Microsoft’s attempt to push Windows 10 for every computer gradually led to the spread of DirectX 12 on Windows computers and tablets. It exhibited the graphical prowess of the operating system which unleashed a whole new era in PC gaming. Building it further, Microsoft has introduced new capabilities. Here’s a recap of them all.
DirectX 12 features in Windows 10 v1709
Even though many applications are designed to run on the CPU, most modern-day applications require a lot of GPU support. These applications send instructions to the GPU and then receive processed work back. Because of hardware differences, the CPU can’t talk to the GPU directly. Microsoft’s API makes sure its GPU manufacturers (AMD, Nvidia, and Intel) provide drivers that DirectX can communicate with across devices.
Device removed or device lost errors
When a driver update occurs in the middle of a game, GPU crashes. Microsoft has developed 2 new features to help developers avoid such instances and enable an uninterrupted gameplay. The 2 features are,
- Depth Bounds Testing
- Programmable MSAA
These 2 features, added to a DirectX developer’s tool belt are intended to make it easier for program games to run faster with better visuals.
Improved Debugging: Data
Earlier, the running applications did not have any direct access to the underlying resource memory. As such, whenever an error occurred, developers had no useful information at their end to help them find exactly where an error occurred. However, now, developers can optimize time spent in determining the causes of errors and fix them across systems, quickly.
Improved Debugging: Commands
The idea is to create markers capable of recording commands (executed and ones in the process of executing) sent from the CPU. How does it help? Soon after a crash, the information that is not conveyed or gets delayed can help in figuring out which commands might have caused it. This can significantly cut short the time required for game development and bug fixing.What does this mean for gamers? Developers using these tools will have more time to build high-performance, reliable games instead of continuously searching for the root causes of a bug.
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