DirectX8
  Direct X is an applications programming interface or API. This software is
  incorporated into Microsoft's operating system and it gives a bridge over
  which applications and games can access the various features that are
  supported by multimedia hardware such as 3D accelerators, soundcards, input
  devices such as joysticks, etc. If a particular graphics card can support a
  plethora of radically new features, it would amount to nothing if the API
  cannot support these functions.

  The primary aim of Direct X was to create a set of tools and interfaces that
  provides programmers with the building blocks neccesary for developing
  applications that run independent of the hardware upon which these programs
  are run. This allows developers to concentrate more on the features of the
  application without bothering about hardware issues.
  Prior to Direct X, coders had to develop products to work well on a variety
  of hardware configurations and there was no real standard for doing this.
  Direct X provides what is called a Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL), which
  makes use of software drivers to communicate with the application and the
  hardware.

  So if software developers write a code to work with Direct X, they don't care
  about which hardware platforms it can run on, as all hardware that supports
  Direct X will run the software.
  Direct X provides control to a set of tools that control low-level functions
  such as 2D graphic acceleration, sound generation mixing and reproduction
  and support for input devices such as mice and joysticks.
  All these low-level functions are supported by various components that
  together make up the foundation of Direct X: Microsoft Direct Draw, Microsoft
  Direct3D, Microsoft Direct Input, Microsoft Direct Sound, Microsoft Direct
  Play and Microsoft Direct Music.

  At first glance you'll see that the new features supported here are
  strikingly similar to those that have been implemented in the GEForce3.
  In fact nVidia has licensed many of its technologies to Microsoft for the
  development of Direct X 8.0. Little wonder that as of now, GEForce3 is the
  only fully Direct X 8 compliant chip around.

  New Features:
  Programmable Vertex Shaders:
  This feature will allow programmable control over the transform and lighting
  portion of the graphics processor. Using this, game developers will be able
  to simulate far more realistic effects when dealing in objects of skin and
  cloth and the deformations that are associated with such objects.
  Using this feature developers will be able to impart a different 'feel' to
  each of they're games by making the 3D objects in each behave and react
  differently.

  Programmable Pixel Shaders:
  Thanks to cards that ship with this feature such as the GEForce3, game
  developers will now be able to create combined effects such as bump maps
  with reflections and textures. This makes effects such as water ripples and
  corrugated metallic surfaces more realistic than ever.

  Multi Sample Rendering:
  Using this feature multiple instances of a 3D scene can be rendered in
  different frame buffers and are then displayed in the manner desired by the
  application creator. this allows for effects such as anti-aliasing, motion
  blur, depth of field, soft shadows etc.

  Volumetric Textures:
  This feature ties in with the Programmable Pixel Shader Feature. Here,
  textures will be assigned one more dimension, giving that extra sense of
  realism.

  N-Patches:
  This allows the complexity of a model to be increased to greater levels. It
  does by using special curves called Beizer curves to increase the smoothness
  in the curved areas of the 3D model. N-Patches allow a relatively simple
  model to appear much more detailed.

  Texture Compression:
  Textures are one of the major tangents used in 3D scenes, and they are often
  the cause of bottlenecks associated with the graphic cards memory. Direct X
  8.0 has incorporated support for texture compression. Compressing all these
  large texture files will increase the efficiency of the memory bandwidth,
  resulting in very significant jumps in performance and visual quality.

  Matrix Palette Skinning:
  Much like vertex skinning, MPS is a feature that allows far more realism in
  transforming objects that are skimmed with 'textures'. It is used to
  generate effects such as wrinkles in cloth or skin, this method provides
  greater fluidity than vertex skinning as there are more control points used
  here.


  Verdict:
  The GEForce3 coupled with Direct X 8.0 promises games that are going to
  greatly blur the dividing line between games and movies. It looks like the
  catchword for the next generation of graphic accelerators is not just pure
  frame rates, but also realism. So the next time you gun the 600BHP+ engine
  in that Ferrari racing simulation, the visual quality of the game and its
  special effects might be so intense that you might actually smell the
  burning rubber! :)