My hobby engine/game has been in development for some time now (5+ years it must be) and it's starting to come together nicely. I have had a rudimentary material system in place for a while but it's time to do it properly.
I'm using Directx 9c and I'm wondering whether I should spend some time upgrading to DX11 first. If I write a flexible material/shader system, am I going to have more of a headache upgrading it at a later stage?
I haven't really looked in too much detail at the differences between the APIs but they seem to be fairly extensive.
I guess I'll pre-empt the question of what hardware I'm targeting with, the 'latest'. I would like to think that my engine/game(s) would run on the latest consoles - whether that happens is, of course, a different debate.
Is it time to upgrade to Dx11?
Might want to hold off a bit if it isn't a major issue yet; DX12 will bring another major API shift and with Win10 going 'free' for anyone with Win7 or Win8 it could well get a lot of traction.
If you do make a new system in 9, but think you may want to upgrade at some point, then base your system around cbuffers. They were the big change in 10/11, and they'll be sticking around for 12 too.
I wrote a post years ago on how I emulate cbuffer support on 9:
http://www.gamedev.net/topic/618167-emulating-cbuffers/
I wrote a post years ago on how I emulate cbuffer support on 9:
http://www.gamedev.net/topic/618167-emulating-cbuffers/
Author
Thanks, I'll take a look. The more I can do at this stage to align it to later versions the betterIf you do make a new system in 9, but think you may want to upgrade at some point, then base your system around cbuffers. They were the big change in 10/11, and they'll be sticking around for 12 too.
I wrote a post years ago on how I emulate cbuffer support on 9:
http://www.gamedev.net/topic/618167-emulating-cbuffers/
Might want to hold off a bit if it isn't a major issue yet; DX12 will bring another major API shift and with Win10 going 'free' for anyone with Win7 or Win8 it could well get a lot of traction.
hmmm...I don't know. Seems like a real nice dangling carrot that precursors an OS subscription based pay system. Not the cool Epic deal you all know and love but more of a 'able to pull the plug' when you don't pay relationship. Personally, I think it's a trap and your OS will actually cost more in the long run.
I'd hold off as well but for different reasons. What I'm waiting for is glNext because I feel the giant is about to pull another fast one.
edit: V V V
Sure, sure....that's cool. Hardly paranoid, as I don't care what happens with the WindowsOS.
We'll just have to wait and see in a year and a half plus or there about.
I hope you're right and Win10 stays free after the first year, but I doubt it.
I'll also spoil my name some more and say DX12 will be Win10/xBox_n only.
Seeing the DX12 pluging away in the openGL boards, seems fair to make mention of glNext in here.
Whatever the case, I apologize to the original poster because of my 'raving paranoia'. (thank you for the smart words phantom) For me, DX11 was actually a decent choice on a PC running Vista / Win7 because you could drop back to a lower hardware feature set (DX9) using the DX11 interface which allowed it to run on older hardware. I don't have high hopes for DX12 following this pattern because, you'll still need DX12 hardware. but hey, hopefully I'm wrong.
hmmm...I don't know. Seems like a real nice dangling carrot that precursors an OS subscription based pay system. Not the cool Epic deal you all know and love but more of a 'able to pull the plug' when you don't pay relationship. Personally, I think it's a trap and your OS will actually cost more in the long run.
Wait... wut?
How can a free OS cost you more in the long run?
You are going to have to explain this because right now it looks like raving paranoia...
I'd hold off as well but for different reasons. What I'm waiting for is glNext because I feel the giant is about to pull another fast one.
Your paranoia aside if anyone is going to drop the ball this time it'll be the ARB as they have a history of ball dropping which is frankly excellent.
I find this both a good and difficult question. To illustrate, I'm in a similar position, having the dx11 book from frank luna lying around for half a year. Personally I can do what I want with dx9 for now, making simple games, improving my engine. On the other hand, there are features that will be "easier" with dx11. Everything that you learn new, can be a potential waste if you have to learn it all over again.
My advice would be to play around with dx11, learn the basics in a separate/ standalone application, and then decide. That's probably what I'm gonna try myself.
My advice would be to play around with dx11, learn the basics in a separate/ standalone application, and then decide. That's probably what I'm gonna try myself.
I'll also spoil my name some more and say DX12 will be Win10/xBox_n only.
That's already confirmed, so you're right about that.
For me, DX11 was actually a decent choice on a PC running Vista / Win7 because you could drop back to a lower hardware feature set (DX9) using the DX11 interface. I don't have high hopes for DX12 following this pattern. but hey, hopefully I'm wrong.
The current Windows 10 technical preview includes a build of D3D 12 that exposes feature levels down to 9.1, just the same as D3D 11 did, so you're wrong about that.
You see, there's a difference here between making statements based on actual verifiable sources on one hand, versus doomsaying predictions based on personal prejudices on the other. If you do the latter you should realistically expect to be called out on it.
Whatever the case, I apologize to the original poster because of my 'raving paranoia'. (thank you for the smart words phantom)
If you are going to make up bullshit then I'm going to call you on the aforementioned bullshit, simple as.
If in response to this you wish to resort to childish down voting of reasonable posts then carry on, your ire at being called out amuses me and underscores the kind of person you apparently are.
Author
No apology necessary, but do play nice - it didn't feel like GF was trying to state facts, it felt like an opinion to me.
Either way, all's well that ends well - I'm holding off for a bit but writing it with future changes in mind - it shouldn't be too difficult.
Either way, all's well that ends well - I'm holding off for a bit but writing it with future changes in mind - it shouldn't be too difficult.
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