Microsoft unveils DirectX 12

Even though it looks like it will be a relatively calm spring and summer, the work is in full swing to prepare for upcoming game titles. At GDC 2014, the gaming industry presents the latest breakthroughs with news from all sides. Now the turn has come to Microsoft, which completely according to the promise speaks of the future of its own graphics interface DirectX.

The new DirectX 12 contains two main ingredients. First and foremost, the interface should provide better performance by providing a “console-like” programming environment with “radically” reduced overhead, which at the same time will make it possible to take advantage of the latest advances in modern graphics processors. It’s very similar to how AMD Mantle is used to let programmers work closer to the hardware or close to metal.

This includes a number of technical details, such as more efficient handling of processor cores (threads) and greater control over the rendering process, including collision detection and culling. Most aim to open up for competent developers to use the available computing power.

As an example, Microsoft shows the performance gains in the well-used test program 3DMark, where above all the optimized handling of threads and processor cores should give large performance gains. According to Microsoft, processor time is used 50 percent more efficiently with DirectX 12.

The second main ingredient is a broad support for many platforms. Microsoft promises that DirectX 12 will appear in everything from Windows Phone to Xbox One and of course tablets and personal computers with the Windows operating system. Epic Games is also already on the track and promises to add support for the new graphics interface in the versatile game engine Unreal Engine 4.

The same applies to the circuit manufacturers AMD, Intel, Nvidia and Qualcomm, who are working to develop associated drivers. In the case of AMD, all graphics processors from the GCN generation will work, ie the Radeon HD 7000 series and later models. For Nvidia, the Geforce GTX 400 series applies and later, while Intel promises to provide integrated graphics components in the fourth generation Core architecture (Haswell).

However, there is no rush to upgrade. Microsoft expects that the first games for DirectX 12 will only appear before Christmas trading in 2015. Those who do not want to wait until then can look forward to a preview version later in the year, but this is probably only intended for developers.