Microsoft has shared details on DirectX 10.1

17th August 2007

At SIGGRAPH conference, devoted to graphics technologies, Microsoft made a presentation on the changes coming up with DirectX 10.1. The main points consist in the fact that DX 10.1:
is a series of extensions for DirectX 10;
will be supported by new equipment, but not the current DX10- devices;
will be included in the Service Pack 1 for Windows Vista.
DX10.1- the equipment will be inversely compatible with DX10, but not vice versa. Thus, in games meant for DX10.1 you`ll have to realize rendering mechanisms, compatible with DX10. The similar situation had already taken place when Microsoft released DirectX 9.0c, adding support of the third version shaders.
As for technological changes: in DX10.1 developers are offered more control over managing image quality, besides, many of the optional elements from DX10 become mandatory. Separately should be noted, that since version DX10.1, 4xAA become a mandatory part of image processing.
SDK for DirectX 10.1 is already available for developers, while the release is expected in the first half of 2008. By that time devices with hardware support of DX10.1 should come out, including, possibly, Service Pack 1 for Vista.