The project D7VK 1.5 has been published, focusing on the implementation of graphics APIs Direct3D 3, 5, 6, and 7 provided by Microsoft in the late 1990s. D7VK allows users to run retro games on Linux using the Direct3D APIs through Wine by converting the calls to the Vulkan API. The project, distributed under the Zlib license and written in C++, is based on the d3d9 backend code from the project DXVK, which converts the older Direct3D APIs into Direct3D 9 calls that are then translated into Vulkan.
The latest release of D7VK, version 1.5, introduces experimental support for the Direct3D 3 graphics API alongside existing support for Direct3D 5, 6, and 7. Direct3D 1 did not include 3D components, while Direct3D made its appearance in DirectX 2, which is essentially the same as DirectX 3. DirectX 4 was never officially released by Microsoft. Support for Direct3D 8, 9, 10, and 11 is provided by the separate project DXVK.
Additionally, D7VK 1.5 includes bug fixes and improved game compatibility for Direct3D 5, 6, and 7. It now supports Execute buffers for passing GPU commands, writing to the frame buffer and Depth buffer, as well as streaming vertex buffers using the old Begin and End commands.
The release also adds support for several games, including Delta Force 2, Empire of the Ants, Frogger, Gorky 17, and more. These additions enhance the gaming experience for users running retro games on Linux with the D7VK project.