No need for Vista / drivers...

[fatal1ty]

Finally, the only game that really needed DX10 / Vista and even this isn't true...

Source:
http://www.gamepro.com/news.cfm?article_id=88368&AFC-HSUIT&ATTR=DIGG


Microsoft clarifies: Halo 2 Vista won't be Direct X 10
by GamePro Staff | 12/05/2006 | 3:10:09 PM PST subscribe to this feed | print | digg this! | Share on Facebook A Microsoft representative contacted GamePro today to clear up a few matters concerning the upcoming Windows Vista port of Halo 2...namely, that the game will support Direct X 9 visual effects, not the Direct X 10 effects

No Direct X 10? DX9 still looks pretty damn good to us
GamePro.com, as well as many other game media outlets, have reported that Halo 2 will support Direct X 10 visual effects. This is not the case, according to an update from Microsoft. Though the Windows Vista version of Halo 2 will be based on Direct X 9 graphics technologies, owners of Direct X 10 hardware can expect to see "certain performance benefits." What those benefits are remains to be seen, though faster frame rates seem likely.

The confusion apparently stemmed from the fact that Halo 2 will only be released for Microsoft's upcoming Windows Vista platform, which is the only operating system to support the new Direct X 10 graphics standard. Currently, the only video cards to support Direct X 10 are Nvidia's Geforce 8800 line. Even then, their Direct X 10 functionality won't be unlocked until Windows Vista's consumer launch.

Halo 2 for Windows Vista is expected to be released in early 2007.

Direct X 10 is the long-awaited API enhancement that will allow for more spectacular visual effects, such as wide-scale shaders and bump mapping. It will only be released via Windows Vista. The consumer edition of Vista is expected to happen in the beginning of 2007.

[J-Mag]

With the crapfest that Halo 1 was for PC I could really care less. Anyway the Halo games are most fun with your bros on split screen and not on your isolated rig.

[jolle]

Never did expect Halo 2 to be DX10.
It was originally made to run on what basicly is a P3 733mhz, 64mb shared RAM and a GF3/4 GPU.
I would be suprised if they put any real work on the graphics at all.
They said Vista exclusive, but I assumed (for a dated game like this) that would be partly to the gaming and online infrastructure on Vista (dunno if that is slated for XP aswell), and cause MS wants more draw to it.

And Halo2 hasnt ever been the draw of DX10 (and I dont belive have ever claimed DX10 support either).
Crysis, MSFS10 (patched later), UT2k7 (Patched later) are tho, to mention few..
Then we have Company of heroes (patch) Age of Conan, World in Conflict (prolly patch, no idea tho), Supreme commander (I belive), Eve Online update.

[DarkJedi664]

Seems GamePro staff is a bit late on this, as this has been mentioned at least a month or two earlier...

[jAkUp]

It is not DX10, but it is Vista only. So, yes you will need Vista drivers :)

[Q]

It is not DX10, but it is Vista only. So, yes you will need Vista drivers :)

Which uh..might...uh...be coming this Friday....by uh....the way....you have uh....you know...been hinting. ;)

[lukrad]

Vista is a waste of money. In two years Microsoft is going to release a new Windows. In those two years we will se 3-4 DX10.0 titles, maybe none...and not really fully explored.

[lukrad]

Which uh..might...uh...be coming this Friday....by uh....the way....you have uh....you know...been hinting. ;)

Even they release Vista drivers on Friday, Creative won't do it before January...because they are morons...

[fatal1ty]

Vista is a waste of money. In two years Microsoft is going to release a new Windows. In those two years we will se 3-4 DX10.0 titles, maybe none...and not really fully explored.


Agreed and by the time DX10 is fully explored the 8800 series will be obsolete anyways...

[jAkUp]

Vista is a waste of money. In two years Microsoft is going to release a new Windows. In those two years we will se 3-4 DX10.0 titles, maybe none...and not really fully explored.

I seriously doubt in 4 years we will have only 3 DX10.0 titles. Considering we will get more than that in 1 year.

Crysis
Alan Wake
UE3
Age of Conan
FSX
Hellgate London
EVE Online

[fatal1ty]

It is not DX10, but it is Vista only. So, yes you will need Vista drivers :)


Eh, Halo's gameplay is too slow for me anyways. I hope this isnt like the PC version of Halo 1 which was way late and unimpressive by the time it finally arrived. By the time MS got it out Halo looked like Doom 1 next to new games at the time. :D

[fatal1ty]

I seriously doubt in 4 years we will have only 3 DX10.0 titles. Considering we will get more than that in 1 year.

Crysis
Alan Wake
UE3
Age of Conan
FSX

haha - jAkUp thats still only 5 and FSX is a 9 title patched to dx10...:) Yea and Crysis isnt just DX10 either...

[jAkUp]

haha - jAkUp thats still only 5 and FSX is a 9 title patched to dx10...:) Yea and Crysis isnt just DX10 either...

Crysis isn't DX10? Of course its not just DX10, but it is DX10. Games will not be DX10 only for a long time.

And yes those are 5 games, but we should get those in 2007. There will be more than that too, such as the upcoming Ritual title, and all the UE3 engine games, which could account for more than 5 titles by itself.

[Absolution]

I really don't care that halo 2 is even comming to the pc. Its an overhyped, overplayed fps. it will also probaly run like **** just as the first halo did (yeah for ported games)

[Q]

Even they release Vista drivers on Friday, Creative won't do it before January...because they are morons...

True, but I had no problem forcing RC2 drivers on the RTM for my Xfi.

[J-Mag]

Yea and Crysis isnt just DX10 either...

Wtf is your point?

[fatal1ty]

Wtf is your point?


That you wont need Vista to run it.

[DarkJedi664]

Since when is Vienna coming out in 2008/2009?

[Richteralan]

That you wont need Vista to run it.
well, ok
ya stay with XP and DirectX9.

[bigjohns97]

If anything i can't wait to see a real 3d accelerated desktop.

[sillyeagle]

I think even Crysis is mainly using DX10 for the performance gains, and not so much the visual thing. I think they said there will be some visual enhancement but more performance than anything else.

[jolle]

I think even Crysis is mainly using DX10 for the performance gains, and not so much the visual thing. I think they said there will be some visual enhancement but more performance than anything else.
Well using DX10 automaticly reduces CPU load by quite alot (the more objects, the more you gain since DX9 adds CPU load per object and call).
So any game using DX10 should reduce CPU bottlenecks by a fair amount.
That will ofcource enable the devs to add more objects, Crysis COULD potentially have alot more trees, rocks, grass and whatnot running DX10..

No idea if it will tho.. depends on how they make the maps I guess, could be alot of hassle adding them manually, but if its generated it would be easier to just specify more of everything..
Remains to be seen if they put in any flashy DX10 specific shaders and whatnot.

[jAkUp]

I believe they said there will be some visual difference but mainly used for performance enhancements.

[sillyeagle]

So any game using DX10 should reduce CPU bottlenecks by a fair amount.


Thats why I'm hoping DX10 is to going to help us out with FSX, since that game is entirely CPU bound.

[namuk]

physics api got to be sorted yet (for dx10 tobe added) and not seen anything on the havok fx that is still to come ..

and by the time dx10 is in games pci 2 (32x) will be out .. and a gtx8800 driver may be out then :)