WHAT to expect from PS&VS 3.0??

[Arun]

Thanks Xmas.

However there are already some features announced, expected, wished or even out yet that are not supported by dx9.0: depth bounds (NV35), readable destination color in PS (DeltaChrome), more robust float support (blending, TC), PPP, etc.

Wouldn't the summary of those be sufficiently covered by a let's say dx9.1 update?

I know Microsoft isn't willing to release an update (unless something's changed in the meantime), but wouldn't the next API version be only due in 2005? That's a mighty long time until then.

Well, most of these are minor changes - beside the PPP. The PPP sounds like a pretty big feature - but then again, nVidia will have it implemented by year end. It'd be kinda lame if MS didn't want to support something very innovative ( although ATI original plans were the R400, including a PPP would be released now, but eh ) wouldn't be supported for such a long time.


Uttar

 

[Ailuros]

Never say never...even if Microsoft tries to play stubborn

 

[Mintmaster]

ZoinKs and london-boy, if you are wondering what graphical improvements we'll see, I think the most important are those enabled by textures in the vertex pipeline. We can do things like cloth simulation, far more complicated physics, and likely a wealth of algorithms that could previously only be done on the CPU.

I think VS 3.0 will really open up a graphics revolution. If they ever get the "uber-buffers" idea going (which I believe essentially renders to a vertex buffer), that can kick things off, but arbitrary texturing with dependency in VS 3.0 will really open up the field to endless possibilities.

The only down side is that I think after PS 3.0/VS 3.0, new graphics hardware will for the most part return to being only speed improvements. Of course, there is a chance that nothing I've said will be correct