Finally, a DirectX 10 video driver for Irrlicht

[robmar]

If I had a working test system I would be more than happy to test it with any working samples etc. But I'd need an easy download package to install for my Visual Studio 2010 setup.

[Nadro]

@Granyte
Yes, I'll review it, however if you can please put separate patches for:
1. Bug fixing and performance improvements.
2. New features.

BTW. In the last days I looked at Metal, D3D12, Mantle programming guide and few other topics which may boost Irrlicht performance like a multi-threaded command buffer. When I'll finish my current tasks (mainly related to merge ogl-es with trunk and release v1.9) I'll try to do something in this area.

[Granyte]

Yes I can split it like that but the bugfix patch is still hudge.

I looked at DX12 too I can't wait to play with it more.

[AReichl]

I would go for Vulkan ( and DX12 ). Metal and Mantle are too specific with Mantle already virtually "dead".

[Nadro]

I would go for Vulkan ( and DX12 ). Metal and Mantle are too specific with Mantle already virtually "dead".

Metal is similar to D3D12 and Mantle. Why I mentioned about Mantle? Because Vulkan inherited a lots from this API, so it's really good source for check how the Vulkan will work. Why we should implement Metal too? Because it's really important for iOS games.

Anyway for implement these APIs we need Multi-Threaded Command Buffer with support for Buckets rendering (of course after that we should implement MT for scene manager) and flexible HardwareBuffer objects (in shader-pipeline branch HardwareBuffer is in a good condition and need just few improvements). Of course for multi-threading we need C++11.

[AReichl]

> Of course for multi-threading we need C++11.
Good idea, but if you want to keep it "compatible" with a lower C++ version ( C++98, C++03 ) and you want to avoid Boost then you could take a small cross-platform multithreading library like TinyThread++ or ZThreads. TinyThread++ even tries to be as close to C++11 threads as possible, so later when Irrlicht is fully C++11 then a switch to C++11 threads could be easier.

[Granyte]

Is there really any platform that does not support c++ 11 today?

[AReichl]

Irrlicht still has to be "compilable" with Visual Studio 2008 ( or even less, i don't know ).

[Nadro]

In my opinion we should switch to C++11 after v1.9 release.

[CuteAlien]

Yeah, probably a good idea. Btw, older than VS 2008 is only for older releases (like 1.8)... and admittably I also don't test with that anymore (I would fix a bug if someone reports it, but that's it).
For 1.9 I already work with VS 2010 and by the time it's released we can at least switch to VS 2012 or VS 2013 I think.

[robmar]

Its been an awful long wait for 1.9 with DX11, is it going to be ready this year?

I would have liked to been involved in some testing, but getting hold of something to test hasn't been exactly easy.

Also, how big is the step to support the newest DX12 features, and are they really useful?

[CuteAlien]

Sorry, 1.9 won't be with DX11, that was never the plan. The plan was about getting the ES branch merged. And well - I have no clue. Right now we have still bugs in trunk and the ES branch still needs work. Might even release 1.9 without merging it. We simply miss developers - I work a few hours on it most weeks in my spare-time, but that's not even enough to keep up with bug reports and evaluating patches. Irrlicht was getting a little more time from me last year simply because I spend a few months working on a Irrlicht project with my own money. But not sure when I can afford doing that again (not even sure if I even want to repeat that).

[robmar]

Well... I understand.

Having a download of the latest most complete version with DX10/11 driver and at least two working samples would at least allow other people to experiment and maybe find bugs.

Grantye, would you make that available? I mean with your "best version" driver?

[Granyte]

Sorry to but it again but if you lack devloper this much why not take some more in the team?

[CuteAlien]

@Granyte: So far no one asked me for write access. The last 2 guys I have asked to join both declined.