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View Full Version : Newbie questions on DirectX



jschall
July 19th, 2015, 06:49
All these years of flying MSFS 2000, 2004 and FSX, and I've never had to familiarize myself with different versions of DirectX. I have always used DirectX 9 with no problems.

But in the past week, I've come face to face with options - DirectX 9, 10, 11 and 12 to choose among.

I am running Windows 10 Insider Preview, and as of the latest update 101240, DirectX 12 is "baked in", and my previous installation of FSX refused to display anything but a black screen.

I uninstalled FSX and installed FSX:SE in desperation, thinking that Dovetail Games would have updated the game to run with Windows 10. But no difference - it can't use DX 12, either.

I "solved" the problem by selecting "Preview DirectX 10" in the Settings page. But is that the only, or best solution?

I have also found that even with DX 10 unselected, and with a forced installation of DirectX 9.0c (June 2010), I can get FSX:SE to display by TOGGLING to Windowed Mode and then BACK to Full-Screen Mode.

Finally, I have heard about Steve Parson's "DX10 Scenery Fixer". I haven't investigated further - I am quite confused about the different ways to run FSX:SE.

Could someone please explain (or point me to some remedial reading) about the advantages and disadvantages of the different versions of DirectX?

ncooper
July 19th, 2015, 08:28
Although I have tried the Windows 10 preview, I don't have it now.
I would be very surprised if Direct X 12 were not backwards compatible
at least as far as Direct X 9.
I have Windows 8.1 at present with Direct X 11, which I believe is backwards
compatible to Direct X 8.
I wonder if the update has more to do with it, Windows 10 as far as I know
has always had Direct X 12 and I had no problem with FSX in either mode.

Direct X 10 for FSX was never finished but Steve Parsons has been able to
rectify almost all of the shortcomings.
You do get VC shadows in native FSX and FS9 aircraft and the simulator is
much more tolerant of complex scenery and aircraft but the Dx10 Fixer is
not free.

As Windows 10 is soon to be released, my advice would be to wait until it
is.
If it turns out that Direct X 9 software doesn't work, there will be an uproar
and it will be fixed.
Regards,
Nick