Which API to learn first?
Author
Okay, What should I learn first (basically which is better)? Open GL or DirectX?
I know some very basic Direct X and I was wondering which has more power, easier to work with, etc. Eventually I want to know both. But lets say I want to write a good game within the year. Which is going to give me a better endproduct?
why not both?
you can make a game in both APIs bit by bit if you really want to learn DX and OGL. other than that flip a coin and go with the decision. it seems they both are on equal footing*.
*granted that by the gathered opinions of the more professional programmers here.
you can make a game in both APIs bit by bit if you really want to learn DX and OGL. other than that flip a coin and go with the decision. it seems they both are on equal footing*.
*granted that by the gathered opinions of the more professional programmers here.
They drive the same underlying hardware. The one that will allow you to write a better game is the one you are most familiar and comfortable with. Since you already know some of DX, you may as well use that.
Neither API is, from a technical standpoint of what you can and cannot do with it, generically better than the other. You can write a pretty game in both, or you can write an ugly game in both. That part is up to you, not the API.
EDIT: My comparison is specifically between OpenGL and Direct3D here, not OpenGL and the entirety of DirectX. DirectX includes components for audio and input processing, et cetera, that OpenGL doesn't offer; you'd have to use other external libraries for that if you elect to use OpenGL for your rendering.
Neither API is, from a technical standpoint of what you can and cannot do with it, generically better than the other. You can write a pretty game in both, or you can write an ugly game in both. That part is up to you, not the API.
EDIT: My comparison is specifically between OpenGL and Direct3D here, not OpenGL and the entirety of DirectX. DirectX includes components for audio and input processing, et cetera, that OpenGL doesn't offer; you'd have to use other external libraries for that if you elect to use OpenGL for your rendering.
Author
So basically they are completely the same? I mean, Direct X is annoying to start up, and I want to create a "Library" or whatever that simplifies it, but I don't have the skill.... Should I just plunge into the heavy code, or will "simpling" it be a better course of action?
This is about the most flamebait question you can ask on a game development forum, but here's a simple answer; if you're comfortable with C, go with OpenGL. If you're comfortable with C++, go with Direct X. If you want your app to be cross platform, go with Open GL. If you only are concerned with Windows, go with DirectX.
Both APIs are very powerful, both are reasonably easy to use if you have the basic mathematics down, and both can generate equally good end products (a lot of professional game companies will build their engines in such a way that the underlying API doesn't matter, and can be selected by the user). It's a preference and target audience call.
Both APIs are very powerful, both are reasonably easy to use if you have the basic mathematics down, and both can generate equally good end products (a lot of professional game companies will build their engines in such a way that the underlying API doesn't matter, and can be selected by the user). It's a preference and target audience call.
Quote:Original post by Plasmarobo
Should I just plunge into the heavy code, or will "simpling" it be a better course of action?
Software reuse is always good, so I would suggest you simplify it by writing helper classes. You can write an "App" class that initializes stuff, and use it in every project without having to create a window in every single program you write.
I have also found that this is a good way to learn graphics techniques. For example, when you learn texturing, you can add a Texture class to your library.
Author
Thanks, you all have given me something to shoot for... now to develop DirectX skills...... :)
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