Microsoft introduced DirectX 12 Ultimate , the new version of its graphical API with which they want PC games and the future Xbox Series X to look as similar as possible. Hence, important innovations are integrated that developers can take advantage of to optimize a game no matter what platform it goes next.
DX12 Ultimate, the future graphic of Microsoft
DirectX was launched in 2014 and since then it has been improving with small updates. The new version that arrives now will not be a giant leap, but it will add enough improvements to guarantee a better experience both on PC and on the future Xbox Series X.
And it is that this DirectX 12 Ultimate version that will be released at the end of the year is focused on offering a series of novelties in software issues that will allow developers to apply graphic advances such as Ray Tracing to the games that arrive for the future Xbox Series X and PC with graphics from AMD and Nvidia.
Because that is the real purpose of this version, to help developers optimize their games and graphics applications regardless of the platform. Guaranteeing, for example, being able to use so much that ray tracing that is so interesting and even other improvements such as Variable Rate Shading, Mesh Shaders and Sampler Feedback.
- Ray Tracing is ray tracing technology that improves light effects and surplus in graphical representation
- Mesh Shader offers the ability to add more detail to objects
- Variable Rate Shading is oriented to virtual reality, improving the vision of the point where you look and worsening the peripheral areas
- Sampler feedback to improve performance and texture loading
Therefore, when a user acquires new hardware where the DirectX 12 Ultimate logo appears or buys the new Microsoft console, they will be able to enjoy all these improvements that will change the gaming experience and give meaning to the next generation of games. .
In addition, both Nvidia and AMD have already confirmed that they will support said version of Microsoft’s graphical APIs. The difference is that while there will be more Nvidia GPUs with DX12 Ultimate support, only the latest AMD graphics will support it.
This is what Microsoft commented on its developer page about the benefits that DirectX 12 Ultimate will bring:
DirectX12 Ultimate is fundamentally an enhancement that gives gamers the assurance that their hardware meets the necessary requirements to support the most advanced features of next-generation games.
It is very important to note that DX12 Ultimate will not affect game compatibility with existing hardware that does not support all of these new features. In fact, next-gen games that use the DX12 Ultimate features will continue to run on non-DX12 Ultimate hardware. Although obviously you will not enjoy the visual benefits of the new functions, but you will be able to provide a better and more attractive gaming experience according to the specific characteristics of the hardware.
The PC ecosystem encompasses a wide variety of hardware and DX12 Ultimate makes it perform better without any negative effect on unsupported hardware.
In the following video, NVIDIA demonstrates all the advantages that the new version will offer in its graphics. The results speak for themselves. So, there is already a lot of desire to see everything that the games that we will see from the end of the year will bring. Both those that will arrive for PC and for the Xbox Series X.
Source> The Verge