Well you cannot use SDL in itself for 3D. It is a 2D library with additioanl featues. However, you can use OpenGL through the SDL library, which only gives you advantages. Take a look at the link in my profile, "SDL vs GLFW" for some additional knowledge. After you read that, if you choose to, you will see how great SDL can be for 3D games [smile]. I am between using SDL or GLFW right now for our game. It's going to be an advanced 3D one as well. Take a look at this thread as well. Hope this helps.

- Drew

PS Allegro is the same. You will have to get AllegroGL to get 3D functionality. I'd say go w/ SDL or something like GLFW, but that's my opinion on the matter. Some like Allegro a lot, but I do not know...So to answer your question, if you use the right features, SDL is not slow at all for 3D [wink].

Or you can make it like a everyone else, and like john carmack ;)
Create your ogl window (depending on the os), get your input to work by yourseft (depending on the os) and do all the stuff by yourseft. Stuff like SDL, Glut, are stuff used in university (its like that in montreal) to LEARN 3d without botter with input and context (probably its your case?). But thats not really professional and you are limited to your SDL API for input, window control, etc...

Me:
I'm using Win32 API for creating my context
Win32 API for mouse input, keyboard input, joystick input
FMod for 3D sound rendering
OpenGL for graphic API
and using winsock2 for network programming.

With that, you have better control on everything, and probably you have more chance to become a "core coder".

Thats my opinion :P

(but these are not really portable to mac or linux.. exept for fmod)
SDL is portable.
And unreal tournament 2004 is using SDL, so, in conclusion, its not a bad thing.


(sorry for my english, from montreal, "the city on game programming :)")

Quote:Original post by Daivuk
Me:
I'm using Win32 API for creating my context
Win32 API for mouse input, keyboard input, joystick input
FMod for 3D sound rendering
OpenGL for graphic API
and using winsock2 for network programming.

With that, you have better control on everything, and probably you have more chance to become a "core coder".

Me:
I'm using a customised Ogre3D build for rendering, window creation and input processing.
My own cross-platform sound library.
Some cross-platform lib for networking.

Does that imply you > me?
My opinion: Why care about window and context creation if it just boils down to coding the n*Π variant of basically the same code. This has little to do with control or efficiency - it's only a huge waste of time.

Just my .02€
Pat.

Quote:Original post by neXius
Ahhh ok

The fact that a professional game like UT 2004 is using it is pretty reassuring.
I was worried that it was akin to glut ( ie. used in uni type stuff but nothing really professional )

Thanks for clearing that up

Well just to clarify, they use SDL on non-Win32 systems, but none the less, it still is a great sign [smile]. Here's my reference. Good luck with your project!

- Drew

Quote:Original post by Daivuk
Or you can make it like a everyone else, and like john carmack ;)
Create your ogl window (depending on the os), get your input to work by yourseft (depending on the os) and do all the stuff by yourseft. Stuff like SDL, Glut, are stuff used in university (its like that in montreal) to LEARN 3d without botter with input and context (probably its your case?). But thats not really professional and you are limited to your SDL API for input, window control, etc...

Me:
I'm using Win32 API for creating my context
Win32 API for mouse input, keyboard input, joystick input
FMod for 3D sound rendering
OpenGL for graphic API
and using winsock2 for network programming.

With that, you have better control on everything, and probably you have more chance to become a "core coder".

Thats my opinion :P

(but these are not really portable to mac or linux.. exept for fmod)
SDL is portable.
And unreal tournament 2004 is using SDL, so, in conclusion, its not a bad thing.


(sorry for my english, from montreal, "the city on game programming :)")

How are you a 'core coder' if you use opengl? Why not code your own renderer and sound systems etc... ? If you like reinventing the wheel fine, and if you like to fiddle around with the winapi and tell people your leet fine. Meanwhile we'll all use all the helper libs we can and leave you in the dust ;P

SDL was created to port Quake to Linux. It's been a commercial level product since day one.