I have since a while thought about creating a game where thinks do not move the usual way but use local interactions(like cellular automata)

or execute transformations on an image(like warping space ^^)

My problem is I do not accidentally want to do stuff on my PC that that the graphic card is doing anyway or save data that could actually remain in the ram.

My knowledge of the workings of a graphic card, which classes in c# or java access those or using a 3D engine or physics engine are pretty slim.

(I am actually not even sure i get the difference between a 3D engine and a physics engine).

So I need pointers where to look for information, maybe some explanation where engines help and where they limit such an procedural approach.

(What data do i get from the engines? What input can i give?)

A little bit of trivia about graphic card function and tips how to access them for procedural graphics would also be helpful.

Direct X API

OpenGl ApI

If you are new(ish) to programming, using these API may be very confusing .

Not entirely new to programming but inexperienced in incorporating outside programs .

(I actually got proper teaching once upon a time but have not used it much outside of

simple programs)

I have little knowledge or experience with C#, but if you know Java well, I'd look into JMonkeyEngine. It has available source (if you want to look at the code) or you can just use the engine. There's a great community there too, and tons of documentation :)

Rather than just those links it might be better to give short explanations what to expect from them.

My Problem is not so much finding such things but rather to decide which tool is appropriate to the task, as it might take me along time just to discover that a tool might

not be able or hard to perform my intentions.

thx in advance.