I’m a software engineer, TTRPG nerd, open-source tinkerer, and occasional writer. This is where I share what I’m building, learning, and thinking about (since 2006, for better or worse).
Why OpenGL 3.0 is Important
Some questions have come up in regards to my last post, The Ghost of OpenGL 3.0, and one of them keeps popping out on top: Why do we need OpenGL 3.0 and What’s wrong with OpenGL 2.1? This post will attempt to take you through the pre-published materials on the OpenGL API, version 3.0 and show you the major changes and differences. Or you could simple jump to the answer and conclusion without reading the features provided by OpenGL 3.0, if you don’t feel like getting informed.
Read all 2,157 wordsNVIDIA PhysX SDK + more
As you might know, NVIDIA has recently purchased Ageia, makers of the PhysX real-time physics SDK. Since then, NVIDIA has taken over the development of the SDK and a new version of the SDK is now available for free in binary form from the NVIDIA website, click here to go to check it out. A special license for the source code version of the SDK can be acquired for a mere $50K.
Read all 127 wordsThe Ghost of OpenGL 3.0
OpenGL 3.0 seems to become more and more of a promise that’s bound to be broken; like a friend who promises you to give back the money you loaned him, always tomorrow.
The expected API promises many new features, enhancements and is the first total rewrite of the existing OpenGL Standard. The API promises an interface compatible with the next generation of computer graphics programming and is set to compete with Microsoft’s DirectX 10.
Read all 492 wordsDirect3D, OpenGL and XNA Fieldguide
A common novice’s question in context with graphics programming is which API should I use?, Direct3D versus OpenGL or which API is better?. Getting familiar in the Graphics Programming world can be tough since many subjects don’t have definitive answers. This article attempts to clear up some of the mysteries surrounding the APIs and compare them as far as it is possible. The individual APIs discussed in this document are Direct3D, OpenGL and XNA. If you’re new to Graphics Programming in general, read the Graphics Programming article to get a clear understanding of what exactly these APIs do.
Read all 1,996 wordsBitwise Programming in C
This article explains Bitwise Programming in C, a common practice in most programming languages. While bitwise operations might seem like a dark art at first, it really isn’t that scary. You simply need to know when to apply these operations and for what reasons to use them.
The article discusses bits (calculation, workings) in section one previous to the actual operators so that an understanding is made on how bits operate.
Read all 1,343 wordsNVIDIA Opens Up GPU Gems
NVIDIA has decided to publish the acclaimed GPU Gems book on their website, free of charge. Go to the NVIDIA website to read it. Did I mention it was free? Its free.
Is Direct3D 10 on Windows XP Possible?
There has been a firestorm of discussions on the topic of “Is Direct3D 10 on Windows XP Possible?” This article will attempt to provide an answer to this hot topic. The answer has already been provided by Microsoft’s officials on several occasions but regardless of the manner in which DirectX 10 functions in Vista, would the functionality provided in Direct3D 10 be possible to implement? The official answer is a resounding no for the entire DirectX API, but what about Direct3D 10 which would be the only API of interest here?
Read all 757 wordsIntel GMA 945 / GMA 950 thoughts
Over the last week I’ve been annoyed with the capabilities of the Intel 945GM chipset. While this chipset is not widely supported in graphics development, it’s a common chipset that Intel has to offer that comes standard with a bunch of PCs. So I’ve unhooked my Graphics card and attempted to run some of my code through this GPU.
Direct3D seems to work fine, pretty fast too. Pixel Shader version 2.0 seems to be supported through hardware, and Pixel Shader 3.0 through a software device. Now, you’d expect that the OpenGL implementation would have the same capabilities, or at least Pixel Shader 2.0 through hardware.
Read all 192 wordsNew Year's Update
First of all, happy new year to you all even though it’s a bit late. Have some cake.
I’ve been keeping busy with some new “projects” lately, most involve OpenGL and Direct3D but more on this later when I have something to show or share.
Right now I’ve been disappointed with the stability of the new Visual Studio version, 2008. While there are some great new features for C++ programmers, my debugger seems to crash every now and then when debugging native code. I wonder if any of you out there have had the same problems…
Read all 110 wordsVisual Studio 2008 Released to MSDN Subscribers
While Visual Studio was originally planned to be released in February of 2008, November 19th 2007 seemed like a better release date for Microsoft. MSDN Subscribers can already download the Retail versions of Visual Studio 2008 Professional, Standard and the Visual Studio Express editions through their Top Subscriber Downloads screen when logged on to MSDN.
At the moment downloads seem very slow (probably due to high network traffic) and connections might fail. Remember: because Microsoft is offering this through the Top Subscriber Downloads box, the downloads will open in an Akamai window instead of the regular Transfer Manager offered by Microsoft; this causes problems.
Read all 242 words