Software rendering -- please help!! =]

[rodolfo]

Hello all!

Since I've started to create games with VC++, I needed a
good/fast/portable renderer system. I've tried both OpenGL and DirectX, but as you can see I've chosen OpenGL -- and... I guess you know why! http://www.opengl.org/discussion_boards/ubb/smile.gif
Even for 2D games, I was using OpenGL. It's amazing what you can do!
But, as everything in our lives, there's a problem... Probably easy to solve. Can an OpenGL program run on non-hardware acelerated PC's?
I've sent a demo of my app(no mfc -- based on NeHe's lesson21) to a friend of mine. She couldn't run it, receiving the message: "Can't create a GL device". Is it because she
doesn't have a 3D board?
What do I have to do, to make it able to run on every computer?
Please help, I don't think this is something impossible...
Yes, I do know that it would be easier and better if I simply ask her to buy a 3D card http://www.opengl.org/discussion_boards/ubb/smile.gif, but, here in Brazil, that's not something accessible to everyone -- sorry! http://www.opengl.org/discussion_boards/ubb/smile.gif

Thank you! (sorry about the long message... my first one, had to introduce myself! http://www.opengl.org/discussion_boards/ubb/smile.gif)

Rodolfo

[Eber Kain]

try rewriteing it with glut.

[rodolfo]

Thank you! I'll try it, give you results soon. http://www.opengl.org/discussion_boards/ubb/smile.gif
But, I would like to use OpenGL "purely", no glut. Is there another choice for me, in stead of using glut?

Rodolfo

[Turbo_Pascal]

Originally posted by rodolfo:
Thank you! I'll try it, give you results soon. http://www.opengl.org/discussion_boards/ubb/smile.gif
But, I would like to use OpenGL "purely", no glut. Is there another choice for me, in stead of using glut?

Rodolfo


oh, don't worry about that, Opengl work just great in software mode using opengl32.dll included in all windows versions.

The problem is that sometimes your program run well in software mode but somtimes it don't work in some especific video card opengl implementations, (mainly old voodoo and some ATI).


t.p.

[rodolfo]

Thank you! Much better now... http://www.opengl.org/discussion_boards/ubb/smile.gif
I REALLY didn't want to use glut... It was doing so well that way... http://www.opengl.org/discussion_boards/ubb/smile.gif
As soon as possible, I'll try sending the demo to other friends of mine, let's see.
By the way, is there any special thing I should do to enable software mode? In the case she's not using any of those cards...
Sorry about my lack.

Thank you all, very useful! http://www.opengl.org/discussion_boards/ubb/smile.gif

Rodolfo

[ryan]

This is adding to the message posted above. I also have been using NeHe to learn OpenGL. On my laptop (no 3D card) it works fine, but on my desktop (basic 3d card) it gives me the same error message described above when I try and go into full screen mode. I also heard from a more experienced programmer who is learning OpenGL that NeHe's tutorials are "bad". Is this true? I personally have found them very helpful...

[rodolfo]

Wow! Bad? I've learn't a lot from there... And in the top of his tutorials main page, he says he doesn't guarantee anything, he's just trying to help OpenGL new programmers.
Well, Ryan, at least their worked in windowed mode with you! http://www.opengl.org/discussion_boards/ubb/smile.gif Not even this to that friend of my...
I couldn't get her online yet! So, glut wasn't tested with her. Soon!

Thank you!

Rodolfo

[ryan]

Oh yeah, I remembered something else. The OpenGL programs I write and compile on my laptop (no 3D card) based on NeHe's tutorials, do funny things to Windows. Sometimes, but not always (it seems purely random), when I close my program it will cause another program which is running to "perform and illegal operation" and close. The victim program is whichever program is running under mine (I think). For example, if no program is running "under" mine, explorer will crash. Again, is this another side effect of not having a 3D card??

P.S. - Don't get me wrong, I truly appreciate NeHe's tutorials, and I did read the disclaimer. Everything I've learned about OpenGL has come from his tutorials!

[rodolfo]

Oh, I don't know... Sometimes it crashes here too, even with a GeForce2! http://www.opengl.org/discussion_boards/ubb/smile.gif
Do you know any other good OpenGL site to learn from? Would be very good to me... Specially because I'm programming 2D, and there's not much material about it.

Thanks!

Rodolfo