DirectInput

From DmWiki

DirectInput is a subsystem component of the DirectX API for Windows, which provides a low-level interface for a developer to accept input from a keyboard, mouse or joystick, as well as send feedback to a force-feedback capable device. In order to do this at a high-performance level, the DirectInput subsystem bypasses the Windows GDI in order to access the input at the hardware level, so that the hardware does not encounter any delays caused by the GDI interface (such as holding down an A key and instead of seeing A scroll as soon as you press it, there is that pause).

Like the other DirectX subsystems, DirectInput is capable of being utilized with different API (such as OpenAL for Audio, OpenGL for graphics, etc) making it a versatile solution for Windows-based development, such as on an x86 based PC running Windows 95 or later, or on an Xbox or Xbox 360 running a heavily modified version of Windows through the use of the XDK (Xbox development kit).

While some may criticize DirectInput for its Windows-only limitations, it does have its merits, and is used in many of the AAA titles that are available today, such as Half-Life 2, World of WarCraft, and the Halo Trilogy.

This article is a stub. You can help improve the article by expanding it.

[edit]