Vista uses the Windows Graphics Foundation, or WGF. WGF 1.0 will use DirectX 9.0cas its primary interface, but Vista will also have the Next-Gen 3D API build in. You cansee it as DirectX 10, but it's officially called WGF 2.0.One of the important features of WGF is the Longhorn Display Driver Model (LDDM). Itis possible with LDDM to install a new graphics driver without even rebooting your system. LDDM will ship in two stages. The first, called basic, supports current generation graphics hardware: shader model 2.0 and 3.0 capable hardware. The second stage of LDDM, advanced, will support hardware features that ship at the same time or after Vista is released, but will work with the new features in WGF 2.0. Because of the competitive way of graphics hardware development, we'll probably see advanced LDDM capable hardware before Vista is released. The current Windows XP driver model is still supported, but will be frozen going forward.
Advantages of Vista above XP:
- run more than 15 graphical applications at the same time instead of 2
- complete control manager to optimize system resources
- every window in Vista will be a 3D surface (when opening My Computer you're
actually watching an interactive 3D texture)
- applications can be bigger than graphic card memory currently allows (advanced
VRAM simulation)
- split your monitor into four pieces and play games at the same time while listening to
your favourite music with Winamp, watching a movie with Windows Media Player.
Probably they'll call the screens "Desktops", duh!
- Vista uses DirectX (WGF) to draw the Windows Desktop
- you are able to rotate your windows in a 3D way, so you can push it to the background,put it upside down or squeeze it in a corner. This way you'll be able to have morewindows on your screen at the same time
- Vista supports up to 160 open windows at the same time
- there are four different graphic modes for Vista (2GB/256MB/128MB/64MB textures)
- new motherboard BIOS'es will be integrated into Vista itself More havoc
- some of the BIOS settings can be changed within Windows and you won't even have to reboot to apply the new settings
- with XP, users got a lot of freedom to configure and tweak their system but Microsoft says that with Vista the 'more advanced' users will get the freedom to customize and tweak even more features of Windows that weren't possible in XPHeard about "Linux" and "Unix"?
Now some very important info about gaming on Vista:
- there will be NO graphical difference between an ATI or nVidia card anymore, the only difference will be overall performance
- WGF 2.0 allows GPU processing without CPU intervention
- The Xbox 360 uses some of the technology Vista will use to handle games on the PC If you want to play a game, Vista will disable every component of your computer that isn't needed by the graphical interface and unloads the Windows Desktop (it's like running a game in MSDOS).
Probably the only good thing
While it's true that the graphics technology for Vista is very advanced, it's also true that
Microsoft is trying to have a wide array of hardware specifications. By the time Vista
actually ships, almost every new PC should be able to support the user interface and
Windows Graphics Foundation.Yes. I'll have a Cray computer by that time......
That doesn't mean users will need GeForce 6800 Ultras or comparable cards. As we've
seen, the user interface will support four different qualities, the most basic should even
run on most of today's hardware. If you want the full Vista experience, you'll want a
heavy system and graphics hardware, and lots of memory.And yesterday's hardware?
The hardware of two days before?
Windows Vista will most probably be released in the second half of 2006.
Important:
- Don't think of buying a computer today and use it to run Vista next year on the highest
settings
- Memory is the most important component for future computing (graphics and system
memory)
Minimum requirements:
1.4 GHz processor
256 MB memory
64 MB videocard
7200 RPM HD 2 MB cache
For the highest settings :
3.6 GHz processor
2 GB memory
1 GB videocard with WGF 2.0 support
15000 RPM HD 1 GB flash memory
Update 1: VISTA CHANGES PC INTO GAME-CONSOLE
Dean Lester, the General Manager of Windows Graphics and Gaming says Microsoft is
making the gaming-functionality of Windows Vista the same as a modern game-console,
but wants to keep the advantages of PC gaming like high-end graphics and sound
hardware, online communities, community support and downloadable content.
Update 2: COMPUTERS WITH DIFFERENT LEVELS
Microsoft is working together with nVidia, ATI, AMD and Intel to develop preconfigured
computers with different levels, low, mid and high range hardwareconfigurations
for different sales prices. PC's with a certain configuration of CPU,
videocard and memory will be split in different levels. Because of this, choosing a PC for
gaming gets a lot easier, because fast computers will get a higher level. The system
requirements on game-packages will have a level requirement, so you can see if the level
of your computer is high enough to handle a game.
Update 3: EASY TO USE
With Vista Microsoft wants to eliminate the long installation procedures that PC games
have. Installing and playing a game should be as easy as with a console. They too are
developing a special driver manager, so you won't have any problems with different
drivers. This means no problems with flickering textures, stuttering and crashing
anymore, because the drivers will be fully controled by the graphics interface and
because of this system nVidia and ATI can develop and test their drivers for problems
within a few seconds. Updating drivers and BIOS'es will get a lot easier because
Windows Update will get a special feature that automatically checks if your hardware is
up to date and automatically updates your drivers, BIOS'es, the Vista graphics interface
and even updates for the most important feature of Vista, WGF 2.0.To make my
internet connection even slower and to infect the BIOS with viruses instead of the
hard disk
Update 4: FUTURE GRAPHICS
Microsoft is going to implement Pixel and Vertex Shader 4.0 support into the new
graphics interface, so in the near future after Vista is released there doesn't have to be
another newer version of WGF to be released. Epic has announced that their Unreal 3
Engine will support future pixel and vertex shader versions that are going to be
implemented when the Unreal 3 Engine is near completion.***COUGH****
Update 5: SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS AND RESOURCE USAGE
Vista uses a lot of memory, but it uses it for a good reason. Vista doesn't even have
loading times when you're using Explorer, Internet Explorer or any other primary
Windows component. The big amount of memory thats being used isn't just for the
textures but it contains every important file thats needed by Explorer when running a
primary Windows application. When you start a game, the Vista graphics interface
immediately unloads everything out of the memory that isn't needed by your 'game
hardware' (video, sound and physics card) such as the 3D Windows Desktop. Users are
able to change the way Vista reacts when they boot up a game or 3D application. WGF is
fully customizable to your own needs. For example, you can keep the Windows Desktop
loaded and play a game at the same time, or if you have a fast system run both in split
screen. To do all this fast loading and unloading you need to have fast memory and
ofcourse a fast harddisk. But here's the problem. The harddisks we use today are far too
slow (12000 RPM is not fast enough) and will be a huge bottleneck when loading huge
amounts of files into the memory. That's why Microsoft and Samsung are working on a
new Hybrid hard drive that will use 1 GB flash memory as a buffer. They want to take
part of the load of the spinning drive and to lower loading times and boot times
drastically. Vista will fully support this technology. Microsoft and Samsung are still
working on a way to unload files very fast from the harddisks flash memory. Next year
Microsoft will start a huge marketing campaign for new hardware they are developing
and they will give an update on the development of the Hybrid harddisk. When using a
Hybrid harddisk in a mid-range computer of today (2 GHz, 1 GB RAM) you will have
boot-times of about 5-10 seconds. Imagine how fast a high-end PC in late 2006 will be.
Update 6: ICONS
In Vista icons will be completely changed. Documents don't have a icon anymore that
shows the file-type, but it shows the first page of the document. Folder-icons will show
you the inside files by using 3D technology. You'll see the files coming forward in a
slideshow while you're watching the folder.Ever seen Konqueror or Nautilus in
Linux?
Update 7: STABILITY
Vista will be the most stable OS ever. Microsoft admitted that it had problems with
stability with Windows ME and XP (without SP), but they really are making work of
making Vista unbelievably stable. Microsoft even has made three special teams that
researched Vista and future technologies for two years. After Vista is released, Microsoft
doesn't even have to release any updates to make Vista stable, because Vista manages
itself automatically and disables processes that can make your computer unstable and are
unneeded by the applications you're running.Windows? Stable??? LOL
Update 8: SECURITY
Vista will have a better internet security. Instead of using very advanced ways to protect
your computer, they're using somewhat primitive ways to keep users away from your
harddisk. For example, Vista is able to completely halt every type of data transfer from
your computer to any hardware component and is able to pause your internet connection
when there is happening something suspicious. Microsoft is developing software together
with Symantec (Norton Antivirus) to detect virusses the moment they reach your
harddisk. Vista will be able to quarantine certain parts of the harddisk and make sure a
virus gets automatically removed (using Norton Antivirus).NORTON OF ALL THE
AV'S??? Primitive. Very true.
Update 9: HARDWARE FOR VISTA
Some hardware will be specially made for Vista. Before Vista will be released in 2006,
Microsoft will start the biggest marketing campaign ever, not just for the most advanced
piece of software ever developed by more than 80.000 people (not only Microsoft), but
also for the hardware that will be developed especially for Vista. As you've read before,
there will be special harddrives, but there will also be special videocards that will have to
work constantly at 100%, extra fast memory and new dual-core processors to support the
new multi-application technology Vista uses. For Vista Hyperthreading is a old
technology. Vista will take full advantage of it, but compared to the new technologies of
the processors that are being developed it doesn't really help at all. There also will be
newer soundcards to support the high sound quality that is possible when Vista is
released. All hardware manufacturers are doing their best to get their new hardware
finished before Vista is released. Microsoft promised that the prices won't go trough the
roof.Yup.The prices won't go through the roof of the Empire State Bulding. That's
not too tall, is it?
Update 10: MULTIPLE INTERNET CONNECTIONS
Vista supports a new technology that has been developed. With this technology you're
able to use multiple internet connections (max 4) at the same time. For example: You
have an DSL internet connection with a download speed of 100Kb/sec and a cable inter
net connection of 80 Kb/sec. And you're downloading a file from a different user who has
an upload speed of 140 Kb/sec. When you're using those two internet connections, the
DSL connection starts to download 100KB/sec and the left 40 Kb/sec gets downloaded
by the cable connection. This means you'll always be downloading at top speed, as long
as you can afford multiple internet connections. Because of this you're able to play up to
four different games at the same time online with just one internet connection.I am rich
and can afford 4 internet connections. Yes. I'll use this feature (this is supposed to
be sarcastic)
Update 11: COPY PROTECTION
Microsoft has teamed up with Disney and a lot of music labels to improve copy
protection for movies, music and software using digital rights management functionality
in Vista. Microsoft said they will use heavy copy protection schemes, so users won't be
able to copy digital media. This may scare of a lot of consumers, but Microsoft doesn't
worry about that, because eventually everyone will go Vista (their words). This means no
Warez anymore.By bye LimeWire, Ares, Warez P2P, BitTorrent. A way out is
switching to the OGG audio format.
Update 12: VISTA AND THE XBOX 360
Microsoft has announced that the Xbox 360 controller will work on Windows Vista too.
They did this because they want the game mode of Vista to be an upgraded version of the
Xbox 360. The Xbox 360 and Vista both will use a new technology that makes games run
at the fastest speed possible. Because Microsoft is the 'leader' of the Xbox and Windows,
they made it possible to connect your Xbox to your PC and download special content and
updates for your games, without having to subscribe anything. The Xbox 360 uses the
new multiple internet connections technology seen in Update 10. Downloading files can
take some time, but thats not a problem anymore, because now you can play a game
offline or online and download certain files at the same time! This is one of the
advantages over the PlayStation 3 and the Nintendo Revolution. The XBox 360 has a lot
more advantages, but the reason for all of that is the company thats behind the Xbox,
Microsoft, the most powerful software company in the world WHAT??!!. They made
sure Sony and Nintendo couldn't make use of these new Windows technologies. So if you
want compatibility between your console and your PC you'll have to buy a Xbox 360. It
looks like Microsoft again has found a way to eliminate the competition.An EVIL way
Update 13: GAME ENGINE, API AND VIDEOCARD ARCHITECTURE
As you've read before, Vista will use its own API to handle 2D and 3D graphics.
Microsoft knows that this will cause a lot of compatibility problems and thats why they
are talking to the videocard manufacturers. The new videocards ofcourse need to support
the new graphics system and the manufacturers have to adjust their videocards'
architecture so it will take full advantage of Vista. Because of this the support for
OpenGL won't be as good anymore, because all the new videocards will be specialized in
WGF graphics. Because of the new WGF technology, game engines need to be adapted
to Vista as well. This means, that engines that will be used in the near future, like the
Doom 3, Source and Unreal 3 Engine, will have to be fully compatible with WGF and the
new videocard architecture."
