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Posted By	Discussion Topic: DirectX or OpenGL?
CrackSweat	posted on 04-06-2001 @ 1:32 PM
Psychopath Registered: Oct. 00	This may sound dumb, but what is the difference between directx and openGL, which is better, and how do you know which you should use for your PC game? This message was edited by CrackSweat on 4-6-01 @ 1:57 PM
The Brain He's good at teh rhyming questions	posted on 04-06-2001 @ 1:36 PM
O&A Board Regular Registered: Feb. 01	Most video cards are made compatible for both Direct X (and Direct3D) and OpenGL, but as a general rule of thumb most game makers design their programs more favorably toward Direct X. Whenever you purchase a game, check the Required/Recommended System Specs. Also (if your video card supports both), just make sure you have the latest drivers (Direct X is up to version 8), and you should be covered either way. "ARE YOU PONDERING WHAT I'M PONDERING?"
CrackSweat	posted on 04-06-2001 @ 1:57 PM
Psychopath Registered: Oct. 00	Thanks Brain!! I have the ATI Radeon 64, supports both, just didn't know which to use.
adolescentmasturbator	posted on 04-06-2001 @ 3:57 PM
O&A Board Regular Registered: Jan. 01	Back in the dark dark days of of five years ago developers were still making games for DOS and in an effort to entice developers to use Windows for games Microsoft created DirectX which was an interface that allowed them to create games more easily. OpenGL was created to create something better than DirectX. DirectX is windows only where OpenGL is works on Mac, Linux, and Windows. Also, OpenGL is open-source so the source code is made available to everyone. This allows it to become better sooner. It doesn't really matter in your gaming decision usually a game has a preferred solution and will use that. E-Mail Me Head its just not for breakfast anymore This message was edited by adolescentmasturbator on 4-6-01 @ 4:01 PM
FoundryMusicJeff	posted on 04-06-2001 @ 4:44 PM
O&A Board Regular Registered: Jan. 01	From whatis.com DirectX is an application program interface (application program interface) for creating and managing graphic images and multimedia effects in application such as games or active Web pages that will run in Microsoft's Windows 95 operating system. (Such an application program might be written in C++, or Visual C/C++, or Java.) The capability to "play" DirectX applications comes as an integrated part of Microsoft's Internet Explorer 4.0 Web browser. (A 3-D player is optionally downloadable.) The DirectX Software Development Kit (SDK) includes tools that let a developer create or integrate graphic images, overlays, sprite, and other game elements, including sound. There is also a Driver Development Kit (DDK) that lets developers create driver for display, audio, and other I/O devices. DirectX is part of Microsoft's larger vision of an object-oriented programming development environment. For example, a sprite is created as an instance of a sprite class. Developers can also take advantage of Microsoft's set of prepackaged routines or small programs that are part of the Microsoft Foundation Class (Microsoft Foundation Class Library). DirectX is designed so that some functions can be performed on a graphics accelerator card, freeing the microprocessor for other work. The accelerator manufacturer provides a driver especially for DirectX. DirectX consists of five components: DirectDraw, an interface that lets you define two-dimensional images, specify textures, and manage double buffers (a technique for changing images) Direct3D, an interface for creating three-dimensional images DirectSound, an interface for integrating and coordinating sound with the images DirectPlay, a plug-in for end users, is also used by developers to test their application DirectInput, an interface for input from I/O devices OpenGL (Open Graphics Library) is the computer industry's standard application program interface (application program interface) for defining 2-D and 3-D graphic images. Prior to OpenGL, any company developing a graphical application typically had to rewrite the graphics part of it for each operating system platform and had to be cognizant of the graphics hardware as well. With OpenGL, an application can create the same effects in any operating system using any OpenGL-adhering graphics adapter. OpenGL specifies a set of "commands" or immediately executed functions. Each command directs a drawing action or causes special effects. A list of these commands can be created for repetitive effects. OpenGL is independent of the windowing characteristics of each operating system, but provides special "glue" routines for each operating system that enable OpenGL to work in that system's windowing environment. OpenGL comes with a large number of built-in capabilities requestable through the API. These include hidden surface removal, alpha blending (transparency), antialiasing, texture mapping, pixel operations, viewing and modeling transformations, and atmospheric effects (fog, smoke, and haze). Silicon Graphics, makers of advanced graphics workstation, initiated the development of OpenGL. Other companies on the industry-wide Architecture Review Board include DEC, Intel, IBM, Microsoft, and Sun Microsystems. There is no cost (other than learning) to developing an application using the OpenGL API. Microsoft offers free downloads of the OpenGL libraries for its Windows 95 and NT systems. Although OpenGL is not itself a development "toolkit," such toolkits are available, including Silicon Graphics object-oriented programming 3D graphics toolkit, Open Inventor. "OpenGL" is also the text on a screen saver that comes installed with Windows 95. Select Start->Settings->Control Panel->Display->Screen Saver->3D Text. I develop hard to navigate websites.
The Brain He's good at teh rhyming questions	posted on 04-07-2001 @ 3:32 AM
O&A Board Regular Registered: Feb. 01	Jeff, I humbly bow to your superior fact-finding skills... but he just wanted to know if his games will work effectively under one or both of these driver systems... yeeesh. :-) "ARE YOU PONDERING WHAT I'M PONDERING?"
Disturbed G.O.O.F.B.A.H.G.S. Pac Man Power Pill Gunner	posted on 04-07-2001 @ 11:13 AM
Psychopath Registered: Sep. 00	From my personal experience I prefer OpenGL. Ive had lots of problems with DirectX and its AntiAnalising support. OpenGL has also been faster for me. So in my opinion I think OpenGL is alot better if your using a card that supports it. You always wanted people to remember you. To leave your little mark on society. Don't you know your wish is coming true today. Another victim dies tonight.
CrackSweat	posted on 04-10-2001 @ 6:59 AM
Psychopath Registered: Oct. 00	Thanks Everyone. You can never learn to much, reading all your posts made me sound smarter at the lunch table in work..Thanks again "Pretend there's a sig pic"
Sparkey	posted on 04-10-2001 @ 2:39 PM
Hanger-On Registered: Jan. 01	What I've heard from programmers is that OpenGL is more powerful and efficient, but Direct3D is much easier to program, giving almost-as-good results. *shrug*

Displaying 1-9 of 9 messages in this thread.