Intel Adds Vulkan Transform Feedback For Aging Haswell Graphics

Due to DXVK recently beginning to require Vulkan Transform Feedback (VK_EXT_transform_feedback) for this Direct3D translation layer popular with Linux gamers, Intel open-source developers have gone back and now implemented transform feedback support in the Intel "ANV" driver for Haswell era "Gen 7" graphics.

While the Intel ANV Vulkan driver on Linux has always provided support going back to Haswell, in some areas it's been less than ideal due to stark hardware differences compared to Gen8 Broadwell graphics and newer. But with DXVK needing VK_EXT_transform_feedback now and the lack of that support regressing the experience for some still using Haswell graphics, Mesa 20.3 is adding the support.

Mesa 20.3 will be out around the start of December or otherwise gamers making use of Intel Gen7 graphics can avoid upgrading to/past DXVK 1.7.1 if wanting the D3D-to-Vulkan layer to continue working without resorting to Mesa Git. But at this stage you'd be better off upgrading to a newer CPU with much more capable graphics or even picking up a budget discrete GPU.

The Vulkan Transform Feedback implementation is designed to match the capabilities of OpenGL's transform feedback functionality. From the beginning the transform feedback extension was ushered along by developers in helping to make it easier to map other 3D APIs (like OpenGL and Direct3D) atop Vulkan. The transform feedback for Gen7/Haswell with the Intel ANV driver was committed on Monday.