OpenGL and antialiasing issues

[Qu0ll]

I have heard reports that antialiasing is a bit of a problem with OpenGL because application settings can be overridden by the graphics card configuration. Is this correct? Is there a way to force antialiasing to be always on? And, are current OpenGL antialiasing techniques as good as traditional CPU-based techniques?

Thanks,

-Qu0ll

[dletozeun]

As far as I know there is no cross-platform way to enable on the driver side antialiasing through opengl extensions.
The ARB_multisample extension may interest you to perform antialiasing with multisampling.

[Qu0ll]

Thanks for the reply. When you say there is no cross-platform way, are you saying that there is a way but it requires platform-specific code? I don't see that as a major problem.

[dletozeun]

Actually I was thinking of glx or wgl extensions but at first sight I do not see anything about that.

[Ilian Dinev]

Renders to FBO will always happen in the AA format you want, from my experience.

[Qu0ll]

Forgive my ignorance but what is FBO?

[Ilian Dinev]

http://www.gamedev.net/reference/art...rticle2331.asp

You can make a FBO be MSAA or CSAA; multisample data needs to be resolved to another FBO via framebuffer-blit.

Generally, antialiasing isn't such a piece of cake as toggling a bool.

[Qu0ll]

OK, so in layman's terms, if I use an FBO I will be able to control the antialiasing settings from within my application. Correct?

[Ilian Dinev]

yes

[Qu0ll]

Thanks.