FC3 vs current DirectX compatability?

[mandru]

I'm very much looking forward to the release of FC3 but I've recently had a nagging thought that I've not been able to dispel or confirm.  I've yet to hear if FC3 is still going to be DirectX 10 or if it is going to be released under DirectX 11.  I spent a few hours today trying to research this over the last couple days but I'm still in the dark on this matter and how this is going to w@&k out.

For some of us (as I've been looking over the Gaming Rig Specs thread in the forum's Off topic > Technology section) who are running one of the GTX 200 series GPUs DirectX 11 could prove to be a real problem jumping straight into FC3 when its released.  Those cards ( my GTX 295 included  :'() were created at a time when Nvidia in trying to put an arm lock on game developers to not make games that require DirectX 11 to steal market shares from ATI made the decision to create these cards to be non-DirectX 11 compatible.


I do hope that I'm not going to have to buy a $500 GTX 580 to meet my current level of performance and be able to get into FC3 when it becomes available.   :-(

I've not heard if a software w@&k around has been released.   ???


Also as a bit of a heads up (looking forward to the day we look at each other and ask "What's DirectX?" will your GPU be able to handle this when it hits?  ;)

http://www.wimp.com/gamesrealistic/

[Art Blade]

Very nice find there, mandru.  :-X I hadn't heard of that technology before but wow, that is going to do some heads in with regard to current major players (of the industry).  ??? :) :-X

[mmosu]

Instead of the saying being "can it rock Crysis?", they're going to be asking "can it rock FarCry 3?"!!!  :-()

Doesn't matter to me, I'm going to be playing the watered-down console version!  :D . . .  :-D

[JRD]

Check what ninzza posted at the Crysis 2 thread. I wouldn't be really worried, the visuals are going to be stunning anyway. DX11 can boost it by 5-10% maybe but I wouldn't upgrade my GPU for that!  ;)

[mandru]

Thanks JRD.  :-X

That gives me some peace of mind and hopefully FC3 will run under the DirectX 10 settings.  I'll take a mild hit on visuals any day as long as I can jump in and play the game smoothly.

[Binnatics]

I think that they will still make the game available for the non-DX11 users. I remember having bought Resident Evil asking me after the install if I wanted to play the game on DX9 or DX10.
Plus Crysis 2 was initially released on DX10 and they patched it to DX11 later on. So imho the game is still available for the DX10 users.
DX11 is stunning though. It really does a great job to 3D view. But still, I have the idea it's buggy. Didn't try it out jet on Crysis 2, but for Dirt 2 and 3 there are weird colour mixtures that shouldend be there. I know for shure it's no hardware issue, but they might improve the drivers for it.

[ninzza]

Doesn't matter to me, I'm going to be playing the watered-down console version!  :D . . .  :-D

We PS3 owners will get the worst version.  :D ;D

[Binnatics]

Yep. and it seems that ATM Sony is more interested in the 'small market' then in developing a PS4. They will launch the PS Vita, a newer version for the PSP. This sounds more like a cool gadget then a new gaming rig. It can communicate with the PS3 though, and might be used as a controler. Even crossplatform might be available with the Vita.  ;)

[mmosu]

it seems that ATM Sony is more interested in the 'small market' then in developing a PS4.

Actually, the PS4 has been confirmed as being in development, but from what I understand it will be a little while before we see it.  As far as the Vita goes, I don't know anything about it other than it seems like something Sony threw out there to compete with the Nintendo 3DS. 

[Binnatics]

Well, in fact it's good to hear that they are designing a new PS4. That will anyhow push the gaming industry another step ahead. Better graphics, new original gameplay, stuff like Portal and what they invented when the Wii came out. Maybe even more cross platform gaming.  :-X ;)

[mandru]

I see that the NVIDIA GTX 600 series video cards built on a 28 nanometer architecture (very small indeed  :o ) are due to be released in in the 4th quarter of this year (2011) so that should really punch a hole in the price of the very capable GTX 580 which whips my GTX 295 that's dual SLI cards in one case as well as providing some interesting forward looking options for making card purchases that will hold value against the test of time.

[JRD]

That`s good to know mandru  :-X

I might upgrade my rusty GTX9800 1GB sometime next year and the 5** series was on my radar. Thanks for the headsup  8)

[mandru]

 :-X  @ JRD

Some of the GTX 500 Series cards had some serious heating problems among which the 590 stands out for being a veritable space heater.

In researching the 500 series cards something that popped up regularly were the Zalman VF3000f coolers that require cracking open the 500 series graphics cards cases and discarding the existing face plates containing their heat sinks then using heat sink gel to affix to the processor, special spring mounted washers and star screws bolting on the Zalman rig but then all that extra heat the Zalman cooler strips off the card ends up inside the computer case instead of being ejected out the computer's back through the card's exhaust ports.   ???

Extra heat inside my computer case would be only slightly more welcome that that family of skunks PZ found in his attic.   :-D

I think I'll wait to see if the reduction of architecture to 28nm in the 600 series NVIDIA cards will allow them to run cooler.

[Art Blade]

560Ti is what I have in mind for a potential upgrade.

[PZ]

Extra heat inside my computer case would be only slightly more welcome that that family of skunks PZ found in his attic.   :-D

^+-+

I have too many fans inside my case already  :-()  However, surprisingly it is not as bad as it could be - but then again, maybe I'm just becoming accustomed to it.  :-()

[Binnatics]

In the matter of heating and cooling I'm too jeallous of D_B's rig. His case does a serious job on reconfigering the airtstreams through the case. Heat goes up and so does the heated air in his system. That case is a diamond  :-X

Anyway, when your entire system produces a lot of heat it's good when it comes out, but it's still in your room  :(
My PC room is quite small, and will heat up quickly. Sometimes I leave the gardendoor open (thank god I have it located just there) in order to maintain my PC room cool 'n comfortable  ^-^

So new nanotech is very welcome. I think it does a great job in reducing the total heat produced by GPU's. AND it's better for the environment  :-X

[JRD]

Extra heat inside my computer case would be only slightly more welcome that that family of skunks PZ found in his attic.   :-D

^+-+ :-X

As for heating, i's amazing how many good avice I got from OWG during the last few years, thanks mandru  :-X

My (t)rusty GTX 9800 bought in back 2008 is holding tight and I'm sure it will keep holding for another year or two, so hopefully by then all heating issues on new GPUs will be minimized.

Being in a tropical country makes heating a serious issue here. I need air-conditioning in my gaming room during summer if I want to play. Not only the PC will overheat but so will I and have  my brain melted in a matter of minutes  :-\\ . The air-con, however, does a serious damage in my electricity bill by the end of the month so I have to dose it right  :-(

During the rest of the year, from May to October, the temperature is very pleasant so all I need is an old fashioned external fan, the kind you use at the living room on hot days in the north hemisphere  :-D . It's now placed righ on top of my CPU case and it does a great job for a very low price  8)

[nexor]

The liquid cooler with it's own radiator and 110mm fan on my CPU helps a lot to keep temperature inside the box down, but it looks like I will have to replace my GeForce 8500GT graphics card when FC3 is out

[Binnatics]

Liquid cooler, wow. That's something I'd really want in my next system. In my current case are some holes specially made for a liquid cooling installation. When I found that out, I felt sorry for having bought a Scythe 'oldfashioned' cooler  ^-^

[Art Blade]

I bought an aircon for my PC (and room) instead  :-D

[RedRaven]

A friend was embarking on a quest to somehow use a refrigerator as a cooling system for his PC. Will have to check his progress and let you know if it worked.

[fragger]

That I'd like to see! Maybe the trend will become to refrigerate the whole room and don a heated thermal suit for gaming :-()

...but it looks like I will have to replace my GeForce 8500GT graphics card when FC3 is out

Me too, I have the same card.

[Art Blade]

The problem with a fridge would be condensing water.. not really the beginning of a wonderful friendship  :-D

And I too need a new vid card. Seriously, the GTX560Ti is interesting for my current rig.

[PZ]

Why particularly the GTX560Ti?

[RedRaven]

Yeah, that was my first thought when he told me about it. Can't recall exactly what he said and how he was planning to do it.


The GTX560Ti does look sweet, sadly was a little out of my price range at around £150 which is why I ended up getting the GT520 for just under £50 including next day delivery. Supports DirectX11 and has 1GB DDR3 where as the GTX560Ti has DDR5. The main difference is that DDR3 is 'Dual-pumped' whilst the DDR5 is 'Quad-pumped' making its transfer rates double that of DDR3.


The GT520 is a decent improvement on the 9500GT from my previous system, and it was cheaper than the 9500 (cost about £80 almost two years ago).


  My current rig is more than enough to run FC2, ARMA2 and all 3 Stalker games at full specs which will keep me occupied until FC3 and Stalker2 get released. However by that time I reckon a GTX560Ti or better will be a high priority purchase along with replacing the two 2GB sticks of RAM currently installed with two 4GB sticks and a larger monitor too. :)