DirectX Particles?

[Stan100]

Without using bitmaps, can dx do particles. I say this with reference to GameTutorials' tutorial on OpenGL particles. REAL LOOKING PARTICLES! Not bitmaps, or nice looking pixel arrangements, but something professional looking.

Which leads me to another question: How come there are so little DX tutorials, but OpenGL has some many. Is OGL really THAT much easier?:confused:

[St0rmTroop3er]

You can do particles with DX. I"m not sure how... yet.

There a few tuts online. I suggest getting a book if you want to learn Direct X.



~Trooper

[confuted]

Yeah, sure. Just do small triangles (or quads) with a material property set specifying color.

The DX SDK comes with documentation which is fairly good, and there are a couple good tutorials online. OpenGL is older and such, so there is more amature documentation. Check out the Two Kings DX tutorials, though; they're good. Steer clear of NeXe. Check the links in the sticky.

[MrWizard]

Try looking up:

The ID3DXSprite Interface

and

Point Sprites

This all depends on what version of DX you are using to. Make sure you check hardware capabilities for point sprites.

[Stan100]

so I'm assuming this is in all d3d.

I'm not too good in dx right now. (i'm in dx, and I'm making a 2d scroller)

sry for the bad typing, but I have to get off b4 the teacher sees me not doing the "project". (a stupid word doc on T.S. Eliot)

[confuted]

Are you using the old DirectDraw interface, or is D3D stuff okay?

[Bubba]

If you are doing a 2D scroller the having Direct3D texture quads for you would be ideal. Check out www.gamedev.net in their Articles and Resources->Isometric/Tile Based Games->Using Direct3D to Render 2D tiles.

Point sprites really could not be used with this method since you are telling Direct3D that your vertex has already been transformed. None of the lighting functions will work either - you must manually create the lighting using the rhw coefficients, etc. Really everything boils down to being a textured quad thats always facing the viewer - cuz if they don't they look very ugly. They are not billboards per se in the fact that they do not need to be rotated to face the viewer, but they are based on the same principle.

Mess around with gamedev's code for a bit and you will see what I mean. If you have problems with it I have a fully functional small tile engine (just needs tiles) that will illustrate what I'm trying to say.
Still working on the lighting portion of the engine.

[HybridM]

Start -> programs -> DirectX -> Sample browser -> C++/D3D/Samples scroll down to point sprites.

[Stan100]

I'm saving this post on my computer for future reference. Sadly, though, I'm using the old Dx interface. When I'm done this game, should I move onto d3d or d3d 2-d style?

[St0rmTroop3er]

in DX 8.0+ its Direct Graphix, both Dx3d and dx draw are combined in 1.8+.



~Trooper

I have DX9.0 SDK if you need it.

[confuted]

The DX SDK is free from Microsoft... why would he need to get it from you?