Thunder Child on 12-02-2003 17:31:49

kalniel

Post Wed Feb 12, 2003 6:17 pm

I don't think the game engine even has Directx 8.1 hardware effects, however, later directX's will improve performance anyway. The game will still require directx 8.2 but it doesn't mean it's taking advantage of directX 8.2 or later hardware.

Godlike Entity

Post Wed Feb 12, 2003 6:51 pm

do all graphics cards work with Direct X 9 ?

I rule the world incognito!

Dragoro

Post Wed Feb 12, 2003 6:52 pm

my geforce 4 4200 works fine with the directx 9

Thunder Child

Post Wed Feb 12, 2003 6:55 pm

All gfx card will work, since DX is backward compatible. No card other then the 9x00 series from ATI and the soon to arrive NVIdia leaf blower or Vacuum Cleaner <LOL> actually support the DX9 features. I think they put in Dx9 to optimize the game.


I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the darkness at Tan Hauser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time like tears in rain. Time to die.

Stinger

Post Wed Feb 12, 2003 7:11 pm

Bingo Thunder!

Thunder Child

Post Wed Feb 12, 2003 7:17 pm

So thats why you wrote in one of the messages to install dx9. It was very pussling at the time since the specs talked about dx8.2.

Well mystery solved, on to the next one? Or even better 8) Bring ON FL, i'm getting itchy 8)


I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the darkness at Tan Hauser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time like tears in rain. Time to die.

Rheinland Destroyer

Post Fri Feb 14, 2003 2:06 am

Just read MD's preview as well & it said,"The game utilizes DirectX 9, and does so very nicely."


Utilize seems VERY different than just for 'optimizing'.

Unless there were some performance enhancing features supported under Directx 9 that they coded for.

Waxpants

Post Fri Feb 14, 2003 2:17 am

I don't think that even Unreal 2 uses direct x 9 functions, so I'm pretty sure that FL does not being that it is a tad bit behind the times.
But the word is that DX 9 will improve the functioning of any game so that's probably what Mad Dog was hinting at.

Stinger

Post Fri Feb 14, 2003 2:47 am

Here's some help for you guys, a quote right from the DirectX 9.0 website:

Q. Do I need DirectX 9.0?

A. Typically, any title that uses DirectX will install the version of DirectX it requires in order to run. Therefore, you generally should not need to download DirectX 9.0 in order to get your programs to run. That said, it does not hurt to install DirectX 9.0. Some of the new functionality built into DirectX 9.0 may even enhance the quality and performance of your existing titles. Additionally, many game demos do not come with DirectX, so you may need to install DirectX 9.0 if you plan to play the latest demos.


Basically, from a FL presepctive, when I installed Direct X 9.0, the game came to life visually. Here's another important point about using WHQL certified drivers:


Q. Should I need to update my audio or video drivers after installing DirectX 9.0?

A. While your existing drivers should be as compatible with DirectX 9.0 as they were with DirectX 8.1, you may need to update them to take full advantage of some of latest DirectX 9.0 enhancements.

You may find current drivers either at Windows Update or on the Web site of the company that manufactured your hardware. Drivers available from Windows Update have been extensively tested and certified by Microsoft's Windows Hardware Quality Labs (WHQL.)


That is as important as it comes.

ElectricBrain

Post Fri Feb 14, 2003 7:29 am

Ah, and DirectX 9 actually was used to improve the multiplayer component of Freelancer. That's why its required.

- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Bargib

Post Fri Feb 14, 2003 8:12 am

I'm fairly sure that the graphical part does not use any DX9 calls, but I wouldn't be surprised if the MP part uses part of the DirectPlay optimizations. But I'm not sure DX9 actually does anything to DirectPlay.

Anyway - I *THINK* you can play FL nicely with DX8, but on the other hand I *NEVER* have had problems with DX9 - not even while it was in Beta.

Best Regards
Christian "Bargib" Koerner
Editor in Chief, The Lancers Reactor

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