Not exactly a Visual Basic question, but...

[Sastraxi]

An OpenGL wrapper for Direct3D?

I am playing all of my favourite 3D games, and I noticed that out of 8 of them only 1 can use OpenGL. I think this is enginism and should be stopped.

Actually I was wondering if there was a driver or a program or something that takes all D3D calls and uses OpenGL to render the scene instead (actually I already think I know the answer (no) but I'm just asking to make sure.)

[Zaei]

Probably not, but some Games/Engines wrap up both APIs, so that a user can select OGL or D3D (or Software) and it will render with the appropriate API.

Z.

[PsychoMark]

Even if it is possible, what about the other DirectX components like DirectSound or DirectPlay?

[Zaei]

He only asked about Direct3D, not the complete DX Package.

Z.

[PsychoMark]

I know he did, but what would be the point of using OpenGL instead of Direct3D if the game would still use the other DirectX components?

[Sastraxi]

I think what PsychoMark is getting at is that D3D blits to a Directdraw buffer, thats why I am thinking this cant happen. But, then again, if they captured all of the calls from D3D and put them into OGL and back onto a DDraw surface... I guess anythings possible

[PsyVision]

Well......

Dont ask me where to get it !!


But......

Someone did an api that used calls like glVertex3f(); that were a wrapper for direct x functions, So someone with the kinow-how of opengl can use direct x

[Sastraxi]

No, I dont mean for programming.

I mean for games that're already made. I can already use (to a certain extent ) D3D and OGL.

[Zaei]

I MIGHT be possible, but it would require a new dll, that would take the place of the DX dlls that you wanted, and it would have to replace ALL of the DX functions in that dll (including the ones that are probably there, that MS doesnt say are there, supporting functions, etc).

Z.

[Vuen]

Yeah it'd take you at least a year of straight work to write a DLL to emulate D3D for OpenGL, and even then it'd be obsolete by the time you're done.

Anyways, my 5 cents is that ALL games should allow for software emulation in case ppl don't have a 3D card. No I'm not saying this cuz I don't have a 3D card (Heh my comp couldn't emulate it anyways its a 233 , luckily I have this TNT2 Sniper 2 16mb to let me play 3D games)

[Zaei]

Software is a pain in the arse. You pretty much have to write D3D without the hardware acceleration, all by yourself. Hopefully, you were doing Calculus by age 12 =).

Z.

[Arcom]

I think that Matrox had some sort of OpenGL wrapper for its Millenium cards that did exactly what Sastraxi wants, but it was degrading game performace a bit.