DirectX 11.2 said to be a Windows 8.1 / Xbox One exclusive

Microsoft’s upcoming DirectX 11.2 update, first shown off at the company’s Build conference last month, promises to deliver a host of new features and performance improvements in games and apps. But according to reports, the update is reportedly being limited to Windows 8.1 and next generation consoles like the Xbox One.

This exclusivity isn’t something new, however, as Microsoft pulled a similar move when transitioning to DirectX 11.1 as that update requires the use of Windows 8. Before that, DirectX 10 was a Windows Vista exclusive which left Windows XP users high and dry.

Perhaps this is one of Microsoft’s ways to help nudge Windows XP, Vista and 7 users toward upgrading to Redmond’s latest but whether or not it’ll work remains to be seen. Such requirements really did little to lead to the commercial success of Vista or Windows 8 but this time around, the timing is a bit different. Xbox One is just around the corner and if a number of games use it, perhaps it could take root better.

DirectX 11.2 brings with it a new key feature known as Direct3D tiled resources. Microsoft’s Antoine Leblond demonstrated the feature during Build which essentially lets developers easily use GPU and system RAM to store textures. This can be used to pull high resolution assets into a scene without overburdening the graphics card. For consumers, it could ultimately lead to an unprecedented amount of detail that won’t appear fuzzy or blurred when viewed close up.

Read More...

Continue

What do the Xbox One, PS4, and Wii U all have in common? AMD silicon

After consumers were told the final details about the Xbox One, Wii U, and PS4, many game enthusiasts have weighed their options and are ready to make a purchasing decision.

So who’s the big winner? Simply put, it's AMD. After all, chips produced by the California-based company are just about the only thing that the three gaming rivals share in common.

The Xbox One and Playstation 4 will both feature an AMD-manufactured x86 CPU and a Radeon graphics processor beneath the hood. Saeid Moshkelani, AMD’s vice president, would not disclose the underlying differences between the processors that were made specifically for each console, but he did express the importance of keeping the deals a closely regarded secret. In fact, Moshkelani admitted that neither Nintendo, Sony, nor Microsoft had any idea that AMD was supplying hardware to the competition; at least not until the official announcements had been made.

According to Computerworld, AMD has also been working with developers to produce games that can be played across a multitude of different platforms, including consoles, PCs, and mobile devices. During the Computex tradeshow hosted last week, Matt Skynner, the VP and general manager of AMD’s graphics division, explained the untapped potential of unifying the three markets.

Skynner added, “If we can create a gaming experience on the console and client as well as in the cloud … we’re going to build our brand, we’re going to build our market share, we’re going to win.”

To bring forth this vision, AMD is relying on a new processor that goes by the code-name Kaveri slated for release later this year. The core focus on Kaveri APUs will be to provide a big performance boost over its current lineup and the competition's (taking under consideration its integrated graphics processing unit). Not only is Kaveri the fastest processor in AMD’s product line, but it is the first to fall under their highly anticipated HSA (Heterogeneous System Architecture) program.

Although development towards integrated technologies is well on its way, AMD admitted that it’ll be a few more years before this kind of capability becomes a reality.

Read More...

Continue