Direct3D is part of Microsoft's DirectX API. Direct3D is only available for Microsoft's various Windows operating systems (Windows 95 and above) and is the base for the graphics API on the Xbox and Xbox 360 console systems. Direct3D is used to render three dimensional graphics in applications where performance is important, such as games. Direct3D also allows applications to run fullscreen instead of embedded in a window, though they can still run in a window if programmed for that feature. Direct3D uses hardware acceleration if it is available on the graphic board.

Direct3D is a 3D API. That is, it contains many commands for 3D rendering, but contains few commands for rendering 2D graphics.Microsoft DirectX SDK Readme (December 2005) Microsoft strives to continually update Direct3D to support the latest technology available on 3D graphics cards. Direct3D offers full vertex software emulation but no pixel software emulation for features not available in hardware. For example, if a program programmed using Direct3D requires pixel shaders and the graphics card on the user's computer does not support that feature, Direct3D will not emulate it. The program will most likely exit with an error message. The API does define a Reference Rasterizer (or REF device), which emulates a generic graphics card, although it's too slow to be used in any application to emulate pixel shaders and is usually ignored.

Direct3D's main competitor is OpenGL. There are numerous features and issues that proponents for either API disagree over, see comparison of Direct3D and OpenGL for a summary.

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Alchemy can be hair ripping "fun". Though, having Flash, OpenGL, Direct3D versions and great networking/content pipeline keeps me rolling!
joshengebretson (Josh Engebretson) Sun, 13 Dec 2009 22:18:52 -0000
Alchemy can be hair ripping "fun". Though, having Flash, OpenGL, Direct3D versions and great networking/content pipeline keeps me rolling!
داخل Direct3D: نوع العرض: كتاب معروضالتصنيف: علوم / تكنولوجيا / كمبيو... http://bit.ly/6VDXNU
books_exchange (books_exchange) Sun, 13 Dec 2009 17:09:08 -0000
داخل Direct3D: نوع العرض: كتاب معروضالتصنيف: علوم / تكنولوجيا / كمبيو... http://bit.ly/6VDXNU
Direct3d (DirectX) tutorial 1 (part 1 of 4) - A Window http://bit.ly/75Cxwb
wpersona (Web Person) Sun, 13 Dec 2009 12:06:27 -0000
Direct3d (DirectX) tutorial 1 (part 1 of 4) - A Window http://bit.ly/75Cxwb
RT @ranyunfei 请各位推友以简短精练的语言向这位推友介绍刘晓波，谢谢。RT @NicholasMoe: @ranyunfei 刘晓波是什么 // 诗人学者民主战士
direct3d (Samana) Sun, 13 Dec 2009 08:59:15 -0000
RT @ranyunfei 请各位推友以简短精练的语言向这位推友介绍刘晓波，谢谢。RT @NicholasMoe: @ranyunfei 刘晓波是什么 // 诗人学者民主战士
Programming-Web Programming: Direct3D (D3D) coding? http://forum.techgle.com/showthread.php?t=38105
techgle_coding (Programming Zone) Sat, 12 Dec 2009 23:40:15 -0000
Programming-Web Programming: Direct3D (D3D) coding? http://forum.techgle.com/showthread.php?t=38105
Windows-Drivers: (URGENT) Direct3D Won't Work http://forum.techgle.com/showthread.php?t=338113
techgle_windows (Windows Zone) Sat, 12 Dec 2009 12:04:08 -0000
Windows-Drivers: (URGENT) Direct3D Won't Work http://forum.techgle.com/showthread.php?t=338113

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