We found that the DirectX 10 version of Lost Planet performed markedly slower when compared to the DirectX 9 version at the exact same settings. A Capcom representative told us that the DirectX 10 improvements primarily enhanced performance by up to "10 to 20 percent" through the use of "geometry shaders, depth resolve, and stream output." That means that the Lost Planet demo is only using DirectX 10 to increase performance, not to produce advanced graphics effects. After failing to see any major graphical differences between the two versions, we asked Capcom about what makes the DirectX 10 version special.
Shadows looked slightly better in DirectX 10, but that's only because we could change the shadows setting to high, whereas in DirectX 9 we could only use the medium setting. The game looks great in both DirectX 9 and 10, but we couldn't tell much of a difference between the two versions. The white environment can reflect blinding sunlight, while fancy particle systems toss up tufts of snow and ice. The stark, frigid world makes for a great backdrop to highlight the benefits of high dynamic range lighting. As Wayne the snow pirate, you make your way through snow-ravaged landscapes to avenge the death of your father. The game takes place on an icy planet filled with monsters, pirates, big guns, and even bigger monsters. Lost Planet originally came out for the Xbox 360 in January of 2007.
#LOST PLANET 2 PC WITHOUT WINDOWS LIVE PATCH#
We initially expected Crysis or Company of Heroes, or maybe even Supreme Commander (which is no longer coming), to be the first game to introduce us to Windows Vista's DirectX 10 world, but patch delays and ever-moving release windows have let Lost Planet, a port of an Xbox 360 game, grab the spotlight. Windows Vista has been available for almost half a year, and we've been wasting our GeForce 8800 GTX's precious GPU performance on pedestrian DirectX 9 games since last November. We've been waiting for the first DirectX 10-capable game to appear, anything really. "And by integrating with our existing Xbox LIVE and Windows Live services, we've made it easier than ever for millions of gamers to see for themselves how easy buying PC games can be.By: Sarju Shah - Posted on Tuesday, May 22, 2007 "With Games for Windows Marketplace, we set out to create a digital store built for PC gamers end-to-end," Kevin Unangst, senior global director of PC and mobile gaming at Microsoft, said in a statement. Launch and upcoming titles include Age of Empires Online, Dead Rising 2, Deus Ex: Game of the Year Edition, Fable: The Lost Chapters, Fable III, Flight Simulator, Gears of War, Grand Theft Auto III, Halo, Lego Universe, Lost Planet 2, Max Payne, Microsoft Flight, Zoo Tycoon, and others. Just recently, Steam passed the 30 million user mark and Valve announced the platform was offering over 1,200 games. The Games for Windows Marketplace is really just a browser-based version of this, but that's the crucial part: the store is more accessible and the number of steps required to purchase a game has been slashed.ĭigital downloads in the video game industry are growing in importance, and Microsoft is still playing catch-up.
#LOST PLANET 2 PC WITHOUT WINDOWS LIVE SOFTWARE#
Microsoft currently offers PC software for downloading and managing the more limited set of games that work with its Games for Windows Live online gaming service. In addition to online access from any PC, Microsoft is touting "ultra-fast" transfers, fewer clicks for both purchase and download, easier navigation, improved search, dedicated publisher pages to find new games, and recurring specials such as "Deal of the Week." Much like competing services, gamers will be able to easily redownload games they purchased. The new marketplace will require a Windows Live ID and users will be able to purchase games with their Microsoft Points or a credit card. Come November 15, Windows PC users will be able to use the online portal to buy digital copies of video games from their browser, with 100 titles available from the likes of Rockstar and 2K Games, among others. Microsoft has announced plans for a new Web version of its Games for Windows Marketplace.