DirectX Versions
Introduction
This is a description of what each version of DirectX is capable of, for reference when creating fallback materials. Under each heading are features not available in previous versions of DirectX.
To test lower-quality DirectX levels on a more advanced graphics card, use the mat_dxlevel console CVAR. Set it to 60, 70, 80, 81 or 90 to set the corresponding DirectX version; it is not possible to run at a higher level than the graphics hardware is capable of.
DirectX Capabilities
DirectX 6
DirectX 7
- Blob shadows
- Displacement map texture blending
DirectX 8.0
- Refractions with the use of a du/dv map
- Dynamic shadows
- Directional lighting on world brushes using normal maps
- Cube-mapped specular effects
- Cube-mapped water
- Low-quality reflective water (used sparingly)
DirectX 8.1
- Soft edge dynamic shadows
DirectX 9
- Refractions with the use of a bump-map
- High-quality reflective water (used frequently)
- Softer edge dynamic shadows
- Normal-mapped lighting on models
- Improved-quality specular effects
Sample Screenshots
Canals
These screenshots demonstrate displacement map texture blending, directional lightmaps and cubemapped then reflective water.
| DirectX 6.0 | 
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| DirectX 7.0 | 
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| DirectX 8.0 | 
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| DirectX 8.1 | 
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| DirectX 9.0 | 
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Dropship
These screenshots show shadow quality at different rendering levels, ranging from none to soft, dynamic shadows.
| DirectX 6.0 | 
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| DirectX 7.0 | 
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| DirectX 8.0 | 
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| DirectX 8.1 | 
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| DirectX 9.0 | 
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Zombie
These screenshots demonstrate the use of normal-mapping on models. The final shot has full, normal-mapped lighting.
| DirectX 6.0 | 
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| DirectX 7.0 | 
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| DirectX 8.0 | 
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| DirectX 8.1 | 
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| DirectX 9.0 | 
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