Noob question on my G73 and directX

So the only game to date that I have played on my G73 has been Batman Arkham Asylum. I am 75% through the game and it has been gorgeous eye candy I just wanted to preface my question with that.

Now to my question. I decided to install Wolfenstein 2009 since I left off at about 80% finishing the game on my old FX. At the end of installation, setup asked if I wanted to install DirectX9.0. I chose no because it said it would overwrite any previous versions of DirectX. I booted the game up and maxed all of the video options. The game just looks kind of weak as I originally remembered. Could this be because I did not install DirectX9.0? How do I know what DX I am running in? I am confused about what directX version I have or if I even have directX installed? Did it matter or not, or should I have installed the DirectX9.0 when it prompted me to? I figured since I was playing Batman with such gorgeous visuals, that I had a later version of DX than the 9.0 they were asking me to install. Sorry if this is a noob question as I am a little uneducated when it comes to DX (yes I know my 5870 supports DX11)
Thanks!

 

To check what version of DX you are running, go to START -> RUN -> type dxdiag, and press enter. Once every couple of months, I install the DX redistributables found free of charge on the microsoft download website, which contain the most up to date files regarding DX - some games require this, some do it automatically. I believe last package was from march 09.

 

DirectX Version: DX11

So I am running DX11.....is DX backwards compatible? So if Wolfenstein only supports DX9, then my DX11 is running in DX9 for this game? Thanks

Good thing I didnt install DX9 then huh? Cuz it would have overwritten my DX11 right?

 

Install it you have too. The system will collaborate all your DX installs and use the most appropriate/newest one.

Even if you go download the newest DX directly from the MS site it includes all the old ones with it. Many games require you to install "old" dx with the game.

Direct X is backwards compatible but it does not use DX11 to run DX9 it uses DX9C a different protocol.

 

So DX11 is backwards compatible, but my system only HAS DX11 as of current (no DX9 or DX10) correct? So basically, I need to install DX9 and DX10 and THEN I will have all 3 and the specific game I am playing will by defualt choose the best supported DX (9/10 or 11) correct?..So basically they dont overwrite eachother like the setup prompted me it would. (Did it mean it would overwrite any existing DX9 rather than any DX10 or 11 im guessing?)

I just figured since my version of DirectX is 11, then why should I ever need to install a lower DirectX version again as it should include all versions up to 11?

So DX11, even though backwards compatible, does NOT include DX9 and 10? And nothing will ever really overwrite my DX11 other than another updated version of DX11 (i.e. installing DX9 is not overwriting my current DX11 it is rather just adding support to DX9 and its games)???

 

It does include everything it needs, but some games just require you to install DX as part of the install procedure or it will exit the installer. Im saying it wont hurt to install the old DX ontop of your new one as it wont over write it.

Ignore my last sentence from the other post it probably just confused you because its more technical. In laymens DX is fully backwards compatible. I was hinting that it does not actually use DX11 when playing a DX9 game it uses a different protocol that is included with the DX11 package.

Every revision of DX keeps all the API needed for the older version. As long as you always have the newest version your golden.

You can keep up to date by getting it directly from microsofts site.

 

It's not DirectX problem, if you don't have suitable directX the game won't even run.

 

Well I did not install the DirectX9.0 it asked me to and the game setup finished and I booted it right up and gameplay is fine...just seems a bit weaker in the graphics as I remember on my much weaker 9800GTS cuda thats all...just wondering if it was due to not installing the 9.0? That doesnt seem to be why though...maybe Wolfenstein was just geared towards Nvidia? Because my 5870 should be taking dumps on it when it comes to visuals

 

Did you go into the game settings and raise it from defaults yet?

I dabbled in WS 2009 and its not the most graphically enhanced game its more old school.

Especially after I have been playing games like bad company 2 or modern warfare 2 its going to look even worse.

 

Yes...all maxed...AA at full

I agree with you..I never thought it was amazing graphics but it did look somewhat nice...just seemed nicer on my 9800GTS...or maybe I am just not remembering it right....trust me this 5870 runs circles around my old FX 9800GTS, but for some reason I thought the game looked better 2 months ago installed and played on a weaker machine thats all!!!

 

same monitor and stuff too? that could change your perception quite a bit.

The G73 monitor is quite a bit more saturated on the dark's and whites than most so it can hide a lot of detail.

 

If you are on windows 7, there's no need whatsoever to install DX9, it already come with dx9, 10 and probably 11 already installed up to the windows 7 release date.

 

Vicious-Ya the G73's screen and keyboard are SOO different than my 1440x900 FX7805....I cant figure out what it is about this LED screen...its like too bright or "lit" even after setting the gamma to .75. Its gorgeous but I just cant explain it its weird.

fzhfzh-(<--that was hard to type) Yes what you said was my exact understanding so I didnt know why I would need to install anything lower!? Im running Win7 64bit DX11 (backwards compatible so I should NEVER have to install a DX version other than an upgrade to the DX11)

 

well you can try just turning down the led backlight brightness and not messing with the gamma in the game.

Fn+F5 to turn it down Fn+F6 to turn it up.

 

Trust me I have tried everything..the brightness is just that...brightness...it doesnt change the shadowing and nature of a LED LCD... Its hard to play dark gloomy horror games as the LED LCD never is capable of "jet black"

Edit: Oh and the gamma I have set to .75 is in my CCC for the computer not just a game setting

 

Hmm mine is very black, more perfect than other screens I have owned. Thats what I mean with black levels being a bit high, as some some shades of grey are black instead of grey so it can hide detail and make it hard to see in dark games.

 

What laptop/screen/spec do you have? I feel like mine is the opposite of what you stated...like the screen NEVER goes black rather than the lighting of a LED keeps it gray..almost like having a slight light leakage at all times...Like if I was playing in a dark room at my house, and in game walked into a pitch black room while playing lets say FEAR, the screen would be washed out gray and you could see where the screen ended rather than just seeing pitch black

 

When it is asking you to install DirectX, is not like installing a software per say, but rather a set of libraries (graphic libraries) that will make run the game properly. If you already have the libraries then there is no need to install them... but the point is that you don't know for sure. In any case there is no problem by installing the libraries, it is what the game needs.

 

Thanks..so I shouldnt worry about it...Its just when they stated "this wil overwrite any previous versions of DirectX that you have" I thought to myself no thanks Ill stick with my DX11. But I get it now, it would just add any necessary files to my existing version of DX