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OpenGL existed before DirectX. Now we also have Vulkan. I'm not a fan but there are also some DXn available on Linux. The problem is nothing more than a lack o

OpenGL existed before DirectX. Now we also have Vulkan. I'm not a fan but there are also some DXn available on Linux. The problem is nothing more than a lack of will on game developers part to move the needle.

Filligree 5y ago
You're proposing that developers should use OpenGL instead of DirectX 11/12? Unfortunately, there's no comparison. DirectX is much, much nicer to work with. As for Vulkan, it's... okay, in the sense that it lets you write fast code, but unless you're building a major engine it's a terrible idea.
bitwize 5y ago
OpenGL is NOT a replacement or alternative for DirectX. Nor is Vulkan a replacement for DX12. DirectX is, quite simply, the 3D API with the best design, support, and tooling. Nothing else comes anywhere close. And because all the professional gamedev workflows are organized around DirectX, it becomes a GIMP vs. Photoshop situation. Developing for anything but Windows and DirectX adds cost and friction, and even if you use an engine that abstracts all that "away" you still have to deal with testing and support costs for niche platforms that do not pay for their costs in revenue. So no, if you want to play PC games, it's Windows or gtfo.
- fao_ 5y ago
  > So no, if you want to play PC games, it's Windows or gtfo. I think you mean, if you want to develop PC games. So far the following have worked out of the box on Linux, via Steam's Proton compatibility layer: Elite Dangerous Halo MCC MSGV Sable Dark Souls Remastered Cloudpunk Deus Ex: Human Revolution - Director's Cut Psychonauts (Windows version works better than Linux Native version -- Had to switch to Proton 5.13-6 to remove a log item appearing on the screen for whatever reason, but it was just selecting a different menu item) Journey The Witcher 2 The Witcher 3 Doom [2016] (I had to tinker with it to get it to have a decent framerate, but it was basically just switching an option to Vulkan and adding an option or two in the little box that I copied and pasted from https://protondb.com/ ) Risk of Rain 2 Sekiro Silicon Dreams Mirror's Edge Worms: Armageddon and a bunch more. Supposedly these actually run better, since a fair few of them are written using OpenGL, more than you would expect, actually.

Filligree 5y ago

You're proposing that developers should use OpenGL instead of DirectX 11/12? Unfortunately, there's no comparison. DirectX is much, much nicer to work with. As for Vulkan, it's... okay, in the sense that it lets you write fast code, but unless you're building a major engine it's a terrible idea.

bitwize 5y ago

OpenGL is NOT a replacement or alternative for DirectX. Nor is Vulkan a replacement for DX12. DirectX is, quite simply, the 3D API with the best design, support, and tooling. Nothing else comes anywhere close. And because all the professional gamedev workflows are organized around DirectX, it becomes a GIMP vs. Photoshop situation. Developing for anything but Windows and DirectX adds cost and friction, and even if you use an engine that abstracts all that "away" you still have to deal with testing and support costs for niche platforms that do not pay for their costs in revenue. So no, if you want to play PC games, it's Windows or gtfo.

fao_ 5y ago
> So no, if you want to play PC games, it's Windows or gtfo. I think you mean, if you want to develop PC games. So far the following have worked out of the box on Linux, via Steam's Proton compatibility layer: Elite Dangerous Halo MCC MSGV Sable Dark Souls Remastered Cloudpunk Deus Ex: Human Revolution - Director's Cut Psychonauts (Windows version works better than Linux Native version -- Had to switch to Proton 5.13-6 to remove a log item appearing on the screen for whatever reason, but it was just selecting a different menu item) Journey The Witcher 2 The Witcher 3 Doom [2016] (I had to tinker with it to get it to have a decent framerate, but it was basically just switching an option to Vulkan and adding an option or two in the little box that I copied and pasted from https://protondb.com/ ) Risk of Rain 2 Sekiro Silicon Dreams Mirror's Edge Worms: Armageddon and a bunch more. Supposedly these actually run better, since a fair few of them are written using OpenGL, more than you would expect, actually.