Microsoft heeft bekend gemaakt dat DirectX 8 af is en zowel DirectX 8.0 SDK en DirectX 8.0 Runtime gedownload kunnen worden vanaf zaterdag om 0:01 PST.

DirectX 8 brengt een groot aantal verbeteringen en nieuwe features met zich mee zoals een verbeterde DirectPlay (sneller en grootschaliger multiplayen ), vertex shaders en pixel shaders (fotorealisme, yummie ).- Consolidated interfaces for DirectDraw and Direct3D simplify application development and improve performance.

- Improved graphics authoring tool integration eases development of optimal 3-D characters and environments.

- Vertex shaders and pixel shaders improve image realism.

- Consolidated DirectSound and DirectMusic interfaces simplify application development.

- DLS2 audio synthesis support improves instrument realism.

- DirectInput device mapping provides simplified device support.

- DirectPlay performance and scalability for ma ively multiplayer games has been improved.

- DirectPlay IP voice communication support is provided.

- DirectShow Editing Services APIs provide real-time compositing and editing of audio/video timelines.

- DirectShow supports reading and writing Windows Media Audio and Video.

- Microsoft TV Technologies support digital television. Nu denk je mi chien: Ja, ja, en dat betekent ?

Dit is wat Tim Sweeney (Epic Games) daar over te zeggen heeft:"Programmable pixel shaders and vertex shaders are the keys to photo- realism. In the coming years, 3-D games will undergo a renai ance as developers take advantage of these new features. DirectX 8.0's new functionality is probably the largest advancement in real-time computer graphics since the advent of consumer 3-D acceleration. DirectX 8.0 is awesome." Goed, eerst zien dan geloven, maar de features zien er goed uit: zowel performance als kwaliteit verbeterd...

Oftewel: Way to go Microsoft!

Update

Mircosoft heeft nu officieel DirectX 8 beschikbaar gesteld op hun servers.

De downloadlinks:

DirectX 8 voor Win9x en MEDirectX 8 voor Win2000

Kleine opmerking :

NOTICE: After installation, the DirectX 8.0 run time cannot be uninstalled. The installation proce changes core components and makes numerous registry changes within your operating system.

Microsoft does not support uninstallation.