Thread: OpenGL vs DirectX

  1. #1
    Tha 1 Sick RAT
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Posts
    271

    OpenGL vs DirectX

    I'd like to take part in some small game programming project, Being very anti-microsoft at the moment I'd like it to be the OpenGL route but I wonder which is more powerful platform to work on DirectX or OpenGL?
    It'd be great If the ppl/person live in the UK or Europe and the rest of the world, but to be honest I do not care so long as the group/person is consistent.
    A hundred Elephants can knock down the walls of a fortress... One diseased rat can kill everyone inside

  2. #2

  3. #3
    Tha 1 Sick RAT
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Posts
    271
    Yes.. It's an invitation. I'd like to be very much involved in one as I'm a little stale in the art of programming now.. after a two year break!!
    A hundred Elephants can knock down the walls of a fortress... One diseased rat can kill everyone inside

  4. #4
    Software engineer
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    Oregon
    Posts
    283
    It's these anti-MS folks that make me want to use MS tools for the sake of not working with biased & shifting people based on stupid experiences with Microsoft. I would suggest DirectX simply because your platform provider suggests that you to do so. It has support, money being put into it, and last: full integration with the Windows environment. OpenGL has none of these, as far as I know, besides the Khronos Group watching over it. Anyway, both get the job done but you're pretty much on your own with OpenGL.
    Last edited by dxfoo; 09-30-2006 at 11:06 AM.

  5. #5
    Tha 1 Sick RAT
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Posts
    271
    Ok. I'm about to make my mind up as I'm off to purchase a few games programming book.
    I'm thinking OpenGL though as I'd like whatever I work on to be useable everywhere. Besides I read somewhere a while back that Epic develop their unreal engine with openGL. That true?
    A hundred Elephants can knock down the walls of a fortress... One diseased rat can kill everyone inside

  6. #6
    Software engineer
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    Oregon
    Posts
    283
    Yes, and so did DOOM III etc. But even those companies have been migrating to DirectX over the years. As I said, both get the job done, but with OpenGL you are your own support team. Not to mention, there are several third-party libraries that you will be using with OpenGL because it does not have any classes like loading in an image or model for you etc. Depending on the Khronos Group though, which just took over OpenGL from the ARB, we might see even further support and family-based APIs. They already have quite a ton at http://www.khronos.org. So, it's up to you. If you are doing game programming, there are way more books out there for DirectX.

    Don't get me wrong, I love OpenGL. I use it because it is quite standard for non-games, but if you're just using OpenGL just for games and reaching other platforms, there are pretty low book resources specifically just on games when they're more based/focused on graphics programming. Also, there is little money and need to reach other platforms. If you want to do just "games" (not CAD, scientific visualization, 3D modeling, virtual tourism, etc.), then use DirectX. It was meant specifically for games. The reason why OpenGL is so general is because it simply does more. For me, I like the flexibility around projects, not platforms. Enjoy whatever you decide! At the end, you'll be learning both anyway so I'll just end here.
    Last edited by dxfoo; 09-30-2006 at 04:02 PM.

  7. #7
    Tha 1 Sick RAT
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Posts
    271
    Kewl.. Thanks. I'll go the OpenGL route because it seems to me there are additional programming ethos within game programming that I need to learn and understand properly. Also I don't want to restrict myself to just game programming, but it's where I'd like to start.
    So anyone got a simple project they'd like help with? I have no ideas for any simple games at the moment and I'd also like to see what goes into a games project.
    A hundred Elephants can knock down the walls of a fortress... One diseased rat can kill everyone inside

  8. #8
    Registered User VirtualAce's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Posts
    9,607
    This debate is so old. Do a board search and you get lots of these threads.

    Use whatever you want.

  9. #9
    Software engineer
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    Oregon
    Posts
    283
    Quote Originally Posted by Bubba
    This debate is so old. Do a board search and you get lots of these threads.
    Oh, shut up. If the topic is considered old by a replier, one is not keeping the seeker up to date but just shoving him off to an old thread or article that is probably already out of date. Technology moves really fast, so it's wise to actually discuss topics such as these before the seeker starts in anything. You would compare tools before you pick one for the particular project. If you don't, you're a fool (you = someone in general). You would design a game and its technical requirements before beginning the project. You would compare tools as a beginner before finding one you're comfortable starting with, yes even by asking here with a needless "vs" when he's obviously wondering about the two and where they stand today.

    True, it gets old to "you" because "you" are here enough to see similar discussions, but the poster is probably new and doesn't, but even a post today about it is better up to date than last month's post. Someone who asks before doing is already very wise in my eyes, no matter how much the question is asked. Any article someone posts is bound to be already out of date as much as a book can be - yes, even Tricks. DirectX in these articles can discuss the great number of components it has, but several have become unsupported and moved/not recommended (DirectPlay, DirectShow, DirectDraw, etc.). OpenGL in articles/threads can say it is just graphics and controlled by the ARB, but now the Khronos Group owns it and has several family-based APIs for it. Even OpenGL has more supported official APIs than DirectX does now! (source: http://www.khronos.org) It use to not be that way. Shoving him to a article/thread is bound for misinformation in today's world. With these facts, sharing up-to-date information to the seeker is my recommendation rather than being blunt about it and share links starting from 2002, or by disregarding the poster's question in the first place. Keep the poster up to date if nothing else. Maybe then message boards would stop being so misinformative.
    Last edited by dxfoo; 10-01-2006 at 12:07 AM.

  10. #10
    Registered User VirtualAce's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Posts
    9,607
    It use to not be that way. Shoving him to a article/thread is bound for misinformation in today's world. With these facts, sharing up-to-date information to the seeker is my recommendation rather than being blunt about it and share links starting from 2002, or by disregarding the poster's question in the first place. Keep the poster up to date if nothing else. Maybe then message boards would stop being so misinformative.
    Well just when I thought everything was fine. My friend the only one I've seen time and time again giving misinformation is you. This question has been asked about 1 billion times here and nothing ever comes of it except a pointless debate. Both DX and GL are great. But that does not mean I magically know which one the OP should use.

    Do some research on your own OP. Then you decide. We live in an information age and information is a google away.

Popular pages Recent additions subscribe to a feed

Similar Threads

  1. Going from DirectX to OpenGL
    By Wraithan in forum Game Programming
    Replies: 19
    Last Post: 02-24-2006, 11:07 AM
  2. Allegro, OpenGL.. or even DirectX?
    By Zeusbwr in forum C++ Programming
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 11-14-2004, 08:16 AM
  3. Which is better: OpenGL or DirectX
    By Stan100 in forum Game Programming
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 05-09-2003, 04:43 PM
  4. OpenGL 2 or DirectX ?
    By alex6852 in forum A Brief History of Cprogramming.com
    Replies: 9
    Last Post: 01-02-2003, 02:31 PM
  5. So.. what's the difference between DirectX and OpenGL?
    By QuestionC in forum Game Programming
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 01-19-2002, 06:18 PM