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Nuferex

Im deciding which one I should use to make a graphical game. Tell me the differences between the two and why I should pick it.

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Eriond

OpenGL. It's slightly harder, and not quite as advanced (though this won't matter unless you want crazy effects that are incredibly graphically intensive, yet barely noticeable) but it's not built by Microsoft, it's more open in general, and it will run on all platforms.

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Nuferex

So your saying DirectX can produce better graphics, but Opengl can run on all platforms.

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Eriond

Essentiallly. But the difference is not significant, DX10 just has a few more interesting ways of doing lighting effects (as I understand it, I could be wrong about this. This might have even changed now, with newer revisions of OpenGL being released).

For all intents and purposes they're the same, and can do the same things, except that OpenGL is not as integrated as DIrectX is. OpenGL handles only the sending on primitives to the graphics card, DirectX handles a bunch of stuff like model loading, texture loading, stuff like that. However, you can get a 3rd party library with OpenGL and not do that stuff anyway.

So I'd recommend OpenGL over DirectX, just because of it's portability.

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Nuferex

I was thinking creating my own models using 3ds max and stuff. So I'm just going to use DirectX. Thanks for the help.

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craksy

if you want to use directX you most likely want to find an engine!
making a game with a graphics libary alone, is almost impossible!

Esenthel engine is good for both beginners and advanced users!
its basicly just plain directX, but it handles all the rough stuff so you can focus on actually making the game!

also talking about differences between openGL, and directX: directX is must faster, and can handle more rendering without lag.
also openGL is not supported by all graphic cards.
being limited to windows users, is a sacrifice i am willing to take, for higher speed, and faster development!
after all i am not a professionel game developer, so it means alot!

happy coding

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Eriond

Uh... I'd have to disagree with you. They're both equally fast, as far as I understand it. DirectX might have a slight edge, given that it's optimized for Windows, but to say it's much faster goes a little too far.

And as far as I know, all major graphics cards support OpenGL.

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craksy

well, i havent been testing speed for my self. its something i read, so my apolegeise (spell?) if i am wrong...

and i have actually seen quite a few graphic cards (not all "major" though), which doesnt support OpenGL... but yea, most graphic cards support openGL of cause

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NoodlePowa

Oh, my. How old were those?

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