Thread: 3rd party libraries instead of OGL & DX

From http://www.spacejack.org/games/mingw/mingw-dx.html:

I should first point out to beginner game developers that it is entirely possible to avoid using DirectX at all by using SDL (Simple DirectMedia Layer) for all your graphics, sound, input, timing, etc., and it integrates well with OpenGL for 3D graphics (it actually uses DirectX for 2D graphics, sounds, and so on) -- with the added benefit of being cross-platform. So unless you need or want to work with the DirectX API directly for some specific reason, this is a good solution that offers portability to a number of other platforms and a rabid following of both pro and amateur game developers. If you're just starting out and not sure, I would recommend looking into it before getting into DirectX.

That was the kind of material I read that made me use the SDL. The SDL was recommended by Salem, in fact. What do you have against it?

I never had a problem in learning to use and setting up SDL. Perhaps it is the fact that many people who don't know the language/IDE/compilers very well hear SDL is easier to learn than OpenGL or DirectX so they go for it first.

I learned SDL because people said it was a good starting point if I wanted to get into graphics of any sort. I played with it and found my creativity lacking for video game development.


I veer OT here: Though I do have a scripting engine in the works. But that is part of me wanting to be a game programmer and not being cut out for it. It will be FOSS as soon as I A. Make it work better and B. Give it a name.

I've never had any problems settings up 3rd part libraries.

I've had problems using them, but setting them up? A cripple "my little pony" doll could install SDL.

Most people actually have some trouble setting up the SDL; or at least a lot of threads are on that subject.

But if you have the SDL already installed, what's wrong with it?

Originally Posted by lilhawk2892

i mean all tutorials deal with 3d where is the 2d stuff.if i can make a game in just opengl(c++) as easily and as good as in sdl(c++) id easily switch...

2D in OpenGL is as simple as using orthographic projection, and using 2D funcions instead of 3D functions. glVertex2f() instead of glVertex3f(), for example.

Afraid is the wrong word. It is a layer of abstraction so I do not have to understand all of the underlying concepts at once. Now that I have played with SDL... I have done (very) basic things in OpenGL without too much trouble, since it taught me some of the concepts so I did not have to dive in all at once.