Khronos cranks out new OpenGL 3.1 spec
THE KHRONOS GROUP, chaired by Nvidia crony Neil Trevett, has released OpenGL 3.1 – the cross-platform, royalty-free API for 3D graphics – at GDC in San Francisco today.
Version 3.1 of OpenGL includes a new version of the OpenGL shading language – GLSL1.40 – and has better programmability, more efficient vertex processing, expanded texturing functionality and increased buffer management flexibility.
Arguably the best thing about OpenGL 3.1, as the name indicates, is its 'openness', with multiple vendors signing up and jumping on the bandwagon. In fact, analyst Jon Peddie reckons over 100 million computer units already have an installed base of graphics hardware that will support OpenGL 3.1, while OpenGL 3.0 drivers are already shipping on AMD, Nvidia and S3 GPUs.
Adding to the pomp and fanfare, OpenGL ARB has released an optional extension for full backwards compatibility, so developers can access the OpenGL 1.X/2.X functionality removed in OpenGL 3.1. Nvidia, not wanting to feel left out, also announced new driver support for OpenGL 3.1 for Windows, Linux, FreeBSD, and Solaris.
Apparently developed at breakneck speed in just nine months, OpenGL 3.1's birth has been welcomed by both Nvidia and AMD, with the Green Goblin's Dan Vivoli proclaiming his firm was "committed to the rapid adoption of OpenGL 3.1" and "proud to release our beta drivers on the same day as the specification itself."
Meanwhile, Suki Samra, director of OpenGL at AMD noted, "AMD will support OpenGL 3.1 in the upcoming driver release for the Radeon and FirePro products, and is fully supportive of the OpenGL API."
There... isn't it lovely to see AMD and Nvidia playing nice for a change instead of trying to stab each in the eye?
We think so. µ
L'Inq
www.khronos.org/opengl
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Crysis? Nope.
Fallout 3? Nyet.
World of Warcraft? Non.
Jerks.
I remember when XP first came out MS openly supported Open GL. Lately MS has tried to kill off Open GL for what else, money. They want royalties for the Direct X crapware they strong arm everywhere they can. John Carmack will support this in his newest game engine and development kit ID will license out. Good, long live open GL, die proprietary Direct X and Windows Live can kiss my arse too.
I'd certainly agree that MS totally ignoring OpenGL in Vista was a nasty move.
But: The way OpenGL non-evolved leading up to that joke 3.0 release explains a lot.
From a game programmers standpoint, OGL just doesn't cut it anymore. For every single bit of this-century tech you need some sort of IHV-specific extension. Ridiculous.
And since you mentioned John Carmack... Even this long-time proponent of OGL dropped it in the end. Go figure.
Microsoft could never have damaged OpenGL as efficiently as the ARB did.
wow has the option to use opengl or d3d, btw if a dame runs on the mac then theres a fair chance that opengl was used
[quote]For every single bit of this-century tech you need some sort of IHV-specific extension[/quote]
incorrect
[quote]And since you mentioned John Carmack... Even this long-time proponent of OGL dropped it in the end.[/quote]
incorrect
WoW supports OpenGL, how on earth do you think there is a Mac OS X version? OpenGL is also officially supported on Windows...
...We should all go back to Glide. Seriously. DirectX, OpenGL, they all suck. Glide is where it was at. 3DFX 4 EVA!
If only the ARB had come out with this 3 years ago, it might still be relevant!
'openness' !?! ... i remeber an article i guess here on INQ in which OpenGL guy said that OpenGL3 utilises DX10 hardware features..
It will be great for competition to come up and with a free api more game developers will rise from the ashes.
One thing though we all just forget while cramping down on DX, is to note that it has come a long way and perfected itself in many many ways,
So OpenGl, Pls come back but do make it worth our while!!!
For software developers, current documentation is of paramount importance. The cited Khronos web page does list bits of documentation for OpenGL 3.1, but the OpenGL web page at http://www.opengl.org/sdk/docs/ is still at version 2.1. Same situation from the OpenGL.org main web page (top left, Documentation). Not to mention the lack of a *complete* online book that could be downloaded as one file (PDF and PS). By the time printed books are on the market, they are usually obsolete since development moved on to a newer version. Documentation should come before development, or at least the software should be documented at the same time.
Same problem with Qt and KDE. A decade ago, people kept complaining about Motif's (GUI developent) lack of openness, but at least the Motif documentation was always up-to-date and complete.
As much as I hate to say it OpenGL is dead in the water for Windows games. Development of the API has fallen too far behind Direct 3D to be viable.
For professional applications it is fine and for OS X, Linux and other platforms it is still the ONLY choice for hardware accelerated graphics.