Nvidia and Microsoft have finally announced a beta for Minecraft’s gorgeous RTX ray-tracing update. It will be available on Thursday, April 16.
I had a chance to play the beta over the weekend. Unfortunately, my thoughts on the beta are embargoed until Thursday, so I can’t go into detail on my experience with it yet.
Nvidia says the game’s RTX update will include support for DLSS 2.0. That acronym stands for Deep Learning Super Sampling, a technique used by Nvidia to improve game performance. DLSS uses machine learning algorithms to upscale the render resolution of a game. For example, DLSS can be used to upscale the output of a game rendered at 1080p resolution to 4K.
This technique is important because it can boost the performance of a game significantly. Nvidia claims that the average framerate in Minecraft with RTX on, at 1080p resolution, improves from 56.8 frames per second with DLSS off to 93.6 FPS with DLSS on. At 4K, the average improves from 16.3 FPS to 49.4 frames per second. That is on a system with a Core i9-9900K, Nvidia RTX 2080 Ti, and 32GB of RAM, with game detail set to maximum and draw distance set to eight “chunks.”
Minecraft’s RTX mode can improve the game’s visuals on any map, but the impact is most dramatic when colored lighting, light shafts, and reflections can come into play. To highlight this, Nvidia has partnered with select community creators, who have built custom worlds with RTX ray tracing in mind. They are:
These new worlds will be available for anyone to download for free in the Minecraft RTX beta.
The Minecraft RTX beta will be publicly available when it launches on April 16, but it won’t automatically arrive to those who have Minecraft installed.
You’ll need the Xbox Insider Hub app, which is available for free on the Microsoft Store. Once you have that, you should find the Minecraft for Windows 10 Beta listed as available content –provided you’re looking for it after it launches, of course.
Yes, you’ll need to own Minecraft for Windows 10 to access the beta. You’ll also need an Nvidia card with RTX support, an up-to-date video card driver, and the Windows 10 May 2019 update.
Related Posts
Your Xbox ecosystem just levelled up across every device
Gaming Copilot is now live in the Xbox mobile app (beta), offering real-time AI help for gameplay, achievements, tips, and more.
I’ve played every major Zelda game, here’s what The Legend of Zelda movie needs to get right
In terms of iconic pop culture heroes, Link is up there with Luke Skywalker, Frodo Baggins, and Superman. While Benjamin Evan Ainsworth has proven himself capable enough to lead The Legend of Zelda's cast, adapting Link’s character for the big screen is a challenge. For much of the Zelda franchise, Link is depicted as a silent protagonist who serves as a stand-in for the player. However, that doesn't mean Link isn't a unique character. Each version of Link has a distinct story, but they are all known for their incredible courage, loyalty, and dedication to protecting the innocent. However, he has also shown many times that he can be silly, reckless, rageful, guilty, and tempted by greed. Link doesn’t necessarily have to speak in the film to appeal to audiences. However, he just can't be a one-dimensional fantasy hero. We have to see how multifaceted a person Link is as he grows and reacts to everything, carrying such a heavy burden as the Hero of Hyrule. Zelda should share the adventure with Link
PlayStation 5 can technically be a CD-player, if you’ve got a tinkerer’s heart
But a creator behind the YouTube channel Will It Work? decided to test that limit with a clever workaround. Using an unusual optical drive, he managed to trick the PS5 into reading CDs as if they were USB storage devices.