yea well with dx you are addressing the hardware directly......well that was the intention

Although it's bloated now - I would like to see what it has to offer. The few effects I've seen have been duplicated already with the newest version of dx9. Such as in COD4 which of course I play for about 30 mins everyday.

I too believe that it's not worth it to goto vista just for a few bits of eye candy. If it were MASSIVE and alarming, then I would have to IFFFFFFF my system could do so without causing me heartburn.

This game isn't about the graphics really. It's about gameplay, community in game etc. I would like to eventually see some more lofty goals but I could probably live off of this game for years to come JUST for the fact that I can takeoff AND land on an aircraft carrier. Now THAT to me is cool!!! I'm a big fan of water maps and the added surprise of a carrier base suddenly being spotted off your main launch point.
For me, and I think everyone else if they think about it - it's about PERFORMANCE over eye candy. Fluid is key.