OpenGL is that much better than direct DirectX?????
Is OpenGL more complicated to program in vb than dx????

I haven't used OpenGL in VB so I don't know if there are any differences between OpenGL in VB and C++. But using OpenGL for 3D rendering in C++ is alot easier than Direct3D, less buggy and some people say OpenGL is faster too.

OpenGL is also more widely used since it's a cross-platform API, it exists on Unix, Windows, MacOS among others.

Go to www.opengl.org to read more about OpenGL.
 
Voodoo VB  
(3/13/00 7:17:19 am)

Right, well, the difference is, OpenGL is a 3D API while DirectX does a lot more than that, sound, input, 2D, 3D, multiplayer, etc.

So a fairer question is what is better, OpenGL or Direct3D? I've heard Direct3D is more complicated to use but has more features. I think OpenGL is faster though ...

Peter

I have done a bit of OpenGL in VB. I swiched to D3D because DirectX is MUCH better for VB. OpenGL was slow and resulted in a lot of "Overflow"'s. The fact that it was slow is without any doubt because I dropped it and didn't go further with it. D3D is really a gift of heaven.

OpenGL and D3D are more or less equal in speed today. But the Microsoft team is working as hell to get D3D as standart. That's why DirectX is evolving constantly, whereas OpenGL is kinda stuck.

I think D3D is easier to work with compared to OpenGL. It's just a shame there are way more tutorials for OpenGL. Thank God SDK is there for us.  

I've worked a bit with both technologies, both in VB and in C++, and I certainly wish that DirectX was as easy to use as OpenGL. 

I have chosen to go with DirectX, for two reasons:
1) DirectX supports FAR more hardware capabilities than OpenGL. There is really a BIG difference here, I don't know why, but hardware manufacturers seem to focus on drivers for DirectX rather than OpenGL.
2) It wouldn't matter if OpenGL was 10 times as fast and easy to use as DirectX... The latter IS already more standard for games, and if we know Microsoft right, they will make it even more standard in the future. Like it or not, but OpenGL's days on PC are counted.

/Corre

You can't really say that OpenGL is bad because you've used it in VB, I've got a pretty good feeling the OpenGL tlb for VB is bad coded and slow.

"D3D is easier to work with compared to OpenGL" - in general, coding in OpenGL for C++ vs. Direct3D for C++, OpenGL IS easier, that's a fact, but since the original poster wanted to know how OpenGL and DirectX (D3D) worked in VB, I say you're prolly right about that.

So, my final though is: Don't judge OpenGL if you use it in VB, try the C++ version first, before you make up your mind.

"OpenGL's days on PC are counted" - I wouldn't say that yet, because most 3D cards has got support for D3D as well as OpenGL. OpenGL is also widely used as a rendering API for 3D applications too, like 3DSMAX, PowerAnimator, Maya and so on. It's just a shame neither SGI or MS is developing OpenGL anymore.

Alot of people that has used both OpenGL and D3D say D3D is really bad and hard to figure out. Even the Unreal engine team says Direct3D is really odd, along with several demoscene people.