DirectX 10 support or not?

From the FAQ: https://www.galciv3.com/game/faq

Q: Why don’t you support DirectX 9?
A: DirectX 10 and 11 allow us to easily have multiple threads touch the graphics card simultaneously. This results in much higher-quality font rendering, makes it a lot easier to support advanced UI scaling, and makes the game less CPU-bound which will be important for giving the artificial intelligence engine more processing power to execute VCSS’s (Very Complex Strategy Simulations). As with the decision to be 64-bit, it allows us to create a better game for the majority of players that already meet the requirements.


From the Game History: https://www.galciv3.com/databanks/game-history/galciv-3

Due to the expected longevity of Galactic Civilizations III, the new engine is strictly 64-bit and DirectX 11. This is to allow the game to continue to be improved and expanded well into the future.


So, will DirectX 10 be supported or not? I have a DirectX 11 card, so I'm not too worried but for those among us with DirectX 10 cards, this is an important question, I'd imagine.

46,468 views 21 replies
Reply #1 Top

I'd trust more the FAQ, specially as it mentions DirectX 10 as one of the system requirements. That said, if that information is actually wrong, they should correct it.

Reply #2 Top

I once bought a game without looking at the min req's to see if it would run because it looked fun.  That game required DX11.  My PC supports up to DX10.  This is something that would make or brake me pre-ordering the game.  If it doesn't have DX10 suppourt, I won't be pre-ordering.  I pray it does have DX10 support along with a limit for the amount of RAM it can use on a system

Reply #3 Top

I certainly hope to heck it won't require DirectX 11.2, as that is exclusive to Windows 8 and Xbox 1.  I doubt Stardock would do that to us, though.  No way in heck am I downgrading to Windows 8.

Reply #4 Top

It'll be  a cold day in hell before they restrict this to Win8.

Win7 will be fine, but that's as far down the totem pole they will be going. They are after fully fledged 64bit with all the bells and whistles, no way will they go below Win7.

Reply #5 Top

Uhm, Windows Vista supports 64bit and DirectX 10. So if they support DirectX 10, they will go below Windows 7 ;)

Reply #6 Top

Quoting NitroX, reply 5
Uhm, Windows Vista supports 64bit and DirectX 10. So if they support DirectX 10, they will go below Windows 7

Hell will freeze over before Brad goes anywhere near Vista for GalCiv III

Reply #7 Top

They said they will only support Windows 7 and 8. As to DirectX9, did Win7 even ship with DirectX9. If not, to support DirectX9, GC3 would have to include it in their packaging.

 

Reply #8 Top

They don't have to - it'll just be a case that GalCiv will not run win7/DirectX9.

We will see in a few weeks, my betting is still on Win7/DirectX10 minimum

Reply #9 Top

Note that DX11 is available for everythign Vista and above

Only DX11.1 (Windows 8) and DX11.2 (Windows 8.1) are restricted to Windows 8 platforms

 

Thus you can require DX11 without the requirement of Windows8.

Reply #10 Top

Just to help clarify things more, there's two aspects of Directx 11 (or 9 or 10) there's hardware support up to a certain level of directx, and then there's the API that they use. They can still use the DirectX 11 api even if the minimum hardware they are targeting is DirectX 10, it'll just have some graphics features flagged as being unavailable. The api is available on all version of Windows from Vista upward as has been noted.

 

So they can code it using the DirectX 11 API and run it on DirectX 10 or 11 hardware, just with a feature difference.

Reply #11 Top

Quoting wizisi2k, reply 2

I once bought a game without looking at the min req's to see if it would run because it looked fun.  That game required DX11.  My PC supports up to DX10.  This is something that would make or brake me pre-ordering the game.  If it doesn't have DX10 suppourt, I won't be pre-ordering.  I pray it does have DX10 support along with a limit for the amount of RAM it can use on a system

If your PC is running Windows 7 x64 and just has a DX 10 video card, you're likely okay (but should wait until closer to release to get a real answer before buying). This thread mentions DX10 as supported by Brad: https://forums.galciv3.com/448974/page/1/

If you're limited to DX 10 because you're on Vista, than you're stuck. The game doesn't support Vista.

Reply #12 Top

Quoting Tridus, reply 11
If you're limited to DX 10 because you're on Vista, than you're stuck. The game doesn't support Vista.

 

I had Vista and it had DX11.

Reply #13 Top

Quoting Lucky, reply 12


Quoting Tridus, reply 11If you're limited to DX 10 because you're on Vista, than you're stuck. The game doesn't support Vista.

 

I had Vista and it had DX11.

Oh? Well hopefully you don't have Vista now, because the game doesn't support Vista. :)

Reply #14 Top

In terms of OS support everyone will be fine. Long as you're running the 64 bit version of Vista or above. Unless you're some kinds of rediculous 64 bit XP hold out, in which case, I hope that padded room you're in is really comfortable. XP support runs out in 6 months, so you'd better start upgrading.

Given that COD:Ghosts requires 64-bit, and BF4 will have both 32/64 bit versions, you can more or less bet that other devs will follow with 64-bit requirements. Given that most PCs ship with 64bit win7/win8 anyway (and that Steam's own hardware survey indicates a good 70% penetration) expect more 64bit games in the future.

For hardware support, again most people should be ok. Despite the fact that games have been lagging in the DX10/11 support, on the hardware side the card manufacturers have been building in support for those platforms for years. On the Nvidia side, DX10 support from Nvidia has been around since the 8000 series. DX11 has been supported since the 4xx series. If you meet the minimum requirements of any modern games, you're likely ok.

Reply #15 Top

Quoting Tridus, reply 13
Oh? Well hopefully you don't have Vista now, because the game doesn't support Vista.

In general, if something runs Win7, it runs on Vista. Even if the game doesn't officially run on Vista, I wouldn't be overly concerned.

Reply #16 Top

well, DX9 may be no longer supported by the company that made it, but I assure you that most games still does support it. My guess is hell yes it will be supported.

 

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Reply #17 Top

Quoting Tyrantissar, reply 16
My guess is hell yes it will be supported.

Brad has already stated DX9 will not be supported in GalCiv III

They have written a brand new 64bit DirectX 10/11 3D engine.

As far as GalCiv III is concerned, DX9 is dead.

Reply #18 Top

Quoting Tyrantissar, reply 16

well, DX9 may be no longer supported by the company that made it, but I assure you that most games still does support it. My guess is hell yes it will be supported.

 

They say it won't be. They also say they're making the game 64 bit only, which rules out XP.

DX9 support is dying a very rapid death in the industry as XP dies off and now 64 bit PC hardware based consoles appear. If you're making a PS4/Xbox One game, it's going to be aimed at x64 with 8GB of RAM and what is functionally DX11 graphics.

Take a look at what's coming out this year, and DX9 is not everywhere. By this time next year it won't exist for any serious game.

Reply #19 Top

Brad has launched Oxide, a new graphics initiative, they just went live. As far as GalCiv III is concerned, DX9 is dead - not happening, will not get past first base even by co-incidence. DX9 is wholly incompatible with the new Nitrous Graphics Engine that's been launched by Oxide,

Brad's new 3d engine, Nitrous, is a generational step change in graphics. DX9 could handle three point lights in games, Nitrous handles tens of thousands using all available graphics GPU / CPU Core hardware.  My guess is GalCiv III will end up a Flagship Game for the new Nitrous Engine, because with Brad heading up Nitrous - and already having Intel, AMD, and Nvidia backing it so publicly - there is no way is GalCiv III being released in 12-18months time without Nitrous at its Core, the latter is inconceivable.

Its a massive step change. Its not mere graphical jiggery pokey using new smoke and mirrors - its a generational level change in graphics that's going to be massive .......

https://forums.galciv3.com/449374/page/2/#3410954 - look at reply #29 from Brad.

Reply #20 Top

Quoting Zydor, reply 19
My guess is GalCiv III will end up a Flagship Game for the new Nitrous Engine

GalCiv 3 doesn't use Nitrous. Frogboy already said so in the very thread you linked.

 

 

Reply #21 Top

Still would like an official statement from Stardock on this.