Re: GP: 3D DOS PROGRAMING

[Eudoxus3 <Eudoxus@freeuk.com>]

On Thu 02 Sep, Chris Parsons wrote:
> Over the summer I worked for a game company testing a computer game.  From
> talking to one of the programmers I've learned that openGL is a lot less bug
> ridden compared to DirectX which really didn't function in a worthwhile
> fashion until version 5.0  DirectX borrows a lot of idea and whatnot from
> openGL.

Iv'e been told that OpenGL `sits on top of DirectX`.

What this means is that OpenGL is a higher level API, which actually uses
DirectX; So, if your'e using OpenGL you are in fact using just a nicer
interface to DirectX.

I believe this is correct because companies like I.D. (Makers of Quake, if
you didn't know) write their first game engines (Such as the first release
of Quake) using OpenGL (though written /very/ well) and later re-work it
down to DirectX's Direct3D for improved performance.  This is not too hard
to do for experienced people like ID because it simply requires moving the
interface code to the 3D operations `down` a little.

Incidentally, if I am wrong in this, could someone tell me, please? - I'm
about to start coding a 3D engine with a couple of friends and wer'e first
using OpenGL - because it's easier to get into - then move it down to
Direct3D once wer'e more adept.


Regards,

Matt. W.
-- 
***  eudoxus@freeuk.com  ***  http://members.xoom.com/eudoxusM/
                 mwebster@apsoft.co.uk

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