Please explain to me all about open GL and Direct 3D

[amstyle]

Please explain in detail. Also, how do you know which game uses what? Which is better? Thank you!!

[Clit_YeastHood]

Re: Please explain to me all about open GL and Direct 3D

Its all out there, im no programmer, but:

Both D3d and OpenGl are 3D APIs (Application Programming Interfaces)

Many years ago, Microsoft developed a 3d API for its NT OS with the help of other software firms called OpenGL, so it could sell its OS to people wanting 3d graphics.

A few years later, MS was ready to release Windows95, but OpenGL was not easy to intergrate from NT and Win 3.1 to Win95, so MS purchased Rendermorphics Ltd. and their code and brought out Direct3D as an alternate 3D API suited to Win95 and withdrew all support for OpenGL.

Despite the MS push, OpenGl was a lot more capable as an API for detailed 3D graphics and was much better, since then, MS has been updating D3D constantly, to get to the stage OpenGL was already at.

These days, i dont get the option to choose between D3D and OpenGL when i install games, they're on an equal footing, so i guess MS & D3D won.

[edit] like ya Borat Av![/edit]

[iewgnem]

Re: Please explain to me all about open GL and Direct 3D

Both are APIs used to render 3D images, GL used to be popular and widely used but these days most new games are rendered using DX9. DX9 is currently more powerful than latest GL although not in all applications.

DirectX9 currently supports stuff like HDR and other fancy graphic termalogies, openGL supports a lot too but im not sure if it supports the latest version.

Another important factor is hardware support. Most graphic cards today have hardware accelerated DX9 rendering, they also have openGL acceleration but as I said DX9 is more powerful so more importance are put on it recently.

[Clit_YeastHood]

Re: Please explain to me all about open GL and Direct 3D

Microsoft said YES to D3D, and NO to OpenGL for programmers and GFXcard manufacturers.

So now we have D3D regardless, its now as capable as OpenGL, and its bad business sense not to make games or GFX hardware to match it.

[jdrou]

Re: Please explain to me all about open GL and Direct 3D

Probably the most significant difference is that all games based on id software's engines (Doom/Quake) use OpenGL and most others use Direct3D. This is probably why sometimes Nvidia cards are outperformed by ATI in all game benchmarks EXCEPT id-engine games. Maybe Nvidia does better OpenGL drivers.

[BirdKiller]

Re: Please explain to me all about open GL and Direct 3D

The fact that Nvidia does well on OpenGL games than D3D games is an unconfirmed accepted belief.

I realize there are benchmarks for Doom III and HL2 which proves the belief above, but that's only on one game. It'll take several games to prove that point.

[BoloMarkXXX]

Re: Please explain to me all about open GL and Direct 3D

The Americas Army game is Direct3d in Windows XP the Linux & Mac versions run OpenGL.

[amstyle]

Re: Please explain to me all about open GL and Direct 3D

Thanks for your help!!

[ColeThornton]

Re: Please explain to me all about open GL and Direct 3D

I dont follow this much...but I remember from the days of UT99 that the rumor was hacks were much easier to make for openGL based games compared to D3D. Is there any truth to that?

[HicRic]

Re: Please explain to me all about open GL and Direct 3D

I doubt it. Hacks would probably be based on altering the actual game rather than the graphical engine, although I suppose if you understood OpenGL better than DirectX then making things like 'glowing people' and other hacks that alter your visual display would be easier.

[ColeThornton]

Re: Please explain to me all about open GL and Direct 3D

well im not sure of this, but from what I understood it was easier to crack openGL code. Easier to color the enemies for a color coded "aimbot" etc. Also, it was easier to create wallhacks because of openGL coding etc.

I just brought tis up because I remember there were a "FEW" hacks for UT99 but everyones answer was.."at least there isnt as many as Quake....Damn OpenGL" And if I remember correctly there was a third party anti-cheat made for UT2k3 that didn't allow anyone running the game through openGL to join the server.


does anyone have any facts on this as I dont really Know what I'm talking about!