This means that there are many features found in Windows XP that today's game developers should be taking advantage of including: By the time computers with CPU speeds above 1.2GHz were being sold, Windows XP was installed as the default operating system by almost all manufacturers. If the minimum CPU speed required for your game is 1.2GHz or above (which is more common for high performance titles), then the vast majority of eligible computers will be running Windows XP. Not anymore for two reasons: performance and feature set. Should game developers still be publishing games for Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows ME? Incompatibilities typically arise from use of 16-bit code designed for the Windows 3.1 operating system or installing drivers that are not provided in both 32-bit and 64-bit native forms.įor more details on 64-bit technology, see 64-bit programming for Game Developers.
Every 32-bit application should have 64-bit compatibility as a minimum shipping requirement, and meeting that requirement is a baseline requirement for Windows Vista compatibility. Sixty-four-bit technology fully supports 32-bit native code, although 64-bit native implementations are required to take full advantage of the new 64-bit memory space. As new computers start shipping with more than 2 GB of physical RAM, the incentive to use a 32-bit operating system greatly diminishes in favor of 64-bit editions. In addition, many 64-bit drivers are available in the box, and device manufactures are required to provide both 32-bit and 64-bit native drivers as part the Windows Certification Program.Īll of these factors will greatly increase the deployments of 64-bit editions of Windows. With Windows Vista, customers are free to choose either 32-bit or 64-bit editions when purchasing Windows-based computers, and licenses for Windows Vista are valid for both 32-bit or 64-bit editions of the OS. Because 圆4 editions require a new generation of 64-bit native drivers, this first release was limited to OEM distribution. Windows XP Professional 圆4 Edition introduced the OS enabling technology for 圆4 released in April of 2005.
The majority of new CPUs sold in the past few years, and almost all processor lines in development from AMD and Intel, are 圆4-capable.
圆4 technology is widely available in the market.