The project D7VK 2.0 has been published, focusing on the development of Direct3D 3, 5, 6, and 7 graphics APIs offered by Microsoft in the late 1990s. D7VK works by translating calls to the Vulkan API, allowing users to play retro games on Linux using Wine. The project, distributed under the Zlib license, is coded in C++ and is based on the d3d9 backend code from the DXVK project. D7VK converts Direct3D 3, 5, 6, and 7 APIs into Direct3D 9 calls, which are then translated into the Vulkan API.
In the latest release, optimizations have been introduced that significantly improve performance. CPU-side calculations have seen drastic improvements, with the ProcessVertices call now utilizing SSE instructions for all CPU calculations. These optimizations have resulted in a remarkable performance boost in games like Half-Life and Toy Story 2.
Several performance enhancements have been implemented in D7VK 2.0, resulting in better FPS rates and reduced GPU load in games like 3DMark 99 Max, 3DMark 2000 v1.1, and Unreal Tournament. The project now works on top of the DXVK 3.0.2 release, with fixes made to enhance support for various games.
DXVK 3.0.2, a separate layer release, provides implementation of Direct3D 8, 9, 10, and 11 APIs using Vulkan. It requires drivers that support the Vulkan 1.4 API and offers improved performance for running 3D applications and games on Linux using Wine. The new version of DXVK introduces a debugging mode for freezes and crashes, along with fixes for games like Dying Light: The Beast, Granblue Fantasy Relink, and Overwatch.