From Valve's Linux blog: "That the Linux version runs faster than the Windows version (270.6) seems a little counter-intuitive, given the greater amount of time we have spent on the Windows version. However, it does speak to the underlying efficiency of the kernel and OpenGL." If it wasn't obvious before, it should be now: Valve has started its marketing campaign for Linux. With the Windows platform in the process of closing itself off, Valve has to look to greener pastures. This is all to motive third parties to get their stuff ready for a possible Linux-powered 'Steambox' - not a console, but a set of generic PC specifications. Remember: the Xbox is the only machine tied to DirectX - OpenGL runs everywhere else, including Windows (the PS3 is an oddball, and has a sort-of Sony-specific FrankenOpenGL). OpenGL simply makes more sense for developers, and now Valve is working very closely with Nvidia, AMD, and Intel to optimise their Linux drivers. Do the math, people.
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
Member since:2006-01-10
Linux, Android, iOS, PS3, Wii, and MacOS don't have Dirext3D/DirectX. All use OpenGL in some variant.
As more people buy non Windows products, the demand for OpenGL games rises.
If I were a game developer in today's world and wanted to maximize my potential customer pool I would definitely be looking at OpenGL, but I would still have a D3D port for Xbox and Windows.
Member since:2005-11-10
Middleware my good man; it’s not 1996 any more. Many AAA games are done using middleware platforms because they don’t want to invest the time/talent doing raw ports to the different platforms; the game has to be released across platforms at the same time. (crappy, laggy ports ho!)
Already the OpenGL/DX divide is for the most part non-existant other than for smaller titles and those developers who want/need custom/speed.
What Valve may help drive is a _focus_ on OpenGL as the primary source of effort instead of DirectX. Traditionally OpenGL games on Windows have always been second fiddle to DirectX and that trend may eventually swing the other direction due to the weight of iOS/Android/PS3 vs. PC/XBox/WinPhone; even with middleware (optimisation is everything for mobile systems)
Honestly, if it wasn’t for XBox, Microsoft would have already lost that grip.
Member since:2005-07-06
This makes sense for a new developer who say, "I want to make games." But for the vast majority of big games out there that would be ported to Linux, these are Windows games. Most of these games use DirectX.
I agree that as more and more developers come in and decide that they want to develop games for many platforms, then OpenGL makes sense. But for the current batch of big Windows games, these target Windows and XBox (with perhaps a crappy port to other consoles) and are written in DirectX.
Even for the current Windows dev who writes Windows and XBox games (using same development environment - XNA), if they decide to write (or rewrite) their current games for OpenGL, what do they do for XBox, which is most likely their premier platform.
I think as mobile games, tablet games, and the non-microsft platform in general grows, we may reach this tipping point. I don't think we are there yet. It is possible that Windows 8 will help, but a lot depends of how successful Microsoft is with Windows Surface on tablets, convertibles, and whether or not they can resurrect the Windows Phone market.
Member since:2010-06-01
Member since:2011-01-28
"A secondary question is how hard it is to code OpenGL for Windows Devs."
They're actually very similar abstractions because they're designed to expose the same hardware functionality.
They're so similar I'd be inclined to think a shim layer would be fairly effective, and search reveals that one already exists, even:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/dxglwrap/
http://www.wcn.it/reactos.directx8.wrapper.opengl.jpg
It's author hasn't contributed anything since '09, but it might prove the feasibility of that approach never the less.
"The question is (and maybe I missed it) is - is OpenGL/Windows faster than DirectX/Windows"
"If DirectX is still faster than OpenGL on Windows, there won't be a mass exodus."
According to the article:
Windows OpenGL: 303FPS
Windows DirectX: 270FPS
Linux OpenGL: 315FPS.
We shouldn't extrapolate this directly to imply that linux would win a more complex benchmark. This benchmark might happen to be so fast that it exposes implementation bottlenecks on windows that wouldn't ordinarily be reached with a more challenging problem. In other words, maybe the windows version peters out beyond 200FPS due to no interest in optimising that case.
Either way I think it obviously demonstrates that linux can handle games, it's just a matter of convincing commercial publishers to show an interest. Microsoft may be providing the biggest incentive of all with Metro.
Member since:2009-08-18
DirectX 9.0c is well known to have a overhead compared to OpenGL, this situation is reversed in Direct X 10 and 11
http://www.osnews.com/permalink?529385
Member since:2006-07-14
Member since:2011-06-26
Why does Google get so much credit in the technology industry? Why, despite the company's many obvious failings, do many geeks and enthusiasts still hold a somewhat positive view on the all-knowing technology giant? A specific talk at Google I/O this week provides the answer.
OSNews is a sponsor of this year's O'Reilly OSCON in Portland, Oregon, USA. A lucky OSNews reader will win a free three-day pass, including two tutorials days. To win the pass, post a comment on this story saying something about Open Source Software or OSCON. We'll pick a winner at random next week. If you don't have an OSNews account, you may email us your entry. Part of the conference is the 9th annual Open Source Awards, and today the 16th is the deadline for nominations. If you'd like to nominate an outstanding open source contributor, do it here. Read on for more information about OSCON. Update: The 20% discount code for OSNews readers is "OSN."
"Windows is indeed slower than other operating systems in many scenarios, and the gap is worsening." That's one way to start an insider explanation of why Windows' performance isn't up to snuff. Written by someone who actually contributes code to the Windows NT kernel, the comment on Hacker News, later deleted but reposted with permission on Marc Bevand's blog, paints a very dreary picture of the state of Windows development. The root issue? Think of how Linux is developed, and you'll know the answer.
This is one of those news items that's fun to write, fun to read, fun to comment on, and where no one will be able to say anything unkind. It's all just one big ball of awesome fluffiness. TuneTracker, the BeOS radio automation software, has just released something very special: TuneTracker System 5, the first version designed entirely and specifically for Haiku. In fact, it actually includes Haiku in the software package. Better yet, TuneTracker also unveiled several system-in-a-box products - which have Haiku and TuneTracker pre-installed.
Exactly twenty years ago, a document was published that played a huge role in establishing the web as we know it today. Twenty years later, and this simple and straightforward document is proof of an irrefutable fact: while closed technologies can change markets, open technologies can change the world.
Oh multitasking. That staple of computing that got thrown out the window with many modern smartphones. We got some rudimentary thing in its place - but even as multitasking on phone and tablets improves, its user-visible side remains cumbersome. Windows 8 has a neat implementation, and now it's time Android follows in it footsteps.They're here! Whether that excites you or not remains to be seen, but the Galaxy S4, which will most likely become the best selling Android smartphone of the year by a huge margin, has been reviewed by all the major sites, and there's lots of interesting conclusions in there - although I think most of you will get the gist.Nokia has posted its quarterly results for the first quarter of 2013, and just like the quarters that came before, there's not a whole lot of good news in there. The rise in Lumia sales still can't even dream of making up for the sales drop in Symbian phones, and when broken down in versions, the sales figures for Windows Phone 8 Lumias in particular are very disappointing. In North America, Nokia is getting slaughtered.The day has finally come: Google has started shipping Google Glass to the lucky few early adopters. Now that it's shipping, Google has also unveiled a lot more about the API and the specifications of the device itself. While the company had already given out substantial details at earlier occasions, there are still a few surprises here.
Almost exactly three years ago, I wrote about why OSNews was no longer OSNews: the alternative operating system scene had died, and OSNews, too, had to go with the times and move towards reporting on a new wave of operating systems - mobile, and all the repercussions that the explosion of smartphones and tablets have caused. Still, I was wondering something today: why aren't we seeing alternative operating systems on mobile?
Member since:
2005-07-06
I am glad to hear OpenGL/Linux is faster that Windows/DirectX. However, a lot of Devs will only code for Windows. The question is (and maybe I missed it) is - is OpenGL/Windows faster than DirectX/Windows? A secondary question is how hard it is to code OpenGL for Windows Devs.
If DirectX is still faster than OpenGL on Windows, there won't be a mass exodus. In addition, if OpenGL isn't somewhat easy for Windows Devs using Visual Studio and Microsoft libraries, they will continue using what they have.
The bottom line, is once someone can convince Windows devs to use OpenGL, a good part of the battle is over.