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opengl vs. directx

M

mewannafastpc

Gawd
Joined
Sep 27, 2003
Messages
768
im curious what is the difference between opengl and directx 8.1 and 9 and all that good stuff.

i hear that DOOM 3 is opengl but i can't see the difference between that and the half-life 2 which i believe is using directx 9 screenshots. except one is of monsters and the other is of buildings.

oh btw what card will work better with doom and future games?
 
OpenGL and DirectX are just different ways for the game developer to talk to the vid card. They basically do the exact same thing.

Just think of them as languages for talking to the hardware.

-dB
 
DirectX is actually a collection of APIs. OpenGL is aimed only at graphics, just like Direct3D, which is a part of DirectX.

The biggest difference between OpenGL and Direct3D is that the former is cross-platform, whereas Direct3D is restricted to Windows (because MSFT says so). Other than that they both have their share of strengths and weaknesses.
 
I'm still waiting for the new version of GLIDE...anyone heard anything???

I have been waiting awhile though...hmmm.

:D
 
Originally posted by Elledan
DirectX is actually a collection of APIs. OpenGL is aimed only at graphics, just like Direct3D, which is a part of DirectX.

The biggest difference between OpenGL and Direct3D is that the former is cross-platform, whereas Direct3D is restricted to Windows (because MSFT says so). Other than that they both have their share of strengths and weaknesses.
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Also, OpenGL is extensible by IHV's, D3D is not. D3D can only be upgraded via MS.

So OpenGL can adapt to new technologies much faster than D3D.
 
Originally posted by Brent
Also, OpenGL is extensible by IHV's, D3D is not. D3D can only be upgraded via MS.

So OpenGL can adapt to new technologies much faster than D3D.
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True, but as we've seen, when various manufacturers of videocards start adding their own extensions because the old spec doesn't suffice for more advanced techniques, these extensions become a tangled mess if a new spec isn't released quickly enough (so close now :) ).

I do think that allowing everyone to add their own extensions is a good thing, though.
 
Originally posted by Iconz1
I'm still waiting for the new version of GLIDE...anyone heard anything???

I have been waiting awhile though...hmmm.

:D
Click to expand...


Wow, someone FINALLY said it. My first "big" upgrade was a Voodoo 3, and man, Glide made a huge difference, especially with games like Unreal. What's werid is, the textures looked better using glide with that voodoo 3 than with my Radeon 9800xt. What's up with that?
 
:( Because, despite it's falling to the way-side with the demise of 3Dfx.. Glide was a visually superior graphics implementation. It's only NOW, after absolutely TONS of special implementations and features, is DirectX coming close.

The biggest problem is with MS saying what is or isn't now... DirectX has largely become vaporware. To come even close to Glide's graphical representation, you have to turn on ALL the bells & whistles for your card, then take a HUGE framerate hit in doing so... now.. a YEAR from now.. they will have a card that is fast enough to play the game with everything on at an excellent framerate.. but like all the good games from a year or 2 ago... they probably wont be playable any more (AvP or Unreal anyone?)

That's because the driver writers and card makers are only interrested in keeping the cycle rolling with getting the newst games now.. they have no intention of supporting a product thats over 2 years old.. why should they? There's no money in it. Buy the newest card.. the newest games, and read about features no-one is willing to implement in games no-one is going to write...

Personally, I would love to see Glide reintroduced, implementing features like bump-mapping. THAT would get 'ol Microcraps panties in a bunch... make em start doing something decent for a change.. and maybe cardmakers would start using alternatives to them. [sigh]

Originally posted by Chomp
Wow, someone FINALLY said it. My first "big" upgrade was a Voodoo 3, and man, Glide made a huge difference, especially with games like Unreal. What's werid is, the textures looked better using glide with that voodoo 3 than with my Radeon 9800xt. What's up with that?
Click to expand...
 
I've had a monster 3D, monster 3D II, and a voodoo 3 3000- all were awesome gaming cards. It wasn't until I got my 9700 pro that I was satisfied with another card, and everything I had in between sucked.
 
I think some of you thinking your old 3dfx cards useing glide have failed to realize just how crappy it looked. Lol not long ago I installed a old 3dfx card and ill tell you this.... it was horrible looking.
 
Originally posted by Shane
I think some of you thinking your old 3dfx cards useing glide have failed to realize just how crappy it looked. Lol not long ago I installed a old 3dfx card and ill tell you this.... it was horrible looking.
Click to expand...

Don't make me bash your face in with my voodoo card.:p
 
Originally posted by DoggyDaddi
:( Because, despite it's falling to the way-side with the demise of 3Dfx.. Glide was a visually superior graphics implementation. It's only NOW, after absolutely TONS of special implementations and features, is DirectX coming close.

The biggest problem is with MS saying what is or isn't now... DirectX has largely become vaporware. To come even close to Glide's graphical representation, you have to turn on ALL the bells & whistles for your card, then take a HUGE framerate hit in doing so... now.. a YEAR from now.. they will have a card that is fast enough to play the game with everything on at an excellent framerate.. but like all the good games from a year or 2 ago... they probably wont be playable any more (AvP or Unreal anyone?)

That's because the driver writers and card makers are only interrested in keeping the cycle rolling with getting the newst games now.. they have no intention of supporting a product thats over 2 years old.. why should they? There's no money in it. Buy the newest card.. the newest games, and read about features no-one is willing to implement in games no-one is going to write...

Personally, I would love to see Glide reintroduced, implementing features like bump-mapping. THAT would get 'ol Microcraps panties in a bunch... make em start doing something decent for a change.. and maybe cardmakers would start using alternatives to them. [sigh]
Click to expand...

What the hell are you talking about.

Glide was not superior. First of all one of the 2 main problems with Glide was 1.) It only supported a max texture size of 256x256 and 2.) It only supported 16bit color, not 32bit. I am sure there were other limitations as well.

The reason why it worked so well was because it didn't have to generalize anything. Everything was specific to just ONE IHV's cards. Which made it fit like butter on hot bread.

DirectX is far ahead of where Glide was, and it has been for a long time now man.

DirectX is not vaporware.

DirectX supports bumpmapping man, all 3 kinds.

And don't forget pixel and vertex shader with which any effect can be made.
 
Originally posted by SnakEyez187
In theory, yes.
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Not in theory, in truth.

A long time ago when T&L was the big thing a game called Dronez came out. It used specific OpenGL extensions from NVIDIA that made it perform faster than the competition because it was using extensions in OpenGL that allowed it to use T&L and all that stuff. NVIDIA supported them in their driver, and the game simply looked and performed better thanks to the nature of OpenGL and allowing you to add new GL extensions.
 
Originally posted by Brent
Not in theory, in truth.

A long time ago when T&L was the big thing a game called Dronez came out. It used specific OpenGL extensions from NVIDIA that made it perform faster than the competition because it was using extensions in OpenGL that allowed it to use T&L and all that stuff. NVIDIA supported them in their driver, and the game simply looked and performed better thanks to the nature of OpenGL and allowing you to add new GL extensions.
Click to expand...

But that's all in the past, right now OGL is actually moving a bit slower than DX, they have been waiting for the realse of 2.0 which was supposed to put it ahead of DX enough time to actually make it behind. They take way too much time nowadays figuring out what to put in and how to do it because of the broad range of input being put into the ARB and the unwielding opinions
 
Here's to hoping OpenGL becomes the standard and Linux gets better driver support.

::cheers:: :D
 
Originally posted by Brent
What the hell are you talking about.

Glide was not superior. First of all one of the 2 main problems with Glide was 1.) It only supported a max texture size of 256x256 and 2.) It only supported 16bit color, not 32bit. I am sure there were other limitations as well.
Click to expand...

Glide was FAR superior to DirectX at the time. And how long did it take for the industry to fully embrace 32bit color? It didn't really happen till 3Dfx was going down the tubes, and even THEN it was only for bragging rights! Also, greater then 256x256 textures weren't necessary yet. Your statement is like comparing a Model 'T' Ford and a '04 SUV... one led to the development of the other, not despite it.

The reason why it worked so well was because it didn't have to generalize anything. Everything was specific to just ONE IHV's cards. Which made it fit like butter on hot bread.

DirectX is far ahead of where Glide was, and it has been for a long time now man.
Click to expand...

Of COURSE DirectX is "FAR" ahead of where Glide was you ASS. It's had YEARS to build and improve!! Glide stopped improving past where it was even before 3Dfx went under, as it didnt NEED improvement for what was being required of it at the time :rolleyes:

DirectX is not vaporware.
Click to expand...

I was refering to the level of support the gaming industry has implemented of all of DirectX's 'features' as they are released. 3 Months of adds to talk about how "We've got THIS ability on our cards! The competition doesn't!"..... only for the gaming industry to laregly ignore said 'feature'. If thats not vaporous.... then I don't know what to call it.

DirectX supports bumpmapping man, all 3 kinds.
Click to expand...

I didn't say it didn't jackass. I wished to see the re-emergence of Glide to INCLUDE the same features DirectX has... [duhhhhh] as an AL-TER-NA-TIVE

And don't forget pixel and vertex shader with which any effect can be made.
Click to expand...

Heh.... lemme ask you.. what features & abilities did DirectX have when Glide was tearing up the gaming industry? :p


SON!
 
Well said Doggy.


To say that DX9.1 is better than Glide was isn't logical. DX6 or 7 was out when Glide was at it's peak, and let me tell you, 256*256 textures and 16bit color aside, the games that used it looked better and played better (framerate wise). Sure DX has all the particles, bump mapping, and lighting stuff, but when I played the original Unreal the other day with my Radeon, and I walked up to a wall, the textures looked so much my blotchy and unclear than they did with my old voodoo3.

I'd love to see Glide, or something similar to it reintroduced by both ATI or Nvidia, but we probably won't because Glide was a way for a company (3dfx) to have the edge. Thus, there'd really be no incentive for both companies to have support for it.


All I know is we could be way ahead in graphics quality if people (developers and card makers) actually cared about quality, and not "the next big thing" or what "our card has and their's doesn't"


Anyhow, I'm done. :D
 
I'm sure there's good a reason that Glide isn't around any more even if it was far superiour back in its prime. Personally I don't know what that is but it sounds like their superiority cost them a lot of money which they didn't make back and they couldn't further improve the technology quick enough or they went bankkrupt etc.....(don't flame me, I'm just putting an opinionated guess here).

If M$ wanted to pump all their time and money into DirectX then I'm sure they could come up in a few years what would normally take decades etc..While that will please people it makes bad business so they won't do it.
 
[pinky to lips while petting lovely soft kitty]

The industry is eeeeevillllll, so of course, I understand it perfectly...
 
Well after some googling it appears my above statement is probably wrong, sorta, but hey at least my post count is higher :).

Why does Glide cease to exist today? The only useful thing I found is that nVidia released a faster, graphically dumber card which the consumer favoured and eventually 3DfX nearly went bankrupt (but did sack all their staff and take a $15million load from nVidia?) and nVidia bought them out, is that right?
 
Originally posted by Andrew87
Why does Glide cease to exist today? The only useful thing I found is that nVidia released a faster, graphically dumber card which the consumer favoured and eventually 3DfX went bankrupt and nVidia bought them out, is that right?
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3dfx's demise was a rather typical case of idiots in management running the company into the ground due to boneheaded decisions.
 
3dfx made many extremely stupid decisions in their days, even if Nvidia didn't beat them they still would have keeled over because of their own stupidity
 
Originally posted by DoggyDaddi

SON!
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Simple observation. Your initial post compared old skool Glide to current day DirectX. Brent correctly called you on it and you changed your story.
 
Originally posted by Fluke
Simple observation. Your initial post compared old skool Glide to current day DirectX. Brent correctly called you on it and you changed your story.
Click to expand...

Exactly.
 
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