But i find the same amount in documentation on both. What did you started with ? And most developers in game bussiness use what ? I know that Square use DIrectX but in other hand Id use Opengl. Man this is hard thing !!!! please if u know help a newbie.

"The shortcut is not always the best way "

Metal Typhoon

I think GL is a little easier to start with if you are not familiar with COM and or OOP. You just need to understand how to make C API calls. With DX, you kind of need to at least understand what an interface is. I started teaching myself OpenGL awhile ago, and somewhere along the way got stalled. I recently picked up dx8, fell in love with it, and am using it for my current project. The folks at Microsoft have made things a lot easier, though it still is more complex than GL.


-andy

SirKnight,
I didnt say anything about John Carmack, i said id Software. Carmack is lead programmer and owner of id software, not the only programmer. No game is made by one person, thats not how this business works. Anyway its not a big deal if or if they dont switch. OpenGL being stronger for certain things.. we arent talking about video hardware, the strength of an api is determined solely by the strength of the programmer.

MetalTyphoon,
Most Game Businesses use Direct 3d, few use OpenGL. Some support OpenGL as well, for compatability issues.

Here is a couple of examples..

Games that use d3d primarily:
Thief
Thief 2
System Shock 2
Rainbow Six
Rogue spear
and many many more

Games that use opengl primarily:
GLQuake
Quake 2
Quake 3A
MDK (uses q3a engine)
and a couple of others

Games that use Glide primarily (all of the following support d3d as well, though made for glide):
Everquest
Unreal (uses unreal engine, supports ALL api's)
Unreal Tournament (uses unreal engine, supports ALL api's)
Rune (uses unreal engine, supports ALL api's)
Deus Ex (uses unreal engine, supports ALL api's)

As for what I started with, i dont remember. I learned both OpenGL and D3D simultaneously (well, as close to simultaneous as a human can be.) Which do i use now? Direct3d mostly. Its more convenient to not have to switch between 2 api's while programming, because i use DInput, Dsound, ect. for the other aspects of game programming.

What i suggest for you is to go to Barnes and Noble, head to the programming section, and pick out a bunch of D3D/DirectX and opengl books, flip through them, look at the pictures and code, read a little bit, and find out which one you like better (and if need be pick up a cup of coffee and read through a couple of chapters of the books). Most people here treat this business as a religion, rather then what it is, and thats where flames come from and the whole "OpenGL is better! No, D3d is better!". ANYTHING you can do in either API you can do in the other one with the same speed/efficiency aslong as you program right. Neither is more powerful then the other.

theres my 2 cents.

Edited by - BenHanson on June 26, 2001 8:15:54 PM

Oh my... I decided that i''ll start with DirectX/Direct3D for games then i''ll learn OpenGL. And am i chosing the right IDE ? Vc++ ? or boland is better ?

"The shortcut is not always the best way "

Metal Typhoon

Plain and simple VC++

Not even borland c++ builder 5 can bet vc++ ?

"The shortcut is not always the best way "

Metal Typhoon

VC++ definitally =)

Ok, i guess i''ll have to use Vc++.

"The shortcut is not always the best way "

Metal Typhoon

Looking at DirectX8 (specially it''s Direct Graphics), it looks a lot more like OpenGL now. So I think both DX and OGL are getting similar. I never know DX Programming before DX8, and I''ve been learning OGL because its easier (and playable with my Delphi).

So Don''t be afraid those two things are getting close to similar now. Just click the Direct3D ports Link at NeHe and learn both codes (the D3D and OGL codes simultaneously), you''ll know what I mean. (or Its because my OGL background)

I s DX harder than OpenGL to learn?
Thanks,


=[CodieDAO]=