Ok so here''s the deal. I wanna explore OpenGL. My book said that there''s different ''libraries'' that I can use to make OpenGL more simple and more to the point depending on what type of project Im doing. Which ones so I look into to make a pong game? --------------------------- let your presence be felt ---------------------------

Use DirectX 7. It''s much better for it.

Kneelz.

you''re book is probably referring to "glut". it''s available from "www.sgi.com". 2D is fairly easy in OpenGL as long as you understand the concept of "ortho" matrix. 2D is 3D w/o "z". but, if you want to follow "kneelz" advice, go ahead.

To the vast majority of mankind, nothing is more agreeable than to escape the need for mental exertion... To most people, nothing is more troublesome than the effort of thinking.

DirectX 7? There''s no way thats as easy as openGL for someone first starting out. Maybe DirectX8, but thats not what this person was asking.

The libraries you were probably reading about were glu and glut. Those are the most popular ones.

Creating Pong in OpenGL really doesn''t require extra libraries.

You create quads and add textures to them.

But I reccommend you use SDL (it works well with OpenGL) if you are making a 2D game. SDL simplifies 2D (even more than DirectDraw), and my Pong game in SDL is about 1/3 to 1/4 shorter (and better) than my OpenGL Pong clone.

You can find links to SDL help in my profile signature; you should first check out the articles at GameDev.net (theres a link in my signature) and then Cone3D.

Good luck!

------------------------------
Simple DirectMedia Layer:

Main Site - (www.libsdl.org)
Cone3D Tutorials- (cone3D.gamedev.net)
GameDev.net''s Tutorials - (Here)

OpenGL:

Main Site - (www.opengl.org)
NeHe Tutorials - (nehe.gamedev.net)
Online Books - (Red Book) (Blue Book)

If you want to learn openGL, I highly recommend "OpenGL Game Programming" by Kevin Hawkins and Dave Astle. Im just about to finish this book and it has been great. I have learnt a lot and have gone from no knowledge of OpenGL to being able to comfortably program using the API.

Oh Well Just My 2 Cents,
Crash,



"We Must Move Forwards NOT Backwards, Sideways NOT Forwards And Always Twirling Twirling Towards Success." - 2000

"If You Keep Looking Forward Your Gonna End Up Looking Backwards At Yourself Running Sideways!" - 2001

Whats the difference between GLU and GLUT? Oh and Kneelz I was trying to stay away from DirectX...the docs with it are hard. The book I''m getting is for DX6 and I dont want to ''relearn'' everything when I try to make DX8 apps. I want to explore OpenGL making 2D apps, then move on to 3D.



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let your presence be felt
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I don''t know exactly what GLU is for, but GLUT is the Utilities Toolkit, which basically provides some things that OpenGL by itself won''t provide, such as spheres as a basic object. As I understand it, it just uses OpenGL commands to do these things, but they are fast and they are a lot easier than doing the coding yourself.

GLU != GLUT

GLUT is the (Open) Graphics Library Utility Toolkit, authored by Mark Kilgard. It basically wraps the function of OGL to a bunch of operating systems. It''s not exactly ideal for game programming, where you''ll need more power than it affords.

GLU (not sure what it stands for. could just be GL Utilities) is a header/lib(?)/dll set which contains a set of functions to simplfy certain operations such as settting the frustrum and generating mipmaps. It''s a nice lil'' library.

Hope that clarifies. If anyone has any additions, or corrections, feel free to express them. It''s been a month or so since I did any real OGL coding.

Later,
ZE.

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quote: Original post by GBGames
GLUT is the Utilities Toolkit, which basically provides some things that OpenGL by itself won''t provide, such as spheres as a basic object.

I''m not sure about that. I think you might be referring partially to the glaux lib, with functions like auxSolidSphere. Once again, I could be completely wrong. I''ll look it up.

Later,
ZE.



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