News Future support for Win 32 and DX10

Hell Razor5543 · Sep 19, 2016

Please consider this example, if you will. When they first came out, mobile phones used an analogue system for communications. Then, after a while, mobile phones that used a digital system came out. The various networks supported both systems for quite a while. However, as more people switched to the digital mobile phones (with better signal and more functions) the network providers decided to switch off the analogue networks (and, in my case, gave me a new digital mobile phone), which meant they did not have to support and maintain an obsolete system. This not only allows them to concentrate on the current (and future) technologies, it means they can save money by not having to support what is generally agreed to be an obsolete system.

Would you go back to the ancient mobile phones? No, and neither would I.

CMDR MAIN SEQUENCE · Sep 19, 2016

Retrograde said:
But I'd also suggest not changing requirements mid-season. Each season should have an unchanging minimum requirement. So how about a promise that DX11 will at the very least last until the end of season 3?

I don't think that is necessary as this will only impact people playing the base game.

SeaFireliv said:
Still 6 months is good warning, just send an email to everyone since most will miss it here.

Agreed, perhaps something in the newsletter and other sources.

Cheapchips · Sep 19, 2016

Since not everyone uses the forum, is it worth dropping this in email to those who have used win32 in the last month?

Or even a message when you log in on the 32bit client?

Otherwise it it ends up a little like:

"But the plans were on display…”
“On display? I eventually had to go down to the cellar to find them.”
“That’s the display department.”
“With a flashlight.”
“Ah, well, the lights had probably gone.”
“So had the stairs.”
“But look, you found the notice, didn’t you?”
“Yes,” said Arthur, “yes I did. It was on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying ‘Beware of the Leopard.

Iori · Sep 19, 2016

Robbotech said:
please don't ever make us run windows 10
i'll have nightmares tonight now...

This, please, I plan to remain on windows 7, or move to linux if win 7 stops serving my needs, Windows 10 is a dead end to me.

Better go with the platform agnostic Vulkan in the future, and then you will only have to worry about 1 API for all systems and would make the port to other systems easier.

Spacemarkl · Sep 19, 2016

Fine by me. My current hardware might be old and simple but runs in 64bit and DX11 fairly well. Hope it stays like it at least for Season 3. But probably with season 4 i'd need a major upgrade.

Kyokushin · Sep 19, 2016

Drop it.
Hardware is cheap now, we are living in XXI century, ED player base is over 30 in most. We can afford new stuff for our fauvorite game, even in not rich countries.

And if someone have a computer from last decade, and is whining he have no money or whatever, it simply mean he can just need to give up from few movies in cinema or beer for a two weeks and then he will able to upgrade stuff.

Win 7 users can upgrade it to 10 for free... it is their choice to stay on outdated software, so it is their choice to not play newer version of ED. They are not a reason to stay on Win32 and old DirectX.

Tinman · Sep 19, 2016

*deactivates cloak*

David Braben said:
It will be at least six months before we would make the change...

Season 3 will be released roughly 6 months from now then?

Got it!

*activates cloak*

AdmiralFloof · Sep 19, 2016

Well at some point a cut off must be made. We already had a bit higher system requirement when Horizons came out and Season 3 might push it a bit further. Plus it's the only way to keep up with graphics that gamers expect these days but not too high that not everyone can run it. At some point even the ships will need to have another pass in detail and textures.

Also Mr. Braben, thank you

cherbert · Sep 19, 2016

Iori said:
This, please, I plan to remain on windows 7, or move to linux if win 7 stops serving my needs, Windows 10 is a dead end to me.

Better go with the platform agnostic Vulkan in the future, and then you will only have to worry about 1 API for all systems and would make the port to other systems easier.

I don't understand all the fuss over Windows 10. Its absolutely fine and in many cases more stable and faster. I have been gaming on 64bit Windows 10 since it was in Beta. There were further improvements to it recently with the Anniversary Update. I think most people avoiding it are just cutting off their nose to spite their face.

KG_Jedi · Sep 19, 2016

I am ok with that. However I think every single player, who's PC can run Dx10 will agree that such improvement is only good. But we are yet to see someone who has some old PC...

YinYin · Sep 19, 2016

Cheapchips said:
Since not everyone uses the forum, is it worth dropping this in email to those who have used win32 in the last month?

Or even a message when you log in on the 32bit client?

This.

I'm sure everyone not using said technology is in favour of better development focus.

CMDR Disco Cat · Sep 19, 2016

Kyokushin said:
Win 7 users can upgrade it to 10 for free

To be thorough, this was a limited offer, it's not free anymore. But yeah, I don't get all the w10 hate all over the internet.

Cmdr Eagleboy · Sep 19, 2016

Tinman said:
*deactivates cloak*

Season 3 will be released roughly 6 months from now then?

Got it!

*activates cloak*

Great minds think alike.

Or same obsessive ED minds...

Or....I will get my coat

Kyokushin · Sep 19, 2016

paindesegle said:
To be thorough, this was a limited offer, it's not free anymore. But yeah, I don't get all the w10 hate all over the internet.

Its still free for users who are using this helping tools for invalides (i do not know how it is naming in Enlish, sorry) like screen keyboard or contrast theme. You can not use this, but you need just to 'check' this option. You can use screen keyboard 'sometimes' to have free conscience.

https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/ac...ccessibility-and-the-windows-10-free-upgrade/

Ben_BigBen · Sep 19, 2016

Pecisk said:
Windows 7 is best 64-bit DX11 OS there it is. So you are safe.

Yes, an operating system that is already out of MS mainstream support and finishes extended support in Jan 2020 - which all of a sudden isn't that far away - so not safe for long !

I want the Frontier team to be able to focus on making things better/using the power of new tech like DX12 rather than focusing efforts on legacy support, and I think it's reasonable for a software company to write games for platforms that are actually supported by their owning companies.

My view is to stop DX10 and 32 bit branch development as soon as possible and free up resources to focus on Virtual Reality development instead.

nrage · Sep 19, 2016

A related Q, does/will Elite be optimised for DirectX 12.0 / Vulcan and the various CPU load improvements included therein? My understanding is that this make take significant development effort as it (potentially) requires changes at the Graphics Engine level.

For reference, for those interested:

[video=youtube;r0fgEVEgK_k]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0fgEVEgK_k[/video]

Sabier · Sep 19, 2016

In my opinion you gotta keep pushing the boundaries.

And if you know it's coming I would say do the switch sooner rather than later. I see very little point in being slowed down by old technology when there is a better alternative. And as for the consumers, we have to adapt too.

Winterwalker · Sep 19, 2016

Spacemarkl said:
Fine by me. My current hardware might be old and simple but runs in 64bit and DX11 fairly well. Hope it stays like it at least for Season 3. But probably with season 4 i'd need a major upgrade.

I'm inevtiably going to have upgrade too. Laptop, while 64bit, has only 2 cores, and no business running the game at all as it is, probably. However, noticing the load getting heavier at 2.1 an upgrade is on my mind, so would suggest earliest warning ahead of time is best for anyone in this position and proably everyone else too. For me updated recommended Minimum Specs would be most useful (so I can ignore them again!?).

Frontier will know how many people are playing the 32bit version still but as to what version of DX I'm running, I wouldn't have a clue myself. Some hand-holding then, might soften the blow, for anyone who might have access to the game removed?

sensai25 · Sep 19, 2016

Hello David and FD team, I am very pleased by the way you communicate such news. It is always good to take care about player base.

I am not concerned by technical limitations so I do appreciate any effort that can be done en enhance the game and visual effects.

I sincerely hope FD could take this courageous decision for the benefits of the majority of players. 64bits and DirectX12 is the future and the game need it.

I remain pretty confident that people with old hardware could upgrade it by the time !

Thx for reading and your good work FD team.

CMDR Disco Cat · Sep 19, 2016

Kyokushin said:
Its still free for users who are using this helping tools for invalides (i do not know how it is naming in Enlish, sorry) like screen keyboard or contrast theme. You can not use this, but you need just to 'check' this option. You can use screen keyboard 'sometimes' to have free conscience.

https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/ac...ccessibility-and-the-windows-10-free-upgrade/

I didn't know that, that's awesome. Kudos to Microsoft for doing that in the name of accessibility (they did upgrade a few things regarding that in w10).