What made you choose Open GL over other API''s? I am to the point to where Im gonna learn an API and I''m just looking to increase my knowledge of whats out there before I crack a book, learn some part, and then realize it''s not capable of accomplishing what Im trying to achieve. "There is humor in everything depending on which prespective you look from."

Both D3D and OpenGL are very capable APIs, able to do pretty much anything you want them to do.

However, I chose OpenGL because it looked like the API that fit my style more. I was fed up with DirectX''s making you define all this structure crap and then set various flags and OGL''s state switching seemed much more intuitive to me.

APIs are a matter of choice, however I believe it is also alot easier to learn OGL because of NeHe''s site. He has put together a great learning site, and it is quite possible to learn OGL from here without even needing a book.

Hope that helps.

-Hyren


"Back to the code mines... ka-chink... ka-chink..."

Thank you that was exactly the kind of reply I was looking for... if anyone else can add anything it would be appreciated. I have looked through NeHe''s tutorials and I''m pretty impressed. That was the basis of this post because it seemed like Open GL was able to fit my needs but I didnt want to be closed minded about it.

"There is humor in everything depending on which prespective you look from."

fast, easy, logic, free (it doesn''t restrain innovation and hardware design), cross platform, proven, stable, coming from a well known successfull 3D firm (SGI), and last used in Quake II.


I started Direct3D6, moved to D3D7, learned more about 3d hardware, logic, maths(well not that much about maths, I already knew most of it), and looked at OpenGL.

The tutorials looked good, but they were not enough to make OpenGL my choice, having bought and read the red book, I understood how well designed it was, and why it was used by top level developers (not only in games).

I switched to OpenGL to never come back to D3D, I''ve overlooked D3D8 (well it''s not D3D anymore) but it''s still not as good as OpenGL.

Design is not only how well the functions are named, how well it was thought, it''s also how well it has been thought to ''glue'' to the hardware, even if the hardware is evolving fast, and is evolving in a different way (Tile based renderers, ...)

Since that time I changed OS and I''m now using the BeOS.
I don''t like windows and M$, I meet several ''old'' engineers who told me about the DOS, MS politic... since years ago, and I would defintely not support MS bye releasing a software only available for their OS.

This is one more reason (an ethical reason) for me to support and use OpenGL, but this is not the original reason that made me like and use it.

It''s just my story.

-* So many things to do, so little time to spend. *-

I chose it because (1) there''s no reason not to, (2) it is cross platform compatible, and (3) it is more easily supported by Non-MSVC compilers (that came out weird, but I used to use Borland, so you know what I mean).

That''s not to say DX isn''t a decent API, I just wanted to tell you why I chose OpenGL.


http://druidgames.cjb.net/

Hi,
I chose OpenGL because it was part of my final project for my degree. Part of this project has been to compare different graphics APIs. So far ive found that OpenGL is generally considered as capable as Direct3D and easier to get to understand. Although Gamedev.net recently published an article (can''t remember the url, sorry) about how DirectX 8 has made Direct3D much easier to learn and implement.
I''d say that OpenGL is a good, clean API to learn, especially with Nehe''s site giving you a head start, plus, the OpenGL community is very willing to help a programmer in need, I can''t comment on the DirectX community as I have no experience of it.
There are loads of other graphics APIs out there, but OpenGL is probably the best, with Direct3D coming a close second. Another good thing about OpenGL is that it is controlled by the OpenGL ARB (consisting of representatives from the major industry players), not a single big gready monopolising corporation. Plus, I''ve heard that with each DirectX update, Microsoft changes things too much (probably with good reason) which makes learning the API more difficult.
Ive rambled too much now... cya

That''s a great Topic to talk about. I''m as well in the same situation, but I decided to choose D3D (actually). To be honest, I''m only going to develop Games for the Microsoft-OS. First the SDK of MS is,at least in my opinion, good and the VC-Compiler is very good. That''s why i''d choosen VC/DX8. I tried OpenGL and though i think it''s the better API, it''s not specially designed (o Lord, i''d never thought i would say this) for Windows-Games. There a lot of things easier to manage by DX8 such as displaying text (ok, there''s a NeHe tutorial on that topic),managing bitmaps,input,networking, etc. But that''s everyone''s own decision.

I m at the same point, attempting to decide betweed DirectX / OpenGL. I am leaning towards OpenGL due to the may comments on how it is easier than DirectX. I will almost certainly only program for windows, and use VC++, but for someone like myself with relatively little experience, openGL seems to be more appealing.

Paul

I picked OpenGL, because at the time that I started, only DirectX 3 was out, so no D3D. And D3D''s code is 5x larger than OpenGL, and OpenGL is a hella lot easier to use.

I decided to use ogl for many reasons. First off, it was the first api I saw. Not a good reason, but I was 11. I was at a friends house and he showed me a pure ogl code ship he made (he has also just started out). I was amazed (been using vb before that). Then I went home and had a ship made in under an hour. Well, any API that can be understood so quickly deserves a medal, really! Then I looked around at other APIs. I saw direct3d, ick. For one line of ogl code (glVertex3f), there are three in direct3d. It is also the most poorly put togeather api I have ever seen. Ogl has been fixed up to the point where it is as understandable and user friendly as an API can get. Sorry ''bout the long post, but there you go.

-Alex