Editing Direct3D (section)

==Direct3D 8.0==
'''DirectX 8.0''' (released in November, 2000) introduced programmability in the form of vertex and pixel [[shader]]s, enabling developers to write code without worrying about superfluous hardware state.<ref>{{cite web|title=Microsoft Announces Release of DirectX 8.0|url=http://news.microsoft.com/2000/11/09/microsoft-announces-release-of-directx-8-0/|publisher=Microsoft|access-date=7 January 2015|date=9 November 2000}}</ref> The complexity of the shader programs depended on the complexity of the task, and the [[device driver|display driver]] [[compiled]] those shaders to instructions that could be understood by the hardware. Direct3D 8.0 and its programmable shading capabilities were the first major departure from an OpenGL-style fixed-function architecture, where drawing is controlled by a complicated state machine. Direct3D 8.0 also eliminated [[DirectDraw]] as a separate API.<ref name="dx8featuresgs">{{cite news |title=Direct Action Feature: DirectX 8.0 |url=http://extra.gamespot.co.uk/pc.gamespot/features/directaction_uk/ |access-date=July 20, 2019 |work=[[GameSpot]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010223225852/http://extra.gamespot.co.uk/pc.gamespot/features/directaction_uk/ |archive-date=February 23, 2001 |location=UK}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamedev.net/reference/articles/article1247.asp |title=DirectX 8 Graphics and Video: A Fresh Start |date=2000-11-30 |publisher=gamedev.net |access-date=2007-02-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070604171620/http://www.gamedev.net/reference/articles/article1247.asp |archive-date=2007-06-04 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Direct3D subsumed all remaining DirectDraw API calls still needed for application development, such as Present(), the function used to display rendering results.

Direct3D was not considered to be user friendly, but as of DirectX version 8.1, many usability problems were resolved. Direct3D 8 contained many powerful 3D graphics features, such as [[vertex shaders]], [[pixel shaders]], [[Distance fog|fog]], [[bump mapping]] and [[texture mapping]].