Developers for Microsoft DirectX Convene for Meltdown ’97

REDMOND, Wash., July 22, 1997 — A record number of multimedia developers gathered here last week to participate in the semiannual Meltdown ’97 event, an intense week of round-robin product testing, debugging and information sharing. Following a sold-out event in February where the Microsoft® DirectX® set of APIs version 5.0 was previewed and tested for the first time, this gathering provided developers with the opportunity to test their latest products incorporating the most recent advancements in Microsoft DirectX 5.0. DirectX 5.0 technology provides a clear path for developers to deliver their products in time for the holiday season.

“We have seen an overwhelming number of improvements in DirectX since the first ship,”
said Ty Graham, hardware evangelist for DirectX at Microsoft.
“DirectX 5.0 offers developers a vast amount of new capabilities and eliminates system incompatibilities previously experienced by consumers. Meltdown is the final checkpoint to ensure that developers provide a true Plug and Play experience for consumers.”

In addition to the testing and debugging sessions, Microsoft also presented a series of technical briefings outlining the many enhancements provided in DirectX 5.0 and disclosed some of its preliminary objectives for the next version of DirectX, currently planned for release in the first half of 1998. As part of these briefings, Microsoft elaborated on its 3-D API strategy. During this session, developers were told of Microsoft’s current intent to continue the support of OpenGL and plans for innovation and investment in the Direct3D® API.


Microsoft assured IHVs and ISVs that, contrary to rumor, it has no intention to end its industry-leading support for OpenGL and that it plans to continue supporting the 3-D standard on its Windows
NT® , Windows® 95 and ‘MEMPHIS’ platforms,”
said Kevin Bachus, DirectX product manager at Microsoft.
“We clearly outlined our intention to increase our pace of innovation in Direct3D by creating a consolidated 3-D graphics group inside the Windows NT product unit that will focus on innovating the API. Developers were overwhelmingly enthusiastic about this move.”

Microsoft also showcased the robustness of its Direct3D driver architecture by demonstrating a popular OpenGL application running on top of native Direct3D drivers. Although it has no plans to release this work, Microsoft believes the demonstration illustrates that Direct3D 5.0 delivers the most comprehensive and robust hardware driver support on the PC platform.

Meltdown ’97 participants included the following companies:

  • 3Dlabs Ltd.

  • 3DFX Interactive

  • 4th Wave

  • 5D Games Inc.

  • Above the Garage Productions

  • AccelGraphics

  • Accolade

  • Activision Inc.

  • Advanced Micro Devices

  • Akklaim Entertainment

  • Alliance Semiconductor Corp.

  • Alps Electric

  • AMD Strategic Initiatives

  • Anark

  • Appian Graphics

  • ARK Logic

  • ATI Research Inc.

  • ATI Technologies Inc.

  • Atmel/Dream

  • AuraVision Corp.

  • Aviation Simulations International Inc.

  • Binar Graphics Inc.

  • Blizzard Entertainment

  • BMG Interactive

  • Bullfrog Productions Ltd.

  • Bungie Software

  • Canopus Marketing Corp.

  • Chips Technologies Inc.

  • Chromatic Research Inc.

  • Cirrus Logic Inc.

  • Compaq Computer Corp.

  • Computer Gaming World

  • Cronos Digital Entertainment Inc.

  • Crystal Semiconductor Corp.

  • CyberFlix

  • Cyrix Corp.

  • Dell Computer Corp.

  • Diamond Multimedia Systems Inc.

  • Digital Equipment Corp.

  • Disney Interactive

  • Double Bande Multimedia

  • Dynamix

  • Eidos

  • Electric Planet Interactive

  • Electronic Arts

  • Electronic Arts Canada

  • Electronic Arts Seattle

  • ELSA GmbH

  • Engineering Animation

  • Equator Technologies Inc.

  • ESS Technology Inc.

  • Fujitsu Microelectronics Inc.

  • Galileo Designs Inc.

  • Gamebank Inc.

  • Gateway 2000 Inc.

  • Gravity Inc.

  • Gremlin Interactive Ltd.

  • GT Interactive Software

  • Guillemot International

  • Harmonix Music Systems

  • Hewlett-Packard Co.

  • Hitachi Computer Products

  • Humongous Entertainment

  • IBM Corp.

  • IDT

  • Immersion Corp.

  • InteGraphics Systems

  • Integrative Device Technology

  • Intel Corp.

  • Intelligraphics

  • InVision Interactive

  • IXMicro

  • Kesmai Studios

  • Kinesoft Development Corp.

  • Logi Tech

  • LucasArts Entertainment Co.

  • Macronix America

  • Matrox Graphics Inc.

  • Maxis

  • Media Reality Technologies Inc.

  • Metabyte

  • MGI Software Corp.

  • Micro Computer

  • Mindscape Inc.

  • Mitsubishi PC Division – Apricot

  • Multicom Publishing

  • NEC Corp.

  • NeoMagic Corp.

  • NewFire

  • Number Nine Visual Technology Corp.

  • NVIDIA Corp.

  • Oak Technology Inc.

  • OPTi Inc.

  • OT Sports

  • Packard Bell/NEC

  • PC Game Parade

  • Philips Semiconductors Inc.

  • Providenza & Boekelheide Inc.

  • Psygnosis Ltd.

  • Pyramid Peak Design

  • Quadramix

  • Quantum 3D

  • Radical Entertainment Ltd.

  • Rainbow Studios

  • Real3D

  • Rendition Inc.

  • Rockwell Semiconductors

  • Rockwell Semicondoctors/Brooktree

  • S3 Inc.

  • Sculptured Software Inc.

  • SEC SW Okinawa Ltd.

  • SGI

  • SGS-Thomson

  • Sierra On-Line

  • Sierra On-Line/Synergistic

  • Silicon Engines

  • Silicon Graphics Inc.

  • Silicon Integrative Systems Corp.

  • Silicon Motion

  • Silicon Reality

  • SingleTrac Entertainment Technologies Inc.

  • Sony Electronics Inc./ITA

  • Starlite Systems Technology Ltd.

  • STB Systems Inc.

  • StereoGraphics

  • Texas Instruments Inc.

  • ThinkWare Inc.

  • Toshiba

  • Trident Microsystems Inc.

  • Trilobyte

  • TriTech Microelectronics Pty Ltd.

  • Tseng Labs Inc.

  • Ubi Soft Entertainment

  • ULSI Systems Inc.

  • Video Computer S.p.A.

  • VideoLogic

  • Viewpoint DataLabs

  • Virtus

  • VSIS Inc.

  • Westwood Studios

  • Xing Technology Corp.

  • XL Soft International

  • Yamaha

  • Ziff Davis Benchmark Operations

  • Zombie

The next Meltdown ’97 event will be held in Bellevue, Wash. For more information on registering, refer to the Microsoft Developer Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/hwdev/meltdown.htm .

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

Microsoft, DirectX, Direct 3D, Windows and Windows NT are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

For more information, press only:

Julie Whitehead, MacKenzie Kesselring, (801) 359-1005, [email protected]

Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://microsoft.com/presspass/ on Microsoft’s corporate information pages.

Related Posts