Three DirectX 11 Benchmark Tool

3DMark 11 is not the only DirectX 11 benchmark tool, here are three different benchmarks.

•  DirectX Software Development Kit

This tool is provided by Microsoft. You can get the latest DX SDK at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/directx/aa937781  Latest version:

9.29.1962 (500M+)

•  Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X. 2 Benchmark

Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X. is an arcade flight video game. Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X. 2 Benchmark is a stand-alone benchmark released by Ubisoft. You need a www.ubisoft.com account to use this benchmark.

Download at http://games.softpedia.com/get/Tools/Tom-Clancys-HAWX-2-Benchmark.shtml (700M+)

Free Download The 3DMark 2011 Basic Edition( Benchmark for DirectX 11)

3DMark is the world’s most popular computer benchmarking tool for measuring the 3D graphics performance. In 3DMark Vantage released two and a half years later, the latest 3DMark 11 is launched which is designed for testing DirectX 11 hardware running on Windows 7 and Windows Vista. Fortunately, there's a free edition.

So if you are still in use Windows XP, or graphics only support DirectX 9, 10. You can try the early version 3DMark 06 or 3DMark Vantage.

3DMark 11 Basic Edition is free to use and allows an unlimited number of benchmark runs without registration or expiry. And now, except English, 3DMark 11 supports German, simplified/traditional Chinese & Finnish.

• Download @ http://www.3dmark.com/

Elephants Dream In 3D

Elephants Dream is the world’s first open source movie, originally released in 2006, it was made almost completely using the free and open source 3D graphics software - Blender.

It's a story about two main characters are on a journey in the folds of a giant Machine, exploring the twisted and dark complex of wires, gears and cogs. Until one moment a conflict arises that throws out all their assumptions. This movie short couples lively fun with passionate characters in an epic story line.

Here is the 3D version I found at YouTube. You could watch and download the 2D version from my previous post <Another Two Open Source Films By Blender Foundation>.

Amazing 3D Pencil Sketch by Fredo

Fredo, a young Chilean painter, his drawings are really awesome. Here is a collection of pencil sketch work. Each one is astonishing and just like a 3D three-dimensional painting.

Sintel - Blender Foundation's Latest Free And Open Source Film

Blender is an open source, cross platform 3D creation suite, just like 3ds Max and Maya, the two most obvious and popular packages but blender is a freeware. "Sintel" is an independently produced short film, initiated by the Blender Foundation as a means to further improve and validate this 3D creation suite.

Sintel means a dragon land in this short animation. It is a fantastic epic movie, a story that tells about a gril and a dragon. Below is several screenshots.

Nexuiz - a free opensource FPS game

Nexuiz is a fast paced 3d deathmatch game(FPS). It's open-source, you can play it on windows, linux and mac freely.

Nexuiz is primarily multiplayer (though it includes a full single-player campaign, which allows one to play through the various multiplayer game types and maps with bots), and allows for hosting and joining of games. It can also support new gametypes, or whole conversions quickly applied to it (much like Quake). Nexuiz supports most Quake modifications (although with varying functionality). Currently there are a few custom mods and maps used.（via wikipedia）

The latest version is 2.5.2, it includes 33 official maps(of course, you can download hundreds of community created maps), you can play many mods with bots or join a online game easily.
Nexuiz has a very active development team, and it's very open, you can contact them by email, or their IRC channel #alientrap on irc.anynet.org, if you would like to help with development. New release can be seen every year, and you can see many new Features like maps, weapons, etc.