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-->This topic describes improvements to components of the Windows 7 graphics stack that become available through the Platform Update for Windows 7.
When installed on Windows 7, the Platform Update for Windows 7 updates Windows 7 with functionality available in Windows 8. For example, these Windows 8 components become available with full functionality:
- Direct2D 1.1 (including Direct2D Effects)
- DirectWrite
- Windows Imaging Component (WIC)
These provide partial functionality:
- Direct3D 11.1
- DXGI 1.2
And, for example, this component is not available:
- DirectComposition (DComp)
See these topics for info about Direct2D, DirectWrite, and WIC with the platform update:
See these topics for info about Direct3D and DXGI with the platform update:
After the platform update has been installed, the interfaces introduced in Direct3D11.1 and DXGI 1.2 will be available with partial functionality. The features of these graphics components are tied directly to the graphics kernel components, graphics drivers, and graphics hardware. Before using Direct3D11.1 on Windows 7, be familiar with these specifics:
- Windows 8 introduced the WDDM 1.2 driver model, which provided improvements across the associated API surface for all feature levels. When reading the Direct3D11.1 documentation, understand that new drivers means WDDM 1.2 drivers. These updated driver versions, as well as most optional features exposed through CheckFeatureSupport, are unavailable on Windows 7. Since there is no guarantee that these optional features are available, make sure your applications have appropriate fallback behaviors in the event that the desired functionality is unavailable.There’s one important exception. Several features, such as PSSetConstantBuffers1 with constant buffer offsets, require new drivers for feature level 10 and higher, but are actually emulated for feature level 9. This emulation is available on Windows 7 with the platform update. See D3D11_FEATURE_DATA_D3D11_OPTIONS for more info about which features are emulated.
- The Windows 8 WDDM 1.2 driver model supports a new generation of hardware, exposed through D3D feature level 11.1. Windows 7 with the platform update supports only the WDDM 1.1 driver model and therefore, feature level 11.1 hardware support is not available (through the platform update). On Windows 7 with the platform update, D3D11CreateDevice always returns a feature level of 11.0 or lower, except for with a reference device that can be used to test an 11.1 code path on Windows 7. Only use features available at your target feature levels, as described in the feature level reference.
- Some new methods introduced in DGXI 1.2 are not fully supported with the Platform Update for Windows 7.You can test for the availability of these functions by calling them directly and checking for an error code. Make sure your applications targeting Windows 7 with the platform update have a fallback in place when the desired functionality is unavailable. These classes of features are unavailable on Platform Update for Windows 7:
- Stereo
- Swapchains not targeting Hwnds
- Occlusion status notifications
- Desktop duplication
- NT Handle resources
Specifically, the following APIs will return DXGI_ERROR_UNSUPPORTED, DXGI_ERROR_INVALID_CALL, E_NOTIMPL, or E_INVALIDARG:- IDXGIFactory2::CreateSwapChainForCoreWindow
- IDXGIFactory2::CreateSwapChainForComposition
- IDXGIFactory2::RegisterStereoStatusWindow
- IDXGIFactory2::RegisterStereoStatusEvent
- IDXGIFactory2::UnregisterStereoStatus
- IDXGIFactory2::RegisterOcclusionStatusWindow
- IDXGIFactory2::RegisterOcclusionStatusEvent
- IDXGIFactory2::UnregisterOcclusionStatus
- IDXGISwapChain1::GetCoreWindow
- IDXGISwapChain1::SetRotation
- IDXGISwapChain1::GetRotation
- IDXGIOutput1::DuplicateOutput
- IDXGIDevice2::EnqueueSetEvent
- IDXGIResource1::CreateSharedHandle
- IDXGIFactory2::GetSharedResourceAdapterLuid
- ID3D11Device1::OpenSharedResource1
- ID3D11Device1::OpenSharedResourceByName
- These APIs have behavior differences, as noted:
- IDXGIFactory2::CreateSwapChainForHwnd takes a DXGI_SWAP_CHAIN_DESC1 structure, which has a field for Scaling. DXGI_SCALING_NONE is not supported on Windows 7 with the platform update and causes CreateSwapChainForHwnd to return DXGI_ERROR_INVALID_CALL when called.
- IDXGISwapChain1::SetBackgroundColor is only useful when set on a swapchain using DXGI_SCALING_NONE. Its value is still stored and can be retrieved, but it has no effect.
- IDXGIDisplayControl::IsStereoEnabled, IDXGIFactory2::IsWindowedStereoEnabled, and IDXGISwapChain1::IsTemporaryMonoSupported all return FALSE.
- IDXGIOutput1::GetDisplayModeList1 and IDXGIOutput1::FindClosestMatchingMode1 were added to facilitate stereo display modes. Stereo is not supported on the Platform Update for Windows 7 so this method is equivalent to IDXGIOutput::FindClosestMatchingMode as DXGI_MODE_DESC1.Stereo will always be FALSE.
- IDXGIDevice2::OfferResources and IDXGIDevice2::ReclaimResources are not supported on the Platform Update for Windows 7. However, the runtime still allows them to be called, and performs validation that they are being used correctly on non-shared resources.
- WARP devices only support feature level 11.0. That is, WARP devices created by passing D3D_DRIVER_TYPE_WARP in the DriverType parameter of D3D11CreateDevice don’t support 11.1 nor do they support shared surfaces.
- For developers currently working on applications in Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 or earlier using the D3D11_CREATE_DEVICE_DEBUG flag, be aware that calls to D3D11CreateDevice will fail. This is because the D3D11.1 runtime now requires D3D11_1SDKLayers.dll instead of D3D11SDKLayers.dll. To get this new DLL (D3D11_1SDKLayers.dll), install the Windows 8 SDK, or Visual Studio 2012, or the Visual Studio 2012 remote debugging tools. See the Debug Layer documentation for more info.
If not for a few flaws, both major and minor, Silver might be the greatest game I have ever played. The game has a tremendous plot, great action and so many surprises I found myself totally entranced. Silver is one of those games where hours slip by unnoticed and just when you think you've reached an impasse, figure out how to advance deeper into the adventure. Although an extremely good game, there are nagging problems that keep it from being perfect.
Graphically, Silver is above average but not spectacular. The on-screen characters look a lot like the human figurines you get in Lego sets (this is not to say they are necessarily bad-looking). The animation is fluid but because the characters are polygon-based, there are times when odd gaps and overlaps appear. Silver has a diverse cast of characters and each has a unique personality and skill set.
The background scenery in Silver is quite good and varies from scene to scene and town to town. The cold gloom in Raine contrasts nicely with the rolling meadows in Haven. Each island in Silver presents different terrain and challenges. Each is also amazingly complex with dozens of paths and passageways and I found myself exploring new territory each time I returned to an island.
While the graphics could be improved upon, Silver's sound team hit its mark perfectly. With a soundtrack that reminded me The Usual Suspects and dozens of well-acted voice characterizations, this is a great sounding game. The sound effects that accompanied weapons clashing, animals growling or weather churning were done superbly. If you are the kind of gamer who listens to the radio or a CD while you play, turn them off and turn up your PC speakers as sound plays an important role in Silver. Listening to characters speak is essential. They constantly reveal important clues you need to know to get through the game.
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Silver's action is awesome. It is your basic good-versus-evil scenario but with demons, werewolves, rock monsters and frozen Vikings attacking, it is hard to get bored. The myriad of weapons, magic items, potions and special moves that David and the other heroes find and use also keep the action fresh. The deeper you get into the game, the more powerful the heroes (and their enemies) become. Action is exciting and addictive and will keep you playing.
Silver is a great game and it is one that any action RPG fan should play, however, its few flaws keep it from being perfect.
First, there is no player-controlled save feature. At certain points throughout the adventure, a character known as The Chronicler appears and allows players to save games. At the beginning stages of the game, it seems that The Chronicler appears every few scenes. Later, he is almost never around. According to Silver's manual, The Chronicler is supposed to always be in the Rebel Camp but he is not. So, if you have managed to gather quite a bit of inventory or defeat a particularly difficult enemy, it is quite disconcerting when you cannot save the game, especially if you get killed before The Chronicler strolls in again.
Second, Silver's mapping system is not very good. Navigating the islands would be far easier if you could tell where you were and where you have already been. The system in Silver allows you to advance to key points on the map but not in real-time. Plus, there are a few glitch-ridden areas where characters leave the screen moving right and reenter the screen moving left. This makes it difficult to know which way to travel next and can bog the game down.
Finally, during combat scenes, it is very difficult to avoid clicking on one of the heroes when enemies are in close proximity. This removes the other heroes from the battle and can cost you dearly. An auto-attack mode or 'lock heroes' feature would help here. It is extremely frustrating when you accidentally click on one hero when trying to attack an enemy.
Overall, Silver is an amazing game. It has a great plot, great action and more than a few surprises. It is not perfect but its developers came close.
Graphics: The characters are polygon-based and have a few awkward overlaps. The scenery is spectacular and the animation is fluid.
Sound: The sound is superb with great music and effects. Sound is also an essential element in completing your mission as the hero due to the amount of clues and hints you receive.
Enjoyment: Apart from a few glitches in the software and design, the game holds your interest due to the in-depth storyline, exploration and solid gameplay.
Replay Value: You can always find something new, so replaying is definitely an option.
How to run this game on modern Windows PC?
This game has been set up to work on modern Windows (10/8/7/Vista/XP 64/32-bit) computers without problems. Please choose Download - Easy Setup (910 MB).
People who downloaded Silver have also downloaded:
Shadow Vault, Septerra Core: Legacy of the Creator, Soulbringer, Seal of Evil, Siege of Avalon, Revenant, Sacred, Nox
Shadow Vault, Septerra Core: Legacy of the Creator, Soulbringer, Seal of Evil, Siege of Avalon, Revenant, Sacred, Nox