DirectX 8 driver & G400s

[antdude]

I just read that DirectX 8 driver will be out soon (before midnight tomorrow)! I assume the latest version of the G400 drivers (9x) support DirectX 8. And the video speed should be faster in games and applications that use DirectX 8. Am I correct?

Note: I heard the driver got leaked out too! If anyone got it early, please post what the result was with the latest G400 and DirectX drivers.

I look forward to receiving replies soon.

[Sitting Bull]

I have been running the DX8 betas for weeks now and have today installed DX8 Final on my W2k machine with a G400 DH 32 Megs RAM.

Wow!

You guys (and gals) are really gonna like the improvement in performance! I'd say it is at least 15 to 20% faster in terms of frame rates, both Janes WW2 Fighters and in MS Combat Flight Sim 2. When your video card starts posting better rates in a flight sim--well, you know you've got ahold of something special! MS has made a real improvement that you will NOTICE this time around!

[wumpie leBeumb]

Yes I tried them, but didn't notice any real improvements.
Biggest changes:
Direct Play :especially for online gaming
Direct Sound:All kinds of tricks to randomize sound and stuff
Direct 3D :Hardware T&L implementations and more new 3d thingies

So nothing that really benefits our lovely but getting-a-little-long-in-the-tooth g400's. (for gaming that is, mind you)

I think that the maximum potential has been wrung out of this card by now, and have reached the state of diminishing returns for some time now.

Well I don't mind, i can play all games I want to play at reasonable frame rates and 2D wise this card will never age.

sorry to dissapoint you

[wumpie leBeumb]

to add to my last message:
this was tested on win98se on a lowspec celeron 400@450.
What system you got sitting bull? Got me interested there, flightsims being the only games alittle to heavy for my system

[This message has been edited by wumpie leBeumb (edited 10 November 2000).]

[Sitting Bull]

I have an Epox 8KTA+, Duron 600 O/C 920MHz. 256 megs PC133 RAM, G400 DH 32 RAM running under Windows 2000.

This DX8 is a really nice improvement over DX7a in W2k. Like I said, about 15 to 20%!

[DosFreak]

1. From now on most companies especially Nvidia will be optimizing more and more for Windows 2000. With the latest 7.17 drivers there has been a SIGNIFICANT increase in D3D performance, if not equal to 9x then extremely close. (I dunno don't have 9x on my system and never plan on going back, gonna have to wait for a driver review to come out). I'll post my NT5 benchmarks later with my Geforce.

2. Directx 8 did not really increase my scores all that much. From the 6.47 drivers to 7.17 drivers yes there is a BIG improvement. But from Dx7 to Dx8 only a couple of 3dmarks or 1-2fps.

3. Windows 2000 does not come with Directx7a. It's Directx 7. There never was a 7a there never will be a 7a. The only difference between 7 and 7a anyway was some controller fixes if I remember correctly which were fixed in the version of Directx7 that comes with Windows 2000. (Actually 2000 had some controller issues itself until the updated dinput.dll from SP1 fixed them.)

------------------
C:\DOS
C:\DOS\RUN
\RUN\DOS\RUN

[This message has been edited by DosFreak (edited 10 November 2000).]

[Paulr]

DirectX 7.0a contained some minor bug fixes to DirectX 7.0
Windows 2000 does contain 7.0a but it only reports itself as 7.0 and also has the same build number as 7.0.
The version of DirectX within Win2000 contains all of the bug fixes contained in DirectX 7.0a.

[antdude]

I finally upgraded from DirectX 7.0a to 8 last night. I ran a few quick tests with HL, Q3A, and UT. Seems to be working, but I think I have a very small speed improvement. I am not so sure.

When I run dxdiag, I noticed Direct3D is using DirectX 7. Is this normal? I thought the latest drivers were supporting 8.

My computer specifications (desktop): http://home.apu.edu/~philpi/antfarm/about/computers.txt

[This message has been edited by antdude (edited 10 November 2000).]