dxsdk 8.1

[gcarlton]

Hi,
I'm thinking of downgrading the dxsdk requirements of my game from 9.0b (the latest) to 8.1. I don't use the advanced features of 9.0b so this change shouldn't be too complex, except.. I can't find the 8.1 SDK anywhere! MS seems to have pulled all the download links to it, and I can't see any older ones on the web as well.

Is there a recommended site for getting these older SDKs?

Geoff

[Robert Cummings]

I think DX7 is still the one to aim for. If you can get it down to DX7, you're really reaching the biggest windows userbase. Sorry, don't know any sites for that.

[Abscissa]

It's all backwards-compatible, so you don't need the earlier SDKs. Stick with whatever SDK you have and just don't use anything that isn't in the version of DX you're aiming for.

If you don't use any DX9 interfaces, it'll work on anything using the 8.1 runtime. If you don't use any DX8 or DX9 interfaces, it'll run on anything using the 7 runtime.

[soniCron]

For what it's worth, Allegro has some minimal DirectX SDK packages for download here. The flavors available are 7.0 and 8.0. I don't know if these would work, however.

[gcarlton]

I found the sdk is in game programming gems 3, but as Abscissa mentioned, it looks like you can just use the older interfaces rather than rolling back.

In fact, I don't think its possible to roll back, as DirectX buries itself deep in the system and refuses to allow itself to be extracted. Once you've got it, its there to stay.

[soniCron]

In fact, I don't think its possible to roll back, as DirectX buries itself deep in the system and refuses to allow itself to be extracted. Once you've got it, its there to stay.

There is some pertinent information found in this thread on the subject. While it doesn't apply exactly, the methods can be used to roll back.