3D graphics API only for new Microsoft OS users
Microsoft has confirmed that DirectX 11.1 will be exclusive to Windows 8.
DirectX 11.1 is the next release of the 3D graphics API and adds, amongst other things, native stereoscopic 3D support, meaning games developed for it will have the option to include 3D compatibility.
“DirectX 11.1 is part of Windows 8, just like DirectX 11 was part of Windows 7. DirectX 11 was made available for Vista (bing it), but at this point there is no plan for DirectX 11.1 to be made available on Windows 7,” Microsoft’s Daniel Moth revealed on the Microsoft Answers forum.
Microsoft previously employed this tactic with DirectX 11, hoping that its DirectX 11 exclusivity would help encourage adoption of the new OS.
However, with Windows 8 already facing hostility amongst some quarters of the press, Microsoft risks an even bigger backlash with this latest decision.
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This story originally appeared on our sister site MCV.
"DirectX11.1 adds...native stereoscopic 3D support, meaning games developed for it will have to include 3D compatibility."
Of course it doesn't mean that! Including support for a feature does not imply a requirement to use it; and I'm not aware that requirement will exist.
...Microsoft at their old tricks again. I bet they were gutted that there wasn't enough of a GPU hardware movement to create a DX12 version to convince the gamers that there was a huge amount of 3D quality to gain by getting Win8.
OGL4 can provide stereoscopic 3D support with some additional extensions and guess what it can work with WinXP and above, Linux and Mac. Hopefully we'll see Gabe's Steam on Linux and maybe even their own OS bring OGL into more light and it will allow greater flexibility and options to make for mobile development with OGL-ES in parallel.
