OpenGL or DirectX?

[Michael]

What are the advantages and dis-advantages to using one over the other? And which one is easiest to learn for a complete newbie? Thanks!

[Gorg]

Advantage of Opengl:

very portable(availble on a lot of platform)

direct3d, only on windows

Opengl Much more easier to learn than directX.

Disavantages, well I am not experienced enough in directx to draw other comparisons.

[Michael]

Hmm, I guess I'll go with openGL then... One question though: To view openGL you need a 3d accelerator right? Do you know if it's the same with directx?

[tcs]

Thats wrong. You could run a OpenGL application on a software only system with about the same image quality as on a hardware accelerator. Try this with a D3D Game ;-)

I would chose OpenGL. It is much easier to learn, far better documentated. I have started learning OpenGL about 5 months ago. Now i'm coding a outdoor engine with a really big terrain, trees, model loader code physics and a skybox. I really love gl...

Tcs

[Michael]

ok, sounds good. Thanks! So where should I start with the easiest tutorial possible for a total newbie?

[Gorg]

go there
http://www.gameprog.com/reference/do...r.asp?catid=31


and read the opengl programming guide.

this is better than any tutorial as it explains all the basic of opengl.

Have fun

[tcs]

Try http://nehe.gamedev.net/
its a great site. I have learned much there.

[Michael]

Thanks everyone!

[Mike The Spike]

Use Direct 3D Retained Mode, it's the easiest sollution out there.

Mike The Spike

[Micke]

Originally posted by Mike The Spike:
Use Direct 3D Retained Mode, it's the easiest sollution out there.

Mike The Spike

Yeah. If all you wanna do is a spinning ball without fog and alphablending and at a frame rate of 10fps on a GeForce card.