I been using DirectX for my gameing needs, but I here that everyone is crazy about OpenGL. Where would I go to learn OpenGL? If I already know DirectX, would OpenGL be almost similar, or is it tottaly different? I need to know some pros/cons so i know what to make games in. I''ve heard of OpenGL, but never really seen any implementation or anything. I''ve been wanting to know for months!

Maybe try

www.opengl.org

or nehe.gamedev.net (The best opengl site IMO)

As far I know, it is quite different from D3D. OpenGL uses a right hand coordinate, while D3D is left handed.

Try this post

http://www.gamedev.net/community/forums/topic.asp?topic_id=10828&forum_id=27&Topic_Title=Directx+or+Opengl+%3F%3F%3F%3F%3F&forum_title=NeHe+Productions&M=False&S=True

Mike

If you really understand the concepts behind 3D programming, you should have no trouble switching from Direct3D to OpenGL.

OpenGL used to be much easier to use...However, since DX7, I personally don''t feel that''s true anymore. Microsoft has fixed DX7 a lot since DX3... Its kind of a shame they didn''t use OpenGL as the 3D API for DirectX to begin with, since most of their changes have been influenced by features OpenGL has had since the start.

So, in terms of features or ease-of-use, its about a draw. OpenGL is platform-portable, a big plus for me...Maybe not for you...depends upon what you want to accomplish.

Direct3D, because its one piece of a bigger API, has support for some nice features that OpenGL doesn''t (like DirectDraw/Direct3D integration, for mixing 2D/3D graphics, rendering to surfaces/textures, etc). You can do these types of things in OpenGL, but generally the result is slower and far more complex code-wise than the DirectDraw/D3D solution).

I use OpenGL currently solely because it is insanely cross-platform and D3D locks you into the smaller world of Windows/Dreamcast-CE/X-Box.

If you don''t care one way or the other about portability, I''d suggest you stick with DirectX/D3D.

Well, if you use Direct3D7, in my opinion it rocks. Check out the demo on my web site to see D3D in action, although it has been known to not be portable.

altair
altair734@yahoo.com
biggins.mit.edu/altair734

I think OpenGL is much better.
We are currently working an a 3d shooter and we are using OpenGL, because it''s very fast and it does not depend on the platform.
DirectX applications run only on Win9x, but OpenGL applications run on WinNT, Linux etc. (well, WinNT supports DirectX up to version 3.0)



Charlie McSow /Paradigm Game Design
www.rarebyte.de.st

i dunno, open gl is much easier to use. i've been trying to get a direct 3d app up and running for quite a long time. ( i was trying to load in direct x mesh files into a full screen application ) and it never worked. if someone can offer me insight into this, i'd use direct x, cuz direct draw is so way cool.

a2k

oh, and you can pretty much learn open gl in a weekend.

Edited by - a2k on 4/7/00 5:11:30 PM