What is DirectX and How Does it Work? (DX11 vs. DX12)

- If you're an avid gamer, then chances are you use DirectX every single day. Software can be tricky, and how it communicates with hardware can be even trickier, but if you take notes on this one, you *just* might learn a thing or two!

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'Blue Flame' by Mich
'Neptune' by Arc North
'Different Story' by Mickeen

[GregSalazar]

- I should clarify: An API is analogous to "blueprints" in the sense that both are "assistants" of the development phase. They are guides; tools to assist in compatible platform coding. Without them, their building phases would be *very* difficult. I tried my best to simplify this as much as I could! Any other contributions and analogies, especially from those who have also coded in the past, are welcome!

[whaszup]

I have been gaming and building PC's for years and knew that D3D/DirectX was a renderer, but I never knew what it actually did. You explained that very well and still kept it simple to understand.

[PeloyGeek]

i was staring at that pc the whole video

[nuclearreactor]

You're the most underrated tech you tuber on the site, keep up the great work

[QuantumRads]

Funny, AMD Graphics cards don't work well with AMD CPU's.

[IronMan-vhyo]

when a youtuber says that you can dislike his video if you didnt like it, he instantly deserves a huge like! not many youtubers do that

[KennedyJ]

You should have like 3 millions subs seriously you have great quality content

[der_pinguin]

"You gon - you gonna take it?"

This is what I like about you, Greg. You're human.

[Syncro_esm]

Sc.St is Easily becoming my favorite "Tech youtuber". I love your informative videos man, keep it up, always look forward to your next one! :)

[Leyvin]

Alright... so I'm not sure if you're unfamiliar with what an API (specifically a Hardware API, like Direct3D or OpenGL) works or if you're just terrible at analogies. Still, I've been developing with DirectX all the way back to when it was still Win32-G[S] (Windows 32-bit Graphics Software) and yes before the popularisation of the term API (Application Programming Interface) by Microsoft in the late 90s; so what exactly is an API? Well the best way to explain it would be like a 'Common Phrase Translator' ... an actual working example of this is what Final Fantasy XI and XIV have for communication with party members, where you can type a phrase and press TAB then it provides you with a selection like <Attack Enemy><Marker A> or <Self><Need Heal> or <Wait><Phase><3><DPS><Limit Break> ... regardless of what language you're using Party Commands are always the same, even if the actual words each person knows for them is different. What allows you to do that is like a Party API, it lets you communicate with something you don't necessarily have the direct ability to talk to while still allowing everyone to understand what's going on. • Each Component has their own Role, thus needs their own Phrase Book for effective communication with that Class but at the same time you have no idea if said person (component) that fills that Role is Japanese, English, German or French. So you can't just have Shortcuts but that Translation so that everyone is communicating (at least from their perspective) in the same Language. • So, now we get on to the difference between DirectX 11 and DirectX 12 ... well let's keep with the MMORPG Translator Analogy here and we will introduce our Players. Our Dragoon (NVIDIA) and our Summoner (AMD),  believe me these are extremely apt for the different approaches these Architectures take; so as we've established our API is how we communicate with the rest of the Party. DirectX 11 is like you're Standard D-Pad Tree,  where in order to Help with Complexity the Further down the Trees you go the more 'Specialised' the Phrases become; now this approach is great for the Dragoon because they only really want to be slapping a single target at a time using little more than Brute Force before they move on to the next. Thus this system allows them to really Flourish to their full potential, especially once all the options are memorised. DirectX 12 works different... Instead holding down either (or a Combination) will open up a Dialogue Menu selectable with a quick flick of either Control Stick. On top of this it's entirely customisable with your own Macros, which provides it with exceptional power to communicate complex series of actions over one big approach; this benefits the Summoner far more here because their situation is always changing and they're used to Multi-Tasking... it isn't that the previous system wasn't good for them, but they really needed to essentially already know roughly what they're doing and just need hints rather than the Party Leader taking a good 5 minutes to type out what needs to be done for them. The Dragoon can of course still remain reasonably effective, but now you're also capable of utilising the Summoner to their full effect. • Still why make this change? Why not simply have the Summoner change their Class to Dragoon or Bard? Well you could, but actually what the Summoner brings to the table allows you to tackle Bosses that would typically start to be a problem for Classes that aren't idea at Crowd Control or doing two Separate Things. • I'd also make it clear here, when the Developer promises for several Expansions that an "Overhaul to the Translator is 'Coming Soon' in the next Expansion" ... well rather than leveling an entire new Class you're going to stick with what you like and know assuming the dev isn't lying. On top of this obviously those in Rival Classes to your own, don't exactly want to end up in long queues because at the moment they're basically the "Go To" DPS; so they're going to keep telling the Developer that the current system is FINE. With less Summoners (because they're more difficult and seen as 'Crappy' by others) this results typically in a voice that is less loud about an obvious issue that NEEDED to be resolved so that everyone could get back to playing how /they/ want to not how someone else wants them to play. • Now to me that probably far better explains the API, Differences and even Politics behind DirectX and the Major Players in a way that likely is going to be easily relatable. I could always do a more dry, technical version. [p.s. sorry about the block of text, just something that happens for me on ANY other Browser than Chrome; and frankly F-You Google, you can't force me to use a Browser I despite with a passion]

[omarshehab]

I had to overclock my brain to keep up with this..

[Thatguythatdidthat]

You do a great job at explaining things! Even if you talk fast and I have to re-watch videos twice to fully catch everything its still x10 better and faster to learn stuff! You're a great tech youtuber!

[kebinpak]

Your channel is really blowing up! I wish you the best of luck to 1 million subscribers.

[jayrambo]

I follow a lot of tech guys on here, but hands down u r definitely the smartest. Great channel keep up the good work bud.

[theunknown]

Great Video! Really liking these crash course type videos. Keep it up and you'll see that subscriber count multiply.

[SharaPrincessOfPowers]

Thank you for the amazing video. Process threads synchronization with accuracy on timing, the calculation and division for each cor from ALU... The physics behind that details and verification methods on how it got the exact value of timestamp for synchronization into data being processed output. Amazing... Inspired.

[MisterMuffin_]

I saw the request for this video on Twitter. It's great how you care about your viewers opinions :3

[GreenCowsGames]

Keep up the crashcourse series. Imo the best one on the channel so far!

[csmith]

These crash course vids are fantastic!

[DriLLiT]

That massive Marshall stack tho. Holy sh**. Good vid/explanation and I'm officially a new subscriber :)