On the LOA ON, alongside major gameplay adjustments, a significant update to DirectX 11 was announced, which is set to be released in Korea as early as January. This not only makes Lost Ark more beautiful but also runs it smoother.
What is LOA ON? This is a recurring event where the developer Smilegate talks about the future of the MMORPG. Among other things, this year even a new class was announced.
The expectations for the EU and America release were also a topic at the event. However, a major change was almost not mentioned, namely the update to DirectX 11, which is set to be released in Korea already in January.
What exactly is changing? Lost Ark still runs on the relatively older Unreal Engine 3, which is especially noticeable in the character models. In connection with the DirectX 9 graphics interface, there have been performance issues, especially in the elaborately staged raids.
Now Lost Ark is getting a complete update to the much newer DirectX 11. As a result, the game looks slightly better and runs even smoother than it did before.
How noticeable are the improvements? This strongly depends on the chosen scene, but especially in the raids, the update could be of great advantage. Graphic improvements are less noticeable than the performance optimization.
This better performance with DirectX 11 is, however, clearly noticeable in many scenes. While you get only 5 to 10 more frames per second in less demanding scenarios, in large battles, it can be 30 to 40 more frames. This makes a significant difference when playing the action MMORPG.
In this video, you can see the changes for yourself, but beware – story spoilers.
You don’t have to wait long for the update
When is DirectX 11 coming to us? Many hope that the update will be available at the release of the western version. Of course, Smilegate and Amazon would also have an interest in having DirectX 11 ready at launch.
However, this has not yet been confirmed. Currently, a timeframe shortly after the release is mentioned. In any case, you won’t have to wait too long for the big update.
How is the community reacting? Players are mostly looking forward to the update. The mood on Reddit and in the comments is positive, as especially the performance improvements are scoring points with players.
Some believe that the graphical improvements are hardly noticeable, and that primarily the colors have changed. A few players are even convinced that the DirectX 9 graphics look better.
However, players agree on the improved FPS. Many consider the update to be a sensible addition and an enhancement for the endgame.
Currently, more and more MMORPGs are taking the step to switch to DirectX 11. Even larger games like Guild Wars 2 are currently in the testing phase for this. What do you think about it? Do you find such an update sensible, or do you have a different opinion? Feel free to write it in the comments here on MeinMMO.
One of the biggest questions we have about the game right now is, how pay-to-win heavy is Lost Ark actually? We’ll take a look at the shop of the western version.
