I don''t think so.. As you can see in my name I think DirectX is clearly the best and OpenGL is just some cheap API.

Score: -1, flame bait.

Don''t do that. Don''t come into an OpenGL forum to incite something. If you have a legit question, ask it, but retain your objectivity.

IMHO, it all boils down to choice. One API is better for you than another, but not necessarily better. And in any case, DirectX and OpenGL are not what you''re really comparing; you want to put DirectGraphics and OpenGL side-by-side.

Yes and no. No and yes. Here''s a comparison from OpenGL Game Programming:

Feature                           OpenGL                   DirectX 8  Vertex Blending                   N/A                      YesMultiple operating systems        Yes                      NoExtension Mechanism               Yes                      YesDevelopment                       Multiple-member board    MicrosoftThorough specification            Yes                      NoTwo-sided lighting                Yes                      NoVolume Textures                   Yes                      NoHardware independent Z-buffers    Yes                      NoAccumulation buffers              Yes                      NoFull-Screen Antialiasing          Yes                      YesMotion Blur                       Yes                      YesDepth of Field                    Yes                      YesStereo Rendering                  Yes                      NoPoint-size/line-width attributes  Yes                      NoPicking                           Yes                      No, but has utility functionsParamteric curves and surfaces    Yes                      NoCache geometry                    Display lists            Vertex buffersSoftware emulation                Hardware not present     Lets application determineInterface                         Procedure calls          COMUpdates                           Yearly ARB or extensions Yearly updateSource-code availability          Sample implementation    Starting point in Microsoft DDK 

This list probably isn''t complete, and it seems biased towards OpenGL (because it''s from an OpenGL book), but both APIs are equally as useful and powerful. Many great games have been written with each API.

Aprosenf:

There are a few errors in your list:
* Vertex Blending is available in OpenGL through an extension
* The extension mechanism is not available under DX8
* Cache geometry: under OpenGL you can choose between display lists and vertex arrays. The OGL version of D3D''s vertex buffers are vertex arrays.
* Software emulation under OpenGL: The application can determine it, when properly designed.

It''s funny, he''s comparing DirectX and OpenGL.

So tell me, DXOWNS, is an_apple > an_orange ?

DirectX = input, sound, networking, music synthesis and generation, and graphics (in DX7 both 2D and 3D).

OpenGL = 3D graphics (Please don''t tell me "You can do 2d in OpenGL." Ortho projection is NOT 2d; it''s 3D that isn''t perpective correct, aka Parallel Projection. I know you can make a 2d game, but the graphics are technically still 3d. I know it''s a fine point, but it bothers me.)


Now I guess what you really MEANT was "DirectX Graphics OWNS." For true 2d, DDraw7 is the best option IMHO (unless you want to work in 320 x 240 x 8, in which case...). D3D Retained Mode was just horrible. D3D Immediate Mode was just a little behind OGL. Now, DX8 Graphics really is comparable to OpenGL, so it''s now just a matter of preference.

What if you want to do 2D and use Alpha Blending and also rotate your sprites freely? Good luck using DirectDraw for that I made a 2D engine with OpenGL using orthographic projection. It supports alpha blending and quad rotation. I also implemented support for a custom number of texture fonts. Yes I'm quite proud of the thing And because it's OpenGL (and I'm using SDL also actually, which allows me to not worry about windows code) it's platform independent, and it has been tested successfully on Linux. Of course, I'm not trying to trash DirectX, it's great for what it is, but D3D was too complex for me to start with.

Oh and one last thing, it seems that even the most crappy video cards have some support for basic OpenGL functions. I used to work at this department at college, and they got new computers recently, from Dell. The video card is an integrated 4 meg. Yes, you read correctly To my huge surprise, the thing was able to run NeHe's textured cube demo in full screen just fine (didn't work windowed though). So apparently manufacturers add some OpenGL support even to the crappiest cards out there.

Edited by - Supernova on September 30, 2001 10:44:58 AM

Did you had a look at this ''DirectX OWNS'' guy''s profile ? He created that nick just to post this topic here. I wonder who it is, I''m sure it''s someone known to the messageboard, who is trying to flame under another identity.
Perhaps some of the GDNet staff should do an IP match ? Could be interesting to know...

Anonymous poster -
If you disagree with the list, then talk to Dave Astle and Kevin Hawkins. I take no credit for posting that list, it came straight out of the book.