Windows Live, DX10 looking up for XP

By Wily Ferret: Friday 13 July 2007, 07:59

See DX10 is do-able for Windows XP.

With Gears of War being announced for PC, creator Cliff Blezinski has been telling journalists that the game is coming to Windows XP as well as Vista, complete with Games for Windows Live integration for multiplayer and achievements.

G4WL!, as it is snappily abbreviated, is currently Vista-only and supported in Microsoft showcase titles Halo 2 and ShadowRun. Gears is, like these two, a Microsoft Game Studios title, but it seems like the playbook may be torn up at the behest of the rock-star developers. Meanwhile, Microsoft is issuing press releases left, right and centre announcing more XP G4WL! titles, including Viva Pinata. Confusion reigns in California.

Will this also mean an appearance for DX10 on XP? The odds are getting shorter by the day. µ

Although it would be nice to see DX10 come to XP, i think it is very unlikely. If Microsoft did that then there would be no reason for anyone to buy Vista.

Although it would be nice to see DX10 come to XP, i think it is very unlikely. If Microsoft did that then there would be no reason for anyone to buy Vista.

dbowman

Well, market realities may be pushing Microsoft in that direction. Makes no sense to handcuff these new games to a new platform that a LOT of people haven't jumped on just to prove a point. If it is technically possible to do it, they immediately expand the potential customer base. By keeping those games Vista-only, they may be promoting Vista, but they are dooming those games by limiting the install base.

[QUOTE="dbowman"]

Although it would be nice to see DX10 come to XP, i think it is very unlikely. If Microsoft did that then there would be no reason for anyone to buy Vista.

ZBoater

Well, market realities may be pushing Microsoft in that direction. Makes no sense to handcuff these new games to a new platform that a LOT of people haven't jumped on just to prove a point. If it is technically possible to do it, they immediately expand the potential customer base. By keeping those games Vista-only, they may be promoting Vista, but they are dooming those games by limiting the install base.

Its a very fair point that you make. Personally i haven't seen any sales figures for Vista (comparing it to XP). But it does seem to me that a lot of pre-built PCs (and laptops) are now coming with Vista already installed. It does seem like Microsoft are trying to phase XP out... and quickly.

However, as you say, the majority still use XP. But if Microsoft really want to push Vista, they need to offer the customer a good insentive... in this case DX10.

DX10 on XP could be the best thing for microsoft to do IMO. I honeslty would love to play Crysis and all the other DX10 goodness without having to use Vista. Vista = 10-15 fps difference from XP.JAMullins

Well considering that DX 10.1 (or DX11) is coming to vista next year for the G100 and R700 GPU'sit would be a waste to not give DX10 to XP.

DX10 will apparently work perfect on XP so Microsoft might as well give it to XP seeing as they are going to have DX10.1 to sell vista.

Microsoft has let us down so far with windows vista so as compensation in a way they can give XP DX10.

One last thing. There is something in development called the Alky project which is meant to be bringing DX10 to XP anyway.

There are numerous reasons as to why DX10 is not officially coming to XP.
While it is possible for these projects to be successful in bringing DX10 to XP, it is going to be the same and completely kills the point of DX10.

A mod at SteamPowered.com said it best, so I will just quote him...

You don't have to be a Microsoft programmer to understand programming and how the OS works. They make things called "white papers" for a reason you know.

I have read some of the white papers. It just isn't possible. It is like trying to push the square through the circle hole - the only way to make it work is to hammer it in, in which case you will break part of it.TonJohn

im realy hoping on DX 10 for XP. by the end of the year i was planning on getting Vista 64 bit but if XP gets DX10 then i'll rather get Xp 64 bit, 2 new shiny gigs of ram and a high end DX 10 card, probably the 8800GTX if the new cards havnt arrived.handag

If you are a gamer, getting 64 bit anything is not really going to gain you much, but could potentially saddle you with incompatibility problems with certain games or drivers. Unless you need 4GB or RAM or more, or are planning on running some high end CAD applications, 32 bit is where gaming is at.... today.

Well considering that DX 10.1 (or DX11) is coming to vista next year for the G100 and R700 GPU'sit would be a waste to not give DX10 to XP.

DX10 will apparently work perfect on XP so Microsoft might as well give it to XP seeing as they are going to have DX10.1 to sell vista.

Microsoft has let us down so far with windows vista so as compensation in a way they can give XP DX10.

One last thing. There is something in development called the Alky project which is meant to be bringing DX10 to XP anyway.

hamza_jedi

I dont think that we will see G100 and R700 next year.

Firstly, this is the Inquierer we are talking about here. Unless they provide a good source, you shouldn't taken anything they say seriously. They are known to post any garbage that will get their site more hits.

DX10 is not coming to the PC for a great many reasons.

1. Microsoft is not going to waste their time and resources (aka money) to port DX10 over to XP -- especially for free. A quick google search would tell you that DX10 was written from the ground up, so this isn't like DX version upgrades in the past, this is an entirely new product. This also means that Microsoft would have to support 2 versions of DX -- again more time and resources. The cost for DX10 is undoubitdly part of what you pay for Vista, just like the other features it comes with.

2. From a technical standpoint, DX10 is built using many of Vista's new native system functions that are not present in XP. For DX10 to run on XP, the same native functionality would have to be ported to XP -- this will not happen.

Bah, I was going to write a lot more about this... but I am hoping I don't need to. Yes, in the perfect world all product and software would be free and we wouldn't have to pay for upgrades. However, in reality, things that cost money to develop are sold for a price. Sorry folks!

[QUOTE="hamza_jedi"]

Well considering that DX 10.1 (or DX11) is coming to vista next year for the G100 and R700 GPU'sit would be a waste to not give DX10 to XP.

DX10 will apparently work perfect on XP so Microsoft might as well give it to XP seeing as they are going to have DX10.1 to sell vista.

Microsoft has let us down so far with windows vista so as compensation in a way they can give XP DX10.

One last thing. There is something in development called the Alky project which is meant to be bringing DX10 to XP anyway.

domke13

I dont think that we will see G100 and R700 next year.

Well you are wrong.
R700 is slated for a 1H '08 launch and the G100 is looking at 2H '08.

[QUOTE="domke13"][QUOTE="hamza_jedi"]

Well considering that DX 10.1 (or DX11) is coming to vista next year for the G100 and R700 GPU'sit would be a waste to not give DX10 to XP.

DX10 will apparently work perfect on XP so Microsoft might as well give it to XP seeing as they are going to have DX10.1 to sell vista.

Microsoft has let us down so far with windows vista so as compensation in a way they can give XP DX10.

One last thing. There is something in development called the Alky project which is meant to be bringing DX10 to XP anyway.

LordEC911

I dont think that we will see G100 and R700 next year.

Well you are wrong.
R700 is slated for a 1H '08 launch and the G100 is looking at 2H '08.

Source??? I wonder when G90 will come out then if G100 is looking for 2H of 2008.

EDIT: I googled a bit and all i could find were some Poland, Russian and Arabian pages.

no matter how dx10 is put on xp it doesnt matter to me. i just want to play crysis and all the future game with the dx10 goodness... whatever it takes...JAMullins