OpenGl or DirectX?
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Whats the differences between OpenGl and DirectX cause I'm going through books to buy and I was wondering which would be more beneficial for me to learn?
OpenGL is more cross-platform
DirectX has very good documentation
OpenGL is easier to use in C
DirectX includes DirectInput, DirectSound, Direct3D
The DirectX SDK is big, but it comes with documentation, samples, tools
DirectX makes use of more advanced concepts like COM, double pointers
DirectX has very good documentation
OpenGL is easier to use in C
DirectX includes DirectInput, DirectSound, Direct3D
The DirectX SDK is big, but it comes with documentation, samples, tools
DirectX makes use of more advanced concepts like COM, double pointers
Quote:Original post by Boder
DirectX has very good documentation
OpenGL has alot of documentation, too. Mabye not as good, though, but still very good.
You'll probably want DirectX if you're only using Windows and aren't planning on switching to anything else anytime soon. Use OpenGL if you want it cross-platform. That is, excluding the fact that OpenGL is *only* graphics, the largest difference between them.
Quote:Original post by superjawsWithout more context it's difficult for you or anyone else to answer this question.
Whats the differences between OpenGl and DirectX cause I'm going through books to buy and I was wondering which would be more beneficial for me to learn?
What sort of projects do you want to work on? Purely games, (scientific) visualisation, general graphics?
Is it for your own personal amusement, or do you want to (eventually) sell any games you make?
Which of MS Windows, Linux or MacOS your "home" Operating System?
[flaming] Purely opinion of course, but I recently read a few comments (connected to that flame-fest around Vista and OpenGL) stating that Direct3D had won the "gaming" arena but OpenGL was still the king in the CAD/Modelling/Art/Scientific community. YMMV.
Jack
Quote:Original post by Boder
OpenGL is more cross-platform
DirectX has very good documentation
OpenGL is easier to use in C
DirectX includes DirectInput, DirectSound, Direct3D
The DirectX SDK is big, but it comes with documentation, samples, tools
DirectX makes use of more advanced concepts like COM, double pointers
In another words, DirectX is as professional as you're going to get. In the business, I'd expect you to know both at the end, but the games on the market seems to suggest that DirectX is the better way to go for starters. Only those without a job right now would suggest otherwise.
Start out with OpenGL (it's easier to get off the ground), but you should eventually learn both.
I'd have to agree with tha' Foo. I found OpenGL a lot easier to learn than DirectX. And you will want to eventually learn them both. But, if you use one to learn the techniques and how to structure your applications, learning the other one is a matter of figuring out what functions/classes match up as well as the syntax of those functions/classes.
For me, DirectX was more of a struggle because I could wrap my head around certain aspects of it. But, it's gotten easier. Pick one, and roll with it. You can create amazing stuff with both of them, and they're both extremely powerful.
For me, DirectX was more of a struggle because I could wrap my head around certain aspects of it. But, it's gotten easier. Pick one, and roll with it. You can create amazing stuff with both of them, and they're both extremely powerful.
Quote:Original post by Anonymous Poster
In another words, DirectX is as professional as you're going to get. In the business, I'd expect you to know both at the end, but the games on the market seems to suggest that DirectX is the better way to go for starters. Only those without a job right now would suggest otherwise.
What do the games on the market have to do with beginners?
I agree with Lazy Foo, OpenGL is definately easier.
Quote:Original post by DorvoThis is a result of shitty literature on Direct3D rather than any inherent fault with D3D, but that doesn't really change the learning experience, I suppose. At least people who learn D3D first usually don't write code like this.
I'd have to agree with tha' Foo. I found OpenGL a lot easier to learn than DirectX.
Quote:Original post by PromitQuote:Original post by DorvoThis is a result of shitty literature on Direct3D rather than any inherent fault with D3D, but that doesn't really change the learning experience, I suppose.
I'd have to agree with tha' Foo. I found OpenGL a lot easier to learn than DirectX.
The official DirectX tutorials weren't too bad, but required a fair amount of playing around with. When I started out learning DirectX though, there were very few sites that had anything comprehensive. Nowadays, it's gotten better.
Quote:At least people who learn D3D first usually don't write code like this.
Yeah, that's one thing I particularly like about DirectX; the buffers. I find that more structured and easier to maintain.
Edit: Err... I mean having been forced to use buffers. It forces you to think in an optimized manner, as opposed to brute force rendering.
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