Directx 9 and vb.net

[georgepatotk]

Dear mates,

 

I need your helps.. I am very very new to game programming. I am planning to create a simple interactive program for a private institute and it requires me to create the program in those cartoon modes.

 

I have do some researches on it and found out I need to user directx 9 since I am using vb.net. Is this the right path I should go? or should I go for OpenGL. Anyway, I don't really understand the different between directx and opengl. Can you explain to me on the differences?

 

If Directx is the right path, what are the additional libraries I need to have in order to start the development of the game?

 

In summary, I wish to know whether DirectX is the right thing, and secondly I wish to know what else libraries/components I need to have. Thanks a lot

[PlausiblyDamp]

If you decide on DirectX (search these forums for a few arguments regarding openGL and DirectX) then have a look in our Tutor's Corner for some examples.

 

In fact this one tells you what you need to get started.

[ThePentiumGuy]

OpenGL is less supported in .NET, however there is this thing called CsGL which is for C#, although I'm not sure if it works with VB.NET.

 

OpenGL is great, its faster, but it has less features... but you can push it to its limits :D... I mean look at Doom3.. shees that game was awesome.. its a pity it wasn't as good as it was said to be...

 

DirectX on the other hand.. look at games like Half Life... MAN .. best game of all time IMO.. so interactive.

 

Ask wyrd, he knows a lot about this type of thing

 

Now there's advantages with OpenGL:

-No Runtimes

-Multi-Platform (I beleive it runs on Linux as well)

-Supposed to be Faster

-If you look into doing this for C++, there's a great library out there called SDL.

 

DirectX:

-More features

-Better Interface/Easier to code

-Better support(although version 9 really.. um.. blew it :p.. but Microsoft will get better :p)

-Can be programmed in more languages :D.

-Hey! there's a DirectX forum on this site :).

-Will be merged with XNA, supposedly an "XBOX SDK" if the rumors were true

-A lot of sites out there for this

-HLSL, PS/VS version 3.0(or is it 2.0)

-Lots of cards support it

 

-The Pentium Guy

 

edit: shouldn't this bein the DirectX forum?

[Aragorn7]

Dear mates,

 

I need your helps.. I am very very new to game programming. I am planning to create a simple interactive program for a private institute and it requires me to create the program in those cartoon modes.

 

I have do some researches on it and found out I need to user directx 9 since I am using vb.net. Is this the right path I should go? or should I go for OpenGL. Anyway, I don't really understand the different between directx and opengl. Can you explain to me on the differences?

 

If Directx is the right path, what are the additional libraries I need to have in order to start the development of the game?

 

In summary, I wish to know whether DirectX is the right thing, and secondly I wish to know what else libraries/components I need to have. Thanks a lot

If you are a beginner to DirectX/Drawing API's in general, you will probably want to learn directX first. DirectX9 is a lot easier, but once you learn DX8/9 it will be a lot easier to learn OpenGL.

 

OpenGL is really nice if you want to make a game run on Linux/Mac. I think warcraft3 used both...but you never really got to choose between them in-game. I know you can play it on Mac, so it has to support OpenGL or an equivilent.

[ThePentiumGuy]

I am planning to create a simple interactive program for a private institute and it requires me to create the program in those cartoon modes.

Cartoon modes eh? Look into HLSL.

 

Meanwhile, check this out for DirectX vs OpenGL: http://gamels.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12

 

-The Pentium Guy

[georgepatotk]

what is hlsl???

[ThePentiumGuy]

High Level Shader Language :).

Its basically a way of writing scripts(.fx files) and using the programmable graphics pipeline as opposed to to the fixed function pipeline... meaning more flexibility :P.

 

Clicky here for more info: http://www.neatware.com/lbstudio/web/hlsl.html

 

-The Pentium Guy

[Mykre]

If it is just a basic interactive program in Cartoon Style (Cell Graphics like XIII on the Xbox, or like the flash samples going around the net), I think the DirectX would be overkill. Now I meant graphics like XIII and not a game like XIII :)

 

I would look at GDI+ or at the veary least Imbedding Flash into your app. But GDI+ would be my choice, less overhead and easier to get started.

[ThePentiumGuy]

Now I meant graphics like XIII and not a game like XIII :)

I dont think I catch your meaning.... ;).

 

-The Pentium Guy

[DrunkenHyena]

Now there's advantages with OpenGL:

-Multi-Platform (I beleive it runs on Linux as well)

OpenGL runs on just about anything. There's even a version for phones and other portables

-Supposed to be Faster

Nope.

 

DirectX:

-More features

There are more official tools, but the APIs themselves are largely equivalent

-Better Interface/Easier to code

That's a matter of opinion

-Can be programmed in more languages :D.

There are far more bindings for OpenGL than DX. It's not even close.

-A lot of sites out there for this

There are plenty of OpenGL sites, many of which are more mature

-HLSL, PS/VS version 3.0(or is it 2.0)

OpenGL has equivalent offerings.

-Lots of cards support it

What mainstream card does not support OpenGL??

 

For the most part both APIs are capable of producing equivalent results. Some people prefer one, others find the other more natural.

 

DX is OOP, OpenGL isn't, in case that matters to you.

[ThePentiumGuy]

Yikes.. :p I had no idea.... thanks for making me look stupid :).

Open GL isn't faster? Woah..

 

-The Pentium Guy

[DrunkenHyena]

Yikes.. :p I had no idea.... thanks for making me look stupid :).

Not stupid, just somewhat misinformed. :)

Open GL isn't faster? Woah..

Not really, no.

 

If you have any games that support both APIs you'll typically notice that OpenGL is a bit faster on NVIDIA while DX is a bit faster on ATI. That's just an issue with drivers. And even in these cases the differences are typically quite small.