Did the patch improve DX9 performance for anyone else?

[Graphic]

Unfortunately I can't use DX11, but whatever changes they've made to Shogun 2's rendering seems to have streamlined the game in the original DX9.

Just want to see if this is the case for anyone else or if it's just a placebo effect.

[HopAlongBunny]

Hard to say. It does seem smoother overall, but I get some after-battle pauses that are a bit frightening.

[frogbeastegg]

It might be a bit better, I'm not sure. The campaign map scrolling hasn't improved; it's still a bit jerky and slow. It feels as though I have gained some FPS in battles so I will try bumping the detail up a little and see what happens.

My card is one of the early DX10 models (BFG geforce 8800GTS) so I gave DX10 mode a go. That was dreadful, turned the game into a slideshow on the same detail settings. That's more likely to be the fault of the card; the only other DX10 game I have (civ 5) likewise turns into a slideshow when it is enabled.

I'm disappointed with the AA. Shogun 2 doesn't offer the usual x4 x8 etc like other games. It's all lettered abbreviations which I have never seen before, and all except one are disabled for me. No idea what MLAA is or how decent it's meant to be; it feels like it is doing nothing. I may return to forcing AA via the nvidea control panel.

[TheLastDays]

Well I don't have the game for a huge amount of time, only got to play a few hours before the patch so I can't really compare... DX10 Mode runs smooth for me other than that I had a few CTDs today... I don't experience a lot of difference in DX9 to before...

[Jochi Khan]

DX9 runs ok as before for me.
When I tried DX10 (although my pc recognises it and sets it as default) I kept getting freezes.
Had to Ctrl Alt Delete to get out of shogun2. Message...Shogun2 has stopped working.

[Nowake]

I am using DX10 with fair results.
Nonetheless, as you observed, issues such as rough campaign map scrolling are still present.

No idea what MLAA is or how decent it's meant to be
Morphological Anti-Aliasing.
One of those innovations which only in conjunction with half a dozen others, all similarly hogging your system, will impact the visual settings significantly. Do not misunderstand me though, here one must appreciate the significance of significantly on one's own, there are keen eyed graphic junkies out there for whom the individual feature is a deal-breaker I am sure.
Should you find yourself inclined (the image presented in the header is one of the best yet rare examples where MLAA impacts heavily):
http://visual-computing.intel-research.net/publications/papers/2009/mlaa/mlaa.pdf

[frogbeastegg]

Morphological Anti-Aliasing.
One of those innovations which only in conjunction with half a dozen others, all similarly hogging your system, will impact the visual settings significantly. Do not misunderstand me though, here one must appreciate the significance of significantly on one's own, there are keen eyed graphic junkies out there for whom the individual feature is a deal-breaker I am sure.
Should you find yourself inclined (the image presented in the header is one of the best yet rare examples where MLAA impacts heavily):
http://visual-computing.intel-research.net/publications/papers/2009/mlaa/mlaa.pdf
I see, thanks. I had wondered if it was a low end, barely there version of AA. Half of the linked PDF went right over my head but I got the general idea and the example pictures were helpful.

MLAA in shogun 2 does not feel like a good match for my setup and preferences so I shall return my old old school AA via the nvidea control panel. Unit sprites look like blobs of smeared paint with MLAA which makes my eyes hurt after a bit. Old school AA made them sharp edged and was much kinder for my eyes.

[Graphic]

All MLAA seems to do is blur the game so the jaggies aren't as noticeable.

[Nelson]

MLAA with DX11 looks very sharp at 1920x1200.

The strategy map also scrolls more smoothly. I thought it was tolerable before but it has improved.

[Graphic]

Well if you can run the game at 1080p in DX11, I'm not surprised campaign map scrolling is smooth for you :-p

[Daveybaby]

1280x1024, DX9. Cant say whether the game is any faster or not, as it was perfectly fine before the patch. Enabled MLAA (the only AA option available to me) and it's still perfectly fine, and looks a damn sight better too.


I am using DX10 with fair results.
How? I dont get a DX10 option, just DX9 and a (greyed out) DX11.

[Monsieur Alphonse]

That is because you probably have XP. Only Windows 7 can run DX 11.

It is like this.
XP = DX 9
Vista = DX10.1
7 = DX 11

[Daveybaby]

I'm running vista. Card is an ATI 58705850, which is dx10.1 (well, it's dx11, but i'm running vista so...)
And like i said, I get a greyed out dx11 option, but there's no dx10 option even displayed greyed out or otherwise. Makes me think the game doesnt actually support dx10 at all.

Hmmm... i've got a boxed copy of win7 that's been sitting on my desk at home waiting for me to get around to installing it since it was released. Maybe this will finally induce me to get off my arse and reformat/install.

[LeftEyeNine]

x4 x8 kind of AA is not enabled in Shader Model 3 (DX 9). As soon as you up it, you'll get your MSAA's enabled.

I maxed out all settings on Shader model 5 and got an average FPS of ~25 in the battle of Okehazama.

[Forward Observer]

That is because you probably have XP. Only Windows 7 can run DX 11.

It is like this.
XP = DX 9
Vista = DX10.1
7 = DX 11

While each operating system was released integrated with the DX API that you list, DX11 capabilities were added to Vista via service pack 2. Supposedly all one would need is a DX11 capable card.

For NVidia this would be anything in the GTX400 series and above and for ATI, it's any card in the HD5000's and above.

You are correct about XP though.

Cheers

[Graphic]

Do you know if GTX 260 supports DX 10.1? For some reason its been hard for me to find out. Also, if it requires a service pack with Vista.

[drone]

Wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GeForce_200_Series) says no.

[Knight of Ne]

Funnily enough, the patch has the complete opposite effect on my game to everyone elses it seems. Before the patch i could only access the medium settings at max, but the game ran smoothly for me. Now though, the game takes ages to start up and i can see no graphical improvement, infact i think its slightly worse, and worst of all the games now laggy to play.

The most annoying thing is that i did that trick where by changing the number of one of the preferences via the script i could have max graphic settings with little lag in game. However since the patch, it just does not work so i can't access better settings at all know.

It seems that for a graphical improvement i couldn't care less about, the patch has killed my game:no:

I'm not very happy at the moment.
Ne:no:

[Lemur]

Running the game on a Radeon 4870 in DX10.1, very satisfactory results. Massive improvement (I can see trade routes! Woo-hoo!) and very little frame rate penalty. The only real difference I've seen has been a longer load time.

[Forward Observer]

Do you know if GTX 260 supports DX 10.1? For some reason its been hard for me to find out. Also, if it requires a service pack with Vista.

Drone already answered, but here is a handy chart with the basic data for most NVidia cards commonly in use: (DX is shown in the last column)

http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/132

Here is a chart at the same site for ATI cards:

http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/131

Cheers

[Zenicetus]

I'm running a Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit computer with a GTX 260, and the DX10 option is enabled on my Shogun 2 with the new patch (using the latest nVidia drivers). So this card does run DX 10 on Win 7, I just don't know what the situation is with Vista. That might be a driver issue.

[Daveybaby]

While each operating system was released integrated with the DX API that you list, DX11 capabilities were added to Vista via service pack 2. Supposedly all one would need is a DX11 capable card.
Spent a good chunk of last night trying to get dx11 installed on vista, no dice. Gah!

[Lemur]

Spent a good chunk of last night trying to get dx11 installed on vista, no dice. Gah!
Do yourself a favor and move to Win7. It's a much better operating system.

[Daveybaby]

Do yourself a favor and move to Win7. It's a much better operating system.
Been meaning to for ages, just need to get around to installing it.