OpenGL and Direct3D

[hypeMarked]

what is the difference between them? Which is better? Thanks

 

[hypeMarked]

Please clarify this for me thanks...

 

[jdm]

For Windows, DirectX is definitely better. For Linux (which doesn't support DirectX) your only choice is OpenGL. Microsoft's been throwing a lota money into DirectX while OpenGL hasn't really changed much in the last few years. DirectX has more features, support's a lot of the latest stuff, etc.

 

[InFecTed]

OpenGL is superior to Direct3D in most cases and it's faster. If your game lets you choose, go OpenGL.

 

[Superwormy]

VERY debateable subject. MOST game developers are moving towards Direct3D, mainly because Microsoft is a dominent operating system, Direct 3D is BUILT for games, and because Microsoft has lots of $$$ to doll out to Direct3D developers.

Some programmers, very good ones even, (Carmack comes to mind, Quake, Quake 2, Quake 3, New Doom) will tell you OpenGL is the way to go.

If you're that concerned about it, test which runs the individual game faster, the majority of the time, it won't be that much of a difference.


OpenGL was built as a solution for people doing high-end graphics stuff, SGI stuff, 3D Studio MAX, Maya 3D, Softimage. And OpenGL still RULES Direct3D hugely in that market.

 

[GoodRevrnd]

Run whichever one the game is best optimised for. Sometimes a game will offer both, but one set will have more features or be faster for that game. (Tribes 2 comes to mind).

 

[BFG10K]

Both APIs are good for games and both can achieve great things in the hands of competent programmers.

In practice though a lot of Direct3D games don't run as well as they could and all of the games that I've tried with the choice between OpenGL and Direct3D, OpenGL has always run them better.

 

[Sunner]

For the end user, it's really completely dependant on the game.

In some games, one or the other is thrown in as an afterthought, such as HalfLife, which is based on the Quake2 engine, which natively supports OpenGL, however Valve(for some reason) put Direct3D support in there as well, but it sucked.

In other cases, it will be the other way around.

If I were developing 3D stuff(actually Im looking at getting into that as time permits) OpenGL would definately be my choice, considdering it's open, and available on just about every platform out there.