I've been doing non-game stuff for the last several years and just now got a contract job for some basic stuff using the new technology, WOW how things have changed.. I can do low-level graphics (I remember the good old days doing my own rasterization in DOS) and I'm fine with anything C++ with standard OpenGL, the new project I'm working on is using C# with DX, I'm in ramp-up mode right now.. The C# stuff is easy enough, DX looks a bit better than I remember it, it's a whole different world than it used to be though.. In browsing the forums I've noticed that lots of the topics are related to specific "how-to" questions using this or that system, in the old days it was all about finding neat solutions to doing it yourself.. It's times like this that I miss mode 13h and how exciting that used to be..

Quote: Original post by monkeyman

I can do low-level graphics (I remember the good old days doing my own rasterization in DOS) and I'm fine with anything C++ with standard OpenGL, the new project I'm working on is using C# with DX, I'm in ramp-up mode right now..

If you want another shock: Unreal engine is free. No need to mess with custom 3D engines anymore.

Quote: Original post by Antheus
No need to mess with custom 3D engines anymore.

Everything works automagically now, I remember working on a software D3D driver for Trident in 2000 (they made graphics cards) and I was considered "cool" because I knew how to get specular highlights the "old-fashioned" way..

I feel like a dinosaur, I'm glad to be getting up to date with stuff..it's amazing there are kids working with 3d that weren't even BORN when Wolfenstein came out..

It is truly amazing how quickly technology moves these days.

A funny thing that I find is happening is that people, not just kids but adults, say a LONG TIME AGO when they mean last year or something.

We're fortunate for that I suppose! You gotta love technology :)

Quote: Original post by jrjellybean
A funny thing that I find is happening is that people, not just kids but adults, say a LONG TIME AGO when they mean last year or something.

Also, I've noticed drunk people tend to say "thing is... <insert thing>" a lot. Probably unrelated.

And also also, I remember I used to say "in the old days" when I was about 12ish. Which was kinda weird in retrospect (which I had when I was around 15).

Seriously, though - when did they release Unreal Engine? I remember reading something about bypassing some engine limitations for an enhanced renderer for UT not much more than a year or two ago.