DirectX 12 to Be Unveiled At GDC 2014
by Ryan Smith on March 5, 2014 8:34 PM EST
Picking up from where we left off with last week’s discussion of GDC presentations, Microsoft has released a short teaser regarding their GDC presentation. The previously mentioned “DirectX: Evolving Microsoft's Graphics Platform” session isn’t just a session on low-level APIs, as we first surmised, but will in fact be the formal unveiling of DirectX 12.
Just what DirectX 12 will contain remains to be seen. Given the session descriptions for this and other sessions, low-level (ish) interfaces for Direct3D seems likely. But it’s not clear if there are updates in store for any of the other components of DirectX.
Historically speaking, Microsoft has been overdue for a new DirectX announcement. Other than the various point updates over the last couple of years, Microsoft hasn’t had a major DirectX announcement since DirectX 11 in 2009, with DirectX 10 coming 3 years before that in 2006.
In the meantime it’s interesting to note who’s listed as a participating partner in Microsoft’s tease. The big 3 – AMD, Intel, and NVIDIA – are included, but so is Qualcomm. Qualcomm of course is not a player in the traditional dGPU or x86 iGPU spaces, but they are a significant vendor in the Windows on ARM space, having their SoCs in products such as the Nokia Lumia tablets. Consequently, with Microsoft continuing to push into the tablet space with Windows RT, it stands to reason that some of DirectX 12's functionality will be tuned for tablets too.
Anyhow, we’ll have more details on March 20th when Microsoft makes their formal presentation.
Source: Microsoft
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Frenetic Pony - Wednesday, March 5, 2014 - link
Mantle giving Krohnos and MS a swift kick in the pants, exactly what it needed to do. Less API overhead and more access to capabilities that are mostly there already, at least mostly there for AMD cards. AwesomeMorawka - Wednesday, March 5, 2014 - link
DirectX 12 has been in development for over 3 years, i doubt their low level API talks are knee jerk reactions.Its more likely that GPU and Rendering Architects expressed their concern about the overhead in DX11 years ago, and MS is just now allowed to talk about DX12 and how they've progressed.
juampavalverde - Wednesday, March 5, 2014 - link
Sorry pal, i think it's a reaction, they are afraid of keep loosing marketshare, there is a big cloud of SteamOS, PS4, and AMD is also pushing a bit with Mantle (smoke and mirrors mostly, but it worked). If not by those, these announcement would have been in a few months/quarters, probably for DirectX 11.2b, but no, now is DirectX 12! Beware!jeffkibuule - Wednesday, March 5, 2014 - link
Do people really think that DirectX 12 was developed in the timespan since Mantle was announced? If so, I have a bridge in Alaska to sell you.anandreader106 - Wednesday, March 5, 2014 - link
I don't think anyone believes it was developed in the time span since Mantle was announced but maybe its development was expedited.I think you'd agree though it doesn't really matter either way. I'm just glad to have a new DirectX headed to my PC.
beginner99 - Thursday, March 6, 2014 - link
Why not? Nobody claimed their will be a functionally demonstration. All they might show is a general overview, ideas and a specification which could have easily be achieved in the given time.dragonsqrrl - Thursday, March 6, 2014 - link
... holy crap, someone actually said yes.Notmyusualid - Thursday, March 6, 2014 - link
Yes, I am shaking my head too....chizow - Thursday, March 6, 2014 - link
Heheh yeah it's probably the same folks who were trying their hardest to connect the dots from Mantle to XB1's low-level API when Mantle was first announced back in September 2013. And now, suddenly, DirectX 12 sprung from a hole in the ground as a reaction from Microsoft!Frenetic Pony - Wednesday, March 5, 2014 - link
Actually they said they'd stop development with 11.2, so far as I know I may be correct.