I want to make a somewhat complex game but with simple graphics (2d or 3d), everything you hear nowadays is physically based rendering so I was wandering where do I stand in relation to directx 10/11/12 (I want to use a modern api not just directx 8,9)? thanks for input
directx for simple graphics
If you go the directx route I suggest learning 11 before learning 12. PBR is pretty API agnostic as far as I know. Although PBR goes hand in hand with HDR AFAIK so the API would need to support HDR texture formats for render targets. So if you're staying away from PBR then any ole api will do. To tell you the truth I'm a little confused as to what you're asking.
-potential energy is easily made kinetic-
I am wandering what additions do recent versions of directx bring compared to older versions (8,9). I`ve done things with directx 9 so I was wandering where do I start with directx 10 and higher
My project`s facebook page is “DreamLand Page”
I understand I only need to work with dx12 since it`s the latest, but on the other hand you`re telling me I should learn dx11 as well/first. Is there a source where I can learn `modern computer generated graphics` that makes abstraction of directx versions (I know raytracing is also CGG I`m talking only about rasterization here).
My project`s facebook page is “DreamLand Page”
10 and 11 are similar but there is no need to learn 10. The concepts you learn from 11 will be seen again in 12 and weren't present in 9.
As to what the new API's bring is more flexibility, compute shaders, more drawcalls per second, more surface formats, and other little things.
Oh and it wondering not wandering.
edit - Oh and you'll really overload yourself if you go straight to 12.
-potential energy is easily made kinetic-
Is there a source where I can learn `modern computer generated graphics` that makes abstraction of directx versions
Your absolute best bet, IMO, is Frank Luna's D3D11 book. It does cover over a lot of conceptual stuff as well as practical D3D11 usage.
There's a D3D12 version being released in December, btw, but even Microsoft recommends that you should stick to 11 if you're new. 12 is for professionals looking to get very very good performance and hardware control, not for casual graphics needs. You can mix 11 and 12 in the same application pretty easily (Microsoft officially supports it via their "11on12" layer) so there's a transition path if you think you might need 12 down the road.
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There's also http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Rendering-Computation-Direct3D-11-ebook/dp/B00918NNIS/ref=dp_kinw_strp_1 by JasonZ and MJP (on gamedev.net).
-potential energy is easily made kinetic-
Both of the above books are very good, and I would definitely recommend them, for what little my opinion is worth. I've read the Luna book and worked through it more closely than the other, and it takes a very nice incremental approach.
Washu, another member here, had a very nice series on setting up and using Direct2D/DirectWrite, for 2D graphics and text-rendering, which is an area that the Luna book does not cover IIRC.