[karajorma]

Actually BtRL is quite useful for settling this debate as it shipped with the D3D code disabled. You could select D3D in the launcher but it would just run OGL instead. I did this because I didn't want people who were completely new to FSO flooding the forums with complaints which were caused by them running D3D instead of OGL be default.

In order to take care of people who did require D3D builds I compiled a second set of binaries which did have D3D built in. In total I must have given them out to maybe 20 people. We had 100,000 downloads. I really don't think it's worth the effort of spending coder time on D3D unless it is to actually fix the code so it works as well as OGL.

[Tolwyn]

when I was on vacation I've been using my Vaio TR2A notebook with Intel® 855GM Chipset Integrated Graphics. (128 megs video memory). It worked without a flaw. I could run both BtrL and WCS. All I had to do was to update my drivers. Intel does offer improved drivers even for older gpus.

[Nuke]

for desktops anyone could spend $40 bucks on low end vid card at wal-mart and have something suffietient to run the game. you dont have to blow $500 on a video card to play. laptops on the other hand have never really been a game oriented platform. and with poor upgradeability, one who plans on using the laptop for gaming would spend a little extra to buy a gaming oriented laptop with ati/nvidia chipsets. in 2002 i spent a good 2 grand on a gaming laptop, but now you can get something good enought to play fs2open in the $500-$800 pricerange. its just a matter of common sence to consider all the specs before dropping money on a laptop.

[Scooby_Doo]

I think i paid $60 for this old (3yo or so) radeon 9250 at wallyworld... (I needed a non agp card just to see if my computer booted properly) SCP runs fine (normal mapping doesn't work but oh well..)

[Kazan]

D3D is dead, bury it

[Zacam]

D3D is dead, bury it

Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine; In memoria æterna erit justus, ab auditione mala non timebit.

[DaBrain]

I just tested the current SCP build on my laptop (Old, but at least an Celeron 2,2 Ghz + 2GB Ram).

The integrated gfx chip (SiS 650) didn't work with SCP build when I tested it last time. I think that's almost one year ago.

Well, it's quite slow now, even with standard content, but it works.

[sfried]

If you guys are going to dedicate this game completely to GL, please solve the flickering menus first. It's no run trying to guess around just because the user interface is screwy.

[chief1983]

To my knowledge, it has been fixed in newer builds than 3.6.9.  At least, I haven't noticed it in any of the ones I've tested in the last several months.

[taylor]

The flickering problem is still there, it's just that I've managed to reduce how frequently it happens.  I've actually got to rework that entire part of the code to fix it.  The problem is also specific to config, so whether you get the problem depends on whether you use ATI or NVIDIA, with certain driver versions/configs, whether you run in a window or not, and which OS you are running it on.  But since all of that is used for only one thing, and only on the interface, it doesn't exactly have top priority.  If I get enough free time, or get bored enough with the other stuff that I'm working on, I'll get it properly fixed.

[shiv]

What about Vista users(like me) where OpenGL is only emulated? I've got lower FPS on VIsta than in XP. Direct 3D is more usefull on Vista.

[Cyker]

But D3D ONLY works in Windows - OpenGL works on everything.

I'm migrating away from Windows because I can see the writing on the wall, but the ONLY area I'm stuck is GAMES.

There are only a handful of mainstream(-ish) games I can play in Linux (NWN, Darwinia, FS:SCP, UT...) so IMHO anything to keep that list and grow it gets the thumbs up from me.

If WINE/ReactOS ever get stable enough to play all my other stuff (XvT, MW3, DoW, HL2, Bioshock etc.) then I'll be long gone...

[ARSPR]

What about Vista users(like me) where OpenGL is only emulated? I've got lower FPS on VIsta than in XP. Direct 3D is more usefull on Vista.

OpenGL is not emulated in Vista if you have ForceWare/Catalyst drivers installed. Only default Microsoft drivers emulate OGL. I'm using Vista myself and FSOpen simply runs great in OGL.




Please close this stupid discussion about D3D. D3D is not supported because there's no coder to support it. If anyone wants D3D support he knows what to do: join SCP team and CONTINUOUSLY rework it just like Taylor (mainly) does with OGL.

[jr2]

OK, so if you have Vista, folks, you need to download the latest drivers from your hardware manufacturer (ATi or nVidia), and use them instead of the M$ drivers.  M$ drivers suck in XP, too.

Oh, and I can't wait for ReactOS, either... I'm just hoping everyone's not using Windows 2012 by then... unless ReactOS supports it too.

[Nuke]

downloading latest drivers is pretty much mandatory for anyone who plays of new games. i check for driver updates every month.

[chief1983]

I just hate when they break stuff.  I remember when the Forceware 50 series came out it broke BF1942 terribly on my GF4 Ti series.  Random polygons sticking out of stuff all over the place, missing textures, it was bad.

[wolf]

What about Vista users(like me) where OpenGL is only emulated?

Please stop spreading the FUD.
http://blogs.msdn.com/kamvedbrat/archive/2006/02/22/537624.aspx

I've got lower FPS on VIsta than in XP. Direct 3D is more usefull on Vista.

http://www.opengl.org/pipeline/article/vol003_9/

[shiv]

xD WHat about Intel X3100 users like me - is Vista still emulating OGL in my graphic card?

[Kaine]

xD WHat about Intel X3100 users like me - is Vista still emulating OGL in my graphic card?

i'm not sure how much more clear that article could've been. How about reading it braniac?

Honestly i don't even know why this issue is being discussed. To me it's such an obvious decision to ditch DirectX i don't know why it wasn't made a long time ago. There is a very good reason the vast majority of modern game engines are specific to one API. Trying to support 2 across multiple platforms is absolutely ludicrous and is probably the most efficient way of being totally left in the dust that i can think of. Stop crying about DirectX and let the devs get on with their job. A few releases after it's removed you'll all be wondering why it wasn't done sooner.

As for vista... well screw vista is my stance. But since people seem to insist on inflicting it upon themselves i'm pretty sure it will be easier to tweak FS2Open's opengl implementation to work well on Vista than it will to get the game working properly with 2 APIs. If you're running vista and you have a card that doesn't support opengl... i don't know how or why you're running Vista. OpenGL isn't some exotic new API people. it's been around a lot longer than DirectX and is used in everything from industrial modelling applications to hugely popular games like the Quake series.

[jr2]

If you're using Vista, I'd think you'd be entitle to a downgrade... aka XP Corp + WGA crack.  I mean, you own the license for the next OS, which you don't want to use, right?  Although I'm sure M$ would disagree.