So the game is releasing on 11.11.11 which is an interesting date to release it on, but the thing is todd has said frequently that they are comfy using DX9. The thing is that doesn't make any sense.

WHY YOU ASK because the game releasing 11/11/11 means that using DX11 would only make sense...also having options in the mod tools to edit DX11 effects/tessellation would be nice.

11.11.11 w/ dx11 amiright?

They should've just skipped Elder Scrolls V and made Elder Scrolls XI.

It doesnt make sense that they are comfortable with Dx9? THAT is what doesnt make sense.

You should know a bit about computers and programming before creating the issue that "oh its simply easy for them to use Dx11". What do you know? >_>

That DX11 in and of itself is entirely backwards compatible with DX9, and the extra capabilities are in a new syntax?
Skyrim began development before DX11 was a thing you could use, so it's forgivable for it not to utilise it - however there's absolutely no reason for a game started today to not support it.

If you ask a game developer, he'll give you a pretty good excuse, Im sure. Are any of the people here developers? Guess not.

Apprecaiting your desire for DX 11 - it was unfortunately non existent when they started to create this game.

The next Elder Scrolls will use either DX 11 or DX 12 (whhoooooowwwwwwwwwww - keanu reeves the future is now!!!)

DX11 not being console compatible is a good reason not use it, Skyrim being a multi-console title and all.

So, it's time to play everybody's favourite game: Blame the consoles.

2/3 versions of this game will be versions that, regardless of whatever one legally did to their machines, will not support anything DX11-like (also keep in mind that one of these versions don't even use DX). The more features and options, the merrier, in my opinion, but the PC version is only one out of three and a lot of people who will be playing the PC version likely don't have machines that support DX11, anyway. I'm sure whatever DX11 does is great, but it makes sense that they wouldn't use it simply because a vast majority of people playing the game wouldn't even benefit from said features. In addition, when they built the engine, I doubt DX11 was anywhere among their concerns considering the time and from what I've heard, DX11 is still currently experimental, anyway, so what would they have wanted with DX11 back when they created their new engine?

While it would be a stretch to call myself anything more than an amateur, I know people who have worked as professional graphics programmers across various platforms. I don't speak out of ignorance, there is no reason for a game starting development in the last few years to not have DX11 support. It doesn't have to be DX11-only, just being able to switch to a DX11 renderer with no additional processing gives significant performance boosts.

Yes, blame people who simply dont feel the need, desire, or that simply cannot, spend $2000+ dollars on a computer.

I just love this exaggerated argument - you can count on it in any thread about platforms.

In fact, a DX11 card is probably cheaper than Skyrim's collectors edition.

Yeah, I can't afford anywhere near that much. Less than a quarter of it, really.

Oh, that's what I bought my PC for, which is DX11 capable.

When I say im eating mint chip icecream. If you say that doesnt make sense ill just stare at you till you bugger off. Same thing happens if you tell todd his choice doesnt make sense. Only hes polite and doesnt look like a deranged axe miuderer eating his icecream....

You scare me a little bit... :blink:

Anyway, on topic: As previously stated, DX11 did not exist when this game or the engine that was developed for it were created. Consoles can not support DX11 or anything like it. Quite a lot of people who have a PC likely have not yet updated their machines to be DX11 compatible.

All perfectly valid reasons for Skyrim to not use DX11. (Though I'm not saying it wouldn't be nice).

Leaving before the guy above me kills me for eating his icecream :icecream: :bolt:

No.

Are you shopping at the Sky Mall or Sharper Image or something (or Apple LoL). You can easily get a DX11 capable PC for $500 and a decent one at that.

Not quite. DirectX 11 hardware is compatible with DirectX 9 software. A DirectX 11 game using DirectX 11 features is not compatible with DirectX 9 cards. But those cards are so old you probably wouldn't be able to play it well in the first place. Because we're in a transition period and the Xbox 360 is trapped in DirectX 9 land until the next console comes out, it's not uncommon for developers to release DirectX 9, 10, and 11 versions of the same game for PC if they have the resources to do so. But if it's going to be on the Xbox, one of the requirements is that it must run on DirectX 9. PC hardware supports both 9 and 11, but if you're going to make a DirectX 9 version, 11 isn't necessary for a PC release. Just an added bonus.

What I mean is that a DX9-based application requires minimal alteration to run on a DX11 renderer, assuming none of the techniques DX11 enables are going to be used, rather than DX9 being able to run DX11 titles - that would be quite silly.

Since when did DX9 games get ugly?

I have seen nothing from DX10 games that make me go all gushy inside, and DX11 came out long after the graphics was established for this game. DX9 is more than enough for most any game out there.

Leave DX11 for the Shooters because they need the Eye Candy.

You mean using DirectX 11, but only using DirectX 9 effects? That's easier to do, but still requires two different versions of the game (two different .exe's). Some of the techniques used with the DX11 renderer may optimize the rendering of DX9 techniques, but those optimization techniques still don't work on DX9 cards. It'd be easier for them to do and I'd like my games to run a wee bit faster. But this helps a very small minority of people. You'd really need the worst kind of DX11 card if you have trouble enough running a DX9 game that you need a DX11 version just to make those DX9 features faster. If you're gonna make a DX11 version, you may as well go all the way with features or else you're not helping very many people.

wow. who cares. I vaguely know about DX 9 and whaterver, and its enough for me to know that this is the last thing I care about in regards to the development of SK.

I've seen plenty of games have both DX9 and DX10/11 modes in the same executable, just requires a restart so that everything is set up properly. Anyway, it's a free performance boost, and in the case of skyrim, will give modders more freedom, so why knock it?

Of course, it'd be nice to have all the shiny effects in from the start, and have skyrim *actually* look like a "next gen" title, as we were told it would, but I'll take a visually identical DX11 mode over nothing at all.

@CCNA; That seems an incredibly cynical way of thinking about it. TES games are praised for how immersive they are, and that factor especially can be improved with better looking graphics. Tessellation especially would be both a huge performance boost and a huge graphics boost, if done right.

This.

"Pretty" games remain pretty, even if something prettier comes along.

Games are Immersive or not. Graphics are just eye candy. I have played Text Based games that svcked me into the world, and I have played graphically rich games that did nothing for me as the game itself svcked.

Sure, graphics can have an impact, good or bad, on a game, however no crap game has ever been made better by Eye Candy (Crysis 2 anyone?). However my point stands that the graphics for this game were established long ago. I have used Hi Res texture packs on most of my games and for the most part, they just look weird to me. Some parts of the game look different than other parts. For them to put in DX11 at this point, or even DX10 (if there is anything of value to that one) would require all the graphical elements to be overhauled.

I would much rather them be fixing bugs and polishing quest lines at this point.

There are no absolutes. Each has its own importance. Gameplay/Graphics/Sound/Story all have their place in a well-made game.