DX10 on XP ? Could it work?

Pulsar_GTI · 8 Jun 2007 at 11:19

Hi All,

Came across an website claiming to have succeeded in putting dx10 onto XP :eek:

http://www.fallingleafsystems.com/

News from website:

Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Finally making use of this blog I created almost a year ago. What a busy year it's turned out to be, from the inception of the Alky Project to the creation of Falling Leaf Systems and the Sapling Program.

As a fitting start to this blog, I'm proud to release a preview of our Alky compatibility libraries for Microsoft DirectX 10 enabled games. These libraries allow the use of DirectX 10 games on platforms other than Windows Vista, and increase hardware compatibility even on Vista, by compiling Geometry Shaders down to native machine code for execution where hardware isn't capable of running it. No longer will you have to upgrade your OS and video card(s) to play the latest games.

The current preview allows you to run a number of examples from the Microsoft DirectX SDK on Windows XP. They're not the greatest thing since sliced bread, but we want to whet your appetite. We hope to release builds in the coming months progressing from demos to fully functional games. We also plan to post on this blog from time to time with screenshots and videos of what's to come.

The preview build is available here. Inside this zip is a README.TXT file with complete instructions on where to install the files (don't worry, we'll have an installer in the near future) and how to get and run the examples from the SDK.

We at Falling Leaf welcome your feedback, and we're committed to giving you the best high-end gaming experience possible, regardless of OS.

:confused:

What do you think guys? Anyone wonna give it a try?

It would be great if it did work ay

SkeeterUK · 8 Jun 2007 at 11:27

The reason for dx10 was better optimised so less cpu usage and was designed for win vista. Im sure they could get it working but using it as good as vista? I doubt it due to the internals of vista.

Vtec9k · 8 Jun 2007 at 11:33

Sounds like it basically makes the DX10 graphics calls run on the CPU if the graphics card can't handle them? Which would be increadably slow since from what I've read DX10 uses shaders for almost everything and so huge amount of processing will be done on the CPU rather than the GPU?

Dutch Guy · 8 Jun 2007 at 11:37

Vtec9k said:
Sounds like it basically makes the DX10 graphics calls run on the CPU if the graphics card can't handle them? Which would be increadably slow since from what I've read DX10 uses shaders for almost everything and so huge amount of processing will be done on the CPU rather than the GPU?

I think that will be the case, it looks like it is a workaround and usually they turn out to be slower than running it the way it was designed.

But perhaps it will allow people with DX9 hardware and XP to run a game that needs DX10 and Vista, albeit a lot slower

dante6491 · 8 Jun 2007 at 12:02

what about dx10 hardware in windows xp?

LoadsaMoney · 8 Jun 2007 at 12:28

No, be about 1fps like those 3D Mark CPU tests so theres no point.

Sir Random · 8 Jun 2007 at 12:29

dante6491 said:
what about dx10 hardware in windows xp?

They've written machine code routines to emulate the missing hardware, which is the same method as used for creating Console emulators.

Even using machine-code, it will be nowhere near as fast as dedicated hardware, so a top-end rig with XP might give the same DX10 performance as a budget rig on Vista.

Duff-Man · 8 Jun 2007 at 12:43

Vtec9k said:
Sounds like it basically makes the DX10 graphics calls run on the CPU if the graphics card can't handle them? Which would be increadably slow since from what I've read DX10 uses shaders for almost everything and so huge amount of processing will be done on the CPU rather than the GPU?

Yes. And the performance penalty for this will be *incredible*

Think of the CPU test in 3dmark06, for example. Running GPU calls through the CPU is not a realistic option for gaming.

Duff-Man · 8 Jun 2007 at 12:45

Sir Random said:
so a top-end rig with XP might give the same DX10 performance as a budget rig on Vista.

I'm afraid not - won't even be close.

CPUs are simply not designed to efficiently implement the kinds of parallel operations which are sent to a GPU. This is ignoring the fact that the raw calculating capacity of a modern (DX10-class) GPU uttrely dwarfs that of a CPU.

Dutch Guy · 8 Jun 2007 at 13:21

Edit

After typing it realised it was nonsense

Sir Random · 8 Jun 2007 at 13:22

Duff-Man said:
I'm afraid not - won't even be close.

CPUs are simply not designed to efficiently implement the kinds of parallel operations which are sent to a GPU. This is ignoring the fact that the raw calculating capacity of a modern (DX10-class) GPU uttrely dwarfs that of a CPU.

Well, if running the DX10 emulator on a quad-core @ 4Ghz won't even come close to a celeron with onboard graphics, then they're completely wasting their time.

Dutch Guy · 8 Jun 2007 at 13:27

Sir Random said:
Well, if running the DX10 emulator on a quad-core @ 4Ghz won't even come close to a celeron with onboard graphics, then they're completely wasting their time.

But what is the point, if you can afford a quad core 4Ghz CPU surely you can afford a copy of Vista :confused:

Emulation sucks, only exceptions are old console emulators to play Megadrive/Snes games on the pc

Pulsar_GTI · 8 Jun 2007 at 13:31

What I might do is put a link to this thread in there forum to see what they have to say about our replys

Will post up the results

EDIT - Just tried to register on there forums but 'The board administrator is no longer accepting any new registrations at the moment' lol

Will give it another go soon

Dutch Guy · 8 Jun 2007 at 13:38

Two games they mention are Halo2 and Shadowrun which are just a way for Microsoft to force Vista down our throats as they are not really that advanced anyway that they needs DX10 to run.

So for such a game it might work but I doubt it will work with games that really use DX10 optimisations and effects.

Schnippzle · 8 Jun 2007 at 13:55

Dutch Guy said:
Two games they mention are Halo2 and Shadowrun which are just a way for Microsoft to force Vista down our throats as they are not really that advanced anyway that they needs DX10 to run.

So for such a game it might work but I doubt it will work with games that really use DX10 optimisations and effects.

If Halo 2 on the pc is gonna run anything like the original Halo on the pc, its gonna be a massive pile of gash. Really not gonna thrash out money on a dx10 card for Halo 2

Got my xbox for that.

peetee · 8 Jun 2007 at 13:58

think this is more like something that lets you play vista only games on XP? Seriously doubt itll mean you get the dx10 graphics features along with it, especially on none dx10 cards.

Dutch Guy · 8 Jun 2007 at 14:29

Schnippzle said:
If Halo 2 on the pc is gonna run anything like the original Halo on the pc, its gonna be a massive pile of gash. Really not gonna thrash out money on a dx10 card for Halo 2 Got my xbox for that.

I saw a preview on a games television program (Gamekings) and they said it looks dated already (and the install took a few hours but that could be the fact it wasn't a final release)

peetee · 8 Jun 2007 at 14:37

theres halo2 threads on here where people have posted their screenies, yes it does look dated etc, but theres no dx10 features, its a dx9 game

pretty poor port from what im gathering too

Boogle · 8 Jun 2007 at 14:43

peetee said:
theres halo2 threads on here where people have posted their screenies, yes it does look dated etc, but theres no dx10 features, its a dx9 game pretty poor port from what im gathering too

Technically a DX8 games cause the original Xbox is DX8

peetee · 8 Jun 2007 at 15:06

really? thats mad, a dx8 game vista only, haha