Are the beta test systems...

[Tom.]

..curently using Dx10 graphics cards because they are not out  
on the commercial market yet

[kipman725]

no... dx10 cards are not used as they will still be on the design stage not ready for people like M$ to have them.

[Tom.]

So will fsx look much better than the previews?

[cspyro21]

They could be using the cards....Not sure if they've actually made any DX10 cards yet, but if they have, the beta testers are probably using them (M$ have probably bought a few for the beta testers )

[SkyNoz]

Wow that's amazing, at first I thought the same thing, M$ may of had some Beta test DX10. If their not and those shot's dont include the performance and detail of DX10, it's still really great, as the previews go.

[kipman725]

Wow that's amazing, at first I thought the same thing, M$ may of had some Beta test DX10. If their not and those shot's dont include the performance and detail of DX10, it's still really great, as the previews go.

for an example of how little of the new features will be used so the game remains backward compatible load up cod2 and select drictx 9.0 mode, then 7 there's a differance but it's very minor.

[ctjoyce]

Actually is a very big difference. The smoke / fog in COD2. And frame rate differences, even reflections.

To answer the question, no these screens are on DX9 and Pixel Shader V3. However the game is suppost to be DX10 and Pixel Shader V4 when it comes out. But with the delay of Vista, and such tech coming out we may end up with a DX9 / PS3 Game and have a patch to DX10 / PS4 when they come out.

Cheers
Cameron

[PisTon]

The beta test systems, and even dev workstations are all using Direct X 9 hardware, and yes, the screenshots are in DX9.

With shader 4 you will only get a new more fancy effects, and optimizations, atleast until games are 100% DX10.