Re: OpenGL questions

[Jeff Read <bitwize@geocities.com>]

Joel Stanley wrote:

> I'm preparing to start work on an open source gaming project with a friend
> of mine from school...we'll be developing almost entirely under Linux, and
> I'm in search of a well-established 2D API for what we're going to be
> doing (it'll actually be a ("super")Pong game with lots of bells and
> whistles). I've always heard OpenGL mentioned as a 3D API and have heard
> that it is easily portable...

Good! Though you may want to consider making a 3D Pong game. That would
rule. Even though the game may take place in a 2D battlefield, such
features as a rotating playfield, etc. would be way kewl.

> What I'd like to know is whether or not OpenGL has enough 2D-specific
> stuff to be useful and also how portable it really is? If I write
> something using Mesa under Linux, developing with the GNU tools, what are
> the chances of me being able to use OpenGL DLLs under Windoze and Visual
> C++ if we eventually wanted to make a Windoze version of our game?

I have written some (very simple) OpenGL programs and ported nearly ALL
of the code with ZERO problems from Win32 to Linux. The only things that
needed to be changed were event handling code (this could be gotten
around using GLUT). This is a testament to OpenGL's portability and one
reason why I say OPENGL FOREVER and down with DefectX!!! :)

OpenGL does have sufficient 2D functionality to deliver good game
performance on 3D cards such as the 3Dfx Voodoo and Voodoo 2. However,
if your game players do not have a 3D accelerator, performance will
suffer and boy will it SUFFER. If you wish you can use a 2D api. My own
Sprite32, despite its shortcomings, is among the most developed but it's
not entirely portable to native WinDoze GDI (not yet, anyway; under
Win32 with an X server it runs OK). GGI is good too.

> Thanks...oh, and I'd also be very interested in doing some coding for
> either the Linroids project being talked about or the "Elite"-like space
> trading game. I'm very task-oriented, however, so someone would have to
> point me in some direction and say "work on this" :)

Wanna join the GNUdius devel. team? :) We're well underway and I have a
few things that could be worked on...

-- 
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Jeff Read <bitwize@geocities.com>/ http://genpc.home.ml.org
Unix / Linux / Windows Hacker,  / Boycott Microsoft!
Anime & Sonic Fan,             / Use Linux/GNU!
All Around Nice Guy           / Let's keep the Net and the Land FREE!
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