Microsoft Shares More Details on Microsoft DirectStorage for PC in April (update)

BuildeR2

2021-04-22 10:18

I'm sure I'm misunderstanding something here, but is slide 10 indicating that all past games and apps will benefit from DirectStorage API when they say "Pure Windows OS improvements. No developer action required"?

#5906867

Astyanax

2021-04-22 11:10

BuildeR2:

I'm sure I'm misunderstanding something here, but is slide 10 indicating that all past games and apps will benefit from DirectStorage API when they say "Pure Windows OS improvements. No developer action required"?

no

#5906878

theoneofgod

2021-04-22 11:43

BuildeR2:

I'm sure I'm misunderstanding something here, but is slide 10 indicating that all past games and apps will benefit from DirectStorage API when they say "Pure Windows OS improvements. No developer action required"?

Interested to see what they mean exactly by "Pure Windows OS improvements. No developer action required"

#5907099

rkb

2021-04-23 03:06

I just hope they make the feature available for gen 3 SSDs

#5907151

Astyanax

2021-04-23 08:47

theoneofgod:

Interested to see what they mean exactly by "Pure Windows OS improvements. No developer action required"

its misleading, the developer still has to be using a MSVC toolset that is aware of directstorage features so the resulting binary knows how to use it. It won't magically work in existing games.

#5907165

Erick

2021-04-23 09:55

rkb:

I just hope they make the feature available for gen 3 SSDs

Yes. It's compatible with Gen 3 NVMe SSD's and any GPU that supports DirectX 12, which are most current NVIDIA GPU's. Most likely Keplar and above NVIDIA GPU's. For AMD, my guess is anything near the HD series GPU's will not support it. Microsoft keeps using their commercial verbiage around it, so what they say publicly is blurred. As far as what games will support it, well anything stored and ran from the set NVMe will use the NVMe pipeline directly to the GPU. My only question is, if you build a RAID array with NVMe's mixed with regular SSD's will this still work. I'm guessing as long as there is an NVMe for the GPU to use then it should work, but that's a large guess.

#5907177

Astyanax

2021-04-23 10:52

Erick:

Yes. It's compatible with Gen 3 NVMe SSD's and any GPU that supports DirectX 12, which are most current NVIDIA GPU's. Most likely Keplar and above NVIDIA GPU's. For AMD, my guess is anything near the HD series GPU's will not support it. Microsoft keeps using their commercial verbiage around it, so what they say publicly is blurred.

Kepler will not support directstorage, its a FL11 gpu.

#5907196

theoneofgod

2021-04-23 13:18

Astyanax:

its misleading, the developer still has to be using a MSVC toolset that is aware of directstorage features so the resulting binary knows how to use it. It won't magically work in existing games.

Won't Windows itself make use of this though, in general usage? If it won't, what is this bulletpoint!?

#5907208

Astyanax

2021-04-23 14:16

theoneofgod:

Won't Windows itself make use of this though, in general usage? If it won't, what is this bulletpoint!?

Windows just offers the capability, its not going to make games use it.

#5907220

theoneofgod

2021-04-23 15:06

Astyanax:

Windows just offers the capability, its not going to make games use it.

Really......? Still doesn't explain the bulletpoint

#5907225

Astyanax

2021-04-23 15:16

theoneofgod:

Really......? Still doesn't explain the bulletpoint

the people its relevant too know what its saying.

#5907226

theoneofgod

2021-04-23 15:21

Astyanax:

the people its relevant too know what its saying.

"No developer action required" that's kind of ironic. You said it's misleading. I know what an API is and I know DirectStorage is targeting game development, but that bullet point, even that entire slide is questionable. Pretend I'm a developer that doesn't require any action. No riddles.

#5907227

Alessio1989

2021-04-23 15:23

Astyanax:

Kepler will not support directstorage, its a FL11 gpu.

Is Kepler still supported by NVIDIA?

#5907228

Astyanax

2021-04-23 15:25

Alessio1989:

Is Kepler still supported by NVIDIA?

Irrelevant, FL11 hardware don't have the necessary functionality.

#5907266

Alessio1989

2021-04-23 17:18

What's the boundary? CS shader capabilities or virtual resource handling?

#5907271

Astyanax

2021-04-23 17:32

Alessio1989:

What's the boundary? CS shader capabilities or virtual resource handling?

DirectCompute capabilities with the CC 3.0 feature set, but likely limits in Resource Binding and UAV slots as well. Kepler has a significant issue with Framebuffer bandwidth limits (on top of 2-3GB top outs) as well. Theres a bit of misinterpretation going on that all this feature does is move data from drive to vram with a DMA copy, but the data is actually using a DirectCompute based compression (unlikely to be xpress based, word is its completely new) decompressed on the gpu during the process. Edit: I've just noticed wording has been changed to "Capable" rather than "Compatible" which also rules out Kepler, The notion of Function Levels is basically how a Fixed Function card was advertised as being D3D8 compatible, whilst not actually supporting the hardware combiners that make it D3D08 Capable..... You can run the game, at a reduced performance or quality (as certain options don't exist).

#5907283

geogan

2021-04-23 18:35

Reddoguk:

I was gonna say Gen4 only? My Gen3 4tb MP400 hit's 3500 and 3000 speeds which is still pretty fast. Ok it's not 7000 speed or even 5000 but for me it's still super fast.

Those speeds that all SSD makers love to quote (and drive test software loves to highlight) are NEVER seen in real world Windows environment when you are doing anything with your PC. See they are always testing reading huge blocks and 32 queue depth (QD32) - which is not what happens ever when Windows reads anything from your SSD for normal software. Normally only one thing reading at a time (QD1) and only in tiny blocks (eg 4K) Eg. not much real world difference in speed loading games from a 10TB Enterprise storage HD, and the latest greatest PCI-E 4.0 NVME SSD.

#5907288

vestibule

2021-04-23 19:12

Really looking forward to this API update. The texture pops of the past where horrendous and one heck of alot needs to change for totally seamless eyecandy fly updating. I'm hoping 3D mark will get in on the act and release a Benchmark.

#5907297

Astyanax

2021-04-23 20:26

vestibule:

The texture pops of the past where horrendous and one heck of alot needs to change for totally seamless eyecandy fly updating.

This has nothing to do with LOD stepping.

#5907303

vestibule

2021-04-23 20:58

Astyanax:

This has nothing to do with LOD stepping.

Thats not as I understand it from what I was reading on the M$ web site today.