Hi! I hope this is the correct forum to post this I just started learning OpenGL yesterday using NeHe’s amazing tutorials. I’m very proud of my square
Here’s my question: What type of professional applications use OpenGL? From what I’ve heard, most high end projects (games and such) utilize DirectX. Are OpenGL and DirectX languages similar? Is it smart to learn OpenGL first… or DirectX… or ? What’s the difference between the two if there is one? I’m a tad confused about this.
Any information that could be provided would be great. Thanks!
You are correct if you are only talking Microsoft windows machines in which most games and appications use Direct-X.
But Direct-X is limited to Microsoft windows.
OpenGL on the other hand is supported by main stream OS’s, like UNIX, Linux, Mac, etc.
Any company that wants to be able to run on multiple platforms with little code change thend to use openGL.
Lot’s of High end graphics, CAD programs use openGL for the 3D rendering. If you want a list of appilcations, just look on the main page of this site. They have a list of applications that use openGL. Last time I looked there where 100’s of professional applications listed.
If you just want to program graphics on a Microsoft windows machine then Direct-X is the way to go, but if you want your programs to be crossplatform then openGL.
Yeah, DirectX is one of Microsoft’s children, so it’s limited to Windows only, aso opposed to OpenGL which is cross-platform.
Many 3D modelling and rendering apps use OpenGL, including 3D Studio Max and I think some of the other big ones, like Alias Wavefront and Maya.
If you’re thinking about switching to DX, well, I say stick with OGL, just because it’s a much easier API than DX, and it’s cross-platform, which can allow all the Mac and Linux users to enjoy your square too.
Happy coding!
[This message has been edited by Volt9000 (edited 12-06-2003).]
Opengl is a very practical API because you can learn with and after few experimentation you can do more difficult and impressive things…
In directX you are limited : for example, with directX you was not able to program fragment program until the DirextX9 version but OpenGL is independent of the version : you have just to worry about extension. If the extension is defined, you can use it directly!!!
Originally posted by Vlasko: I would say use OpenGl for rendering and anything else from DirectX(DirectInput,DirectSound…) for input sound and so on if you do your work on Win32
There’s always extensions you can use for input and sound, like SDL.
I just started learning OpenGL yesterday using NeHe’s amazing tutorials. I’m very proud of my square 
