Microsoft DirectX 11.3 Revealed – The Feature Set of DX12 Minus the CPU Overhead Reduction

Microsoft has revealed its new iteration API called DirectX 11.3. Interestingly it appears to be the feature set of DX12 minus the overhead reduction.

[Kayant]

Now the question is if both with be locked to Windows 9.

[starchild]

Let's hope not, eh?

[badz149]

they will be.

[VJGenova]

Everything points to at least no support for Windows 7. DX12 is going to be bundled with Windows 9, so I heard. No matter what, I must have DX12 and will get Windows 9 if that's what I need to do.

[Kayant]

That would make sense although I have a hard time believing there will be support for Win 7 when it doesn't have DX11.2. Although if they want devs to support dx12 more then it would only make sense to have DX11.3 supported from at least Win 7 because of the userbase.

[donthate]

DirectX 11.x has been supported on older OS, so I expect version 11.3 will also.

In regards to DirectX 12, it is unclear, but maybe they will support Windows 8.1 upwards? It also depends on when Windows 9 is to be released.

[aLiEnViSiToR]

I really doubt they will lock DX12 for most popular OS i mean just look at what happened with Win Vista and DX10...

[Codey47]

Tell that to MS....it still wont stop them.

[Yetter]

Sure windows 7 is great and is easily MS most popular OS but you must understand that it costs a fortune to continue supporting 2 or 3 OS's while working on a new one. At some point they have to get people to move on

[aliengmr]

As was said, it might be, but there is a rumor that Windows 9 is going to be pretty cheap.

[starchild]

I'm sure I'll upgrade to Windows 9 anyway so it doesn't matter much to me if it's exclusive to that OS. However, for devs to really want to use the new features they need to know that there is a sizable base of people out there that can take advantage of the features.

[Eonjay]

This seems terribly redundant if they are both releasing in late 2015. And they both support older GPUs. Looks like it will be easy for developers to support both, but why have 2 APIs anyway?

[Volkama]

There are advantages to a higher level API that does more of the work for you.

[Kayant]

"but why have 2 APIs anyway?" - One does some housekeeping and allows devs that are not comfortable with doing all the work themselves to have the same new features as the "code to the metal version" and the other one allows devs that are comfortable to go in deep.

Both support the same features set but one is "code to the metal" the other isn't.

"And they both support older GPUs" - iirc I think some features require hardware support as well.

[kingduqc]

It's to introduce new features before so games get to use it a whole year ahead.

[Arkardo]

Wtf? Another windows already? Why not optimize windows 8 instead of launching another iteration full of bugs and incompatibility with several programs?

I really don't get it, do a proper update and include this S***!

[aviator189]

Because the reputation of windows 8 has been tarnished. No matter how much they improve that os, most people will stay away from it because of the general dislike for windows 8. Hence, they're starting clean with windows 9.

[btk]

Windows XP -> Windows 7 -> Windows 9
Skip Vista and 8

[jmc8888]

It goes beyond that.

95 good, 98 sucked, 98 Second edition good, Me Sucked.

[PCBOX]

It has been already confirmed that the XO will have full DX12 support so that means:confirmed that the XO's GPU is a truly next gen GPU.

Great days await.The devs will be porting games easily from PC to XO from XO to PC.Which means many upcoming games with the release of DX12 will be developed on XO because two platforms using the same API imo.

[poor_cus_of_games]

No it's not.

[hello12]

Actually PC box is right Microsoft hasn't full explained how the x box 1 can use full directx12 and all its unique features yet. Phil Spencer said full directx12 is coming to x box 1

Nivida confirmed last year while some dx12 features can be used with the current directx11 GPU's, some of the newer features of directx12 will require "new"hardware.

So we have a problem right there and it hasn't been explained at all yet.

Why are they releasing directx11.3 because some devs don't require lower level access they prefer higher access. Directx11.3 improves on that. Its better than directx11.2

Directx12 a new code will be required.

[FITgamer]

Phil Spencer also said not to expect any major improvements on the Xbox One, but you and the rest of misterx crew just ignore that.

[aerisbueller]

I wish Microsoft would allow Phil Spencer to have some say in how DX is handled Windows side, and maybe be like the ambassador for PC gaming and game development. One of the many many reasons alot of gamers and gamedevs have so much disdain for MS is how they treat PC gaming like some type of problem they need to control. Ever since Games for Windows Live flopped after PC gamers proved they wouldn't take 'pay to play any game online' lying down like XBox users, it's been a nonstop war where they fight to keep XBox games off of PC, or restrict dx updates to Windows 8 to try and force users to upgrade. It's all been anti-consumer, and has done nothing but help Mac and Linux gain ground (not enough to matter though) on PC gaming.

[DougLord]

More fodder for the PS4 trolls to try and make it seem like playing games on the X1 is less fun due to having a few less pixels on screen. These consoles are all powerful enough to provide great gaming experiences IF someone makes a truly next gen game. If the PS4 trolls want to pause games and squint at small parts of the screen from 1 foot away, let them. They aren't gamers. Otherwise play the games and have fun. If DX12 makes Destiny 2 look 10% better it still wouldn't make it a good game.

[aerisbueller]

If you didn't care about graphics, why didn't you stick with 360 until XBox One had a few more must have exclusives under it's belt? Of course graphics matter, and they matter as much as sound, or music, or story, and while gameplay is paramount, every part of the experience matters. The amount of power a console has directly correlates with what the graphics will look like, and can even matter quite a bit to gameplay if the developer happens to come up with some super calculation intensive gameplay elements.

The trolls might have faded away by now if XBox fans didn't downplay the difference in power, or go nuts over every soundbite thinking XBox One would somehow bridge the gap. The trolls would have much less fun and fodder if they would just accept reality like Wii-u fans who know what console they own, and are proud and happy with it without having to pretend it's something it's not.

The graphical gap is huge if a dev takes advantage of the console, which PS exclusives often do, and it's just sad that some XBox fans can't admit DriveClub looks graphically almost a generation ahead of Forza, or pretend that games like Sunset Overdrive or Ryse look so great because they're on XBox One.

The fact is those games would look and run better on PS4. Graphics matter, alot, to even most people who pretend they don't. And even though PS4 also has advantages in the more important aspects like polycount, texture resolution, and number or complexity of effects, even just resolution matters. If it doesn't make a big difference in the quality from 720p to 1080p, then the problem is with your eyes, not the people who can see the difference.

[jnemesh]

Doesn't matter to me one bit. MS can develop all the secret sauce they want, I am DONE gaming on their platforms.

[Foehammer]

If you're so done with MS then why does your comment history show that you spend the vast majority of your time on MS articles?

Is there nothing on PS4 articles that interests you?