Cores for Cataclysm

[LavCat]

Well, I realized I didn't actually have DX11 installed since my last OS install (Vista). I hadn't installed SP2, which for some dumb reason isn't available on Windows Update, and you have to go seek it out. Then the Platform update for DX11 shows on Windows Update.

So I did this while the latest beta version was downloading.

The good news is that d3d11 does work and does speed things up. I went from 67-75 FPS in one spot to 95-105 FPS in the same spot (settings were EVERYTHING Ultra, including shadows). A very significant boost. I haven't tried with AA, the notes say that will potentially crash. My spot was looking out of Crossroads just north of the road to Ratchet from Crossroads, since my beta druid happened to be in the inn at Crossroads.

Playing with the options a bit, it seems the higher quality options have a LOT less impact on FPS. Shadows from Ultra to low moved FPS from ~95 average to ~105 average, for example, where before this was more significant. The spot I'm in has a moving dynamic shadow so I could be sure this was at least semi-representative.

The bad news is they tried to implement multi-monitor support into WoW itself and this completely broke what I have had working. In WoW Eyefinity works fine and I get my 2560x1024. In WoW-Beta I get 2 1280x1024 with the same thing displayed with both monitors. Since, for whatever reason, the ATI CCC calls both my monitors "Monitor 1" there is no way to do anything within the in-game selector. I effectively have 1 monitor only in WoW-beta. Game breaker for me, can't go backwards when you've been playing on 2 monitors for years. I guess I'm completely spoiled.

So I didn't play much with DX11 because I couldn't play how I wanted to. I spent some time on the multi-monitor thing, perhaps I'll pick it up again later when I have more time.

EDIT:
I should have gone to bed, but didn't. Using Fullscreen Windowed mode enabled me to use both monitors as before. Display res still shows as 1280x1024, but it's obviously 2@1280x1024. Oh, and they removed the checkbox for "Full Screen Glow Effect" and in the beta is always enabled. I discovered the command to turn this off: '/console ffxGlow 0'. Never really liked that effect.

Now that 4.0.1 is live, I tried d3d11. I don't see any difference in how things look, but the option seems to break alt tabbing to the desktop. I have the same problem when running PowerDVD.

I'm going back to default for now.

By the way, I am rather disappointed in the new water after all the hype. Water seems to glow unnaturally. The effect may be better with lava though.