hi /prog/. I want to get started programming games and what-not in 3D. Where do I start? Links to tutorials and downloads appreciated. I've never really dealt with 3D graphics.
Name:
Anonymous2010-08-03 17:29
You only have three choices, and one isn't really a choice:
1) OpenGL
2) DirectX
3) Roll your own (software renderer)
OpenGL is "open" and cross-platform friendly. Driver support for OpenGL generally isn't as good as for DirectX (especially ATI cards).
DirectX is backed by Mircorosft and very closely tied to the different versions of Windows (DX9 -> Windows XP, DX10 -> Vista, DX11 -> Win7). If you don't require newer features like "geometry shaders" or "compute shaders," then you can write a DX9 application and it will run on everything from Win XP to the present.
You can forget about (3) unless your goal is purely academic and you don't mind wasting a year or two on something no one will ever use.