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title: VKD3D-Proton 3.1 Released With New Features Ahead Of Big...
description: VKD3D-Proton 3.1 is out, adding descriptor heap support via VK_EXT_descriptor_heap, though it's not enabled by default due to driver quality concerns. The...
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og:description: VKD3D-Proton 3.1 is out, adding descriptor heap support via VK_EXT_descriptor_heap, though it's not enabled by default due to driver quality concerns. The...
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# VKD3D-Proton 3.1 Released With New Features Ahead Of Big v3.2 Release

**[Phoronix](https://daily.dev/sources/phoronix)** · 1 min read · 0 upvotes · 0 comments

## Summary

VKD3D-Proton 3.1 is out, adding descriptor heap support via VK_EXT_descriptor_heap, though it's not enabled by default due to driver quality concerns. The release also adds KHR_opacity_micromap support for exposing DXR 1.2 when available, plus Shader Model 6.9 support. It brings more NVIDIA NVAPI intrinsics to the DXIL-SPIRV code, exposes AgilitySDK 619 features, and enables view instancing by default. Hans-Kristian Arntzen calls this the last stable release before a big change in version 3.2.

## Full article

daily.dev links to this article rather than hosting it. Read it at the original source: <https://www.phoronix.com/news/VKD3D-Proton-3.1>

## Questions this post answers

### What new features does VKD3D-Proton 3.1 add?

VKD3D-Proton 3.1 adds descriptor heap support through VK_EXT_descriptor_heap, though it is not enabled by default due to driver quality concerns. It also adds KHR_opacity_micromap support to expose DXR 1.2 where supported, Shader Model 6.9 support, more NVIDIA NVAPI intrinsics in the DXIL-SPIRV code, AgilitySDK 619 feature exposure, and view instancing enabled by default.

_Track vkd3d-proton releases on daily.dev before upgrading your Direct3D 12 on Linux setup._

### Why isn't descriptor heap support enabled by default in VKD3D-Proton 3.1?

Descriptor heap support via VK_EXT_descriptor_heap ships in VKD3D-Proton 3.1 but is not turned on by default because of driver quality concerns. It is included in the release for testing while the ecosystem matures before becoming a default feature.

_Developers weighing Vulkan extension readiness can follow driver maturity updates on daily.dev._

### Is VKD3D-Proton 3.2 going to be a major release?

Yes, developer Hans-Kristian Arntzen describes VKD3D-Proton 3.2 as bringing a ton of important changes, calling version 3.1 the last stable release before 'plunging into uncharted territory'. This signals significant architectural or feature shifts coming after 3.1.

_Keep up with vkd3d-proton's roadmap on daily.dev before planning your next Linux gaming stack update._

## Similar posts on daily.dev

- [VKD3D-Proton 3.0.1 Brings More Improvements For Direct3D 12 On Vulkan](https://daily.dev/posts/vkd3d-proton-3-0-1-brings-more-improvements-for-direct3d-12-on-vulkan-bft5rvht5) · Phoronix · 0 upvotes · 0 comments
- [DXVK 3.0 Released With DXBC-SPIRV For Shader Compilation, Descriptor Heaps By Default](https://daily.dev/posts/dxvk-3-0-released-with-dxbc-spirv-for-shader-compilation-descriptor-heaps-by-default-ts3ntd8im) · Phoronix · 0 upvotes · 0 comments
- [DXVK 3.1 Released With DXGI Incremental Presentation, D3D11 Buffer Render Targets](https://daily.dev/posts/dxvk-3-1-released-with-dxgi-incremental-presentation-d3d11-buffer-render-targets-k3fcuyw3e) · Phoronix · 0 upvotes · 0 comments

---

Tags: [#gaming](https://daily.dev/tags/gaming), [#vulkan](https://daily.dev/tags/vulkan)

[View this post on daily.dev](https://daily.dev/posts/vkd3d-proton-3-1-released-with-new-features-ahead-of-big-v3-2-release-9zwbxqoyd)

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