DirectX vs opengl

Sasquach

Hidden in plain sight
need a answer to a topic thats in the console forum, ready to erupt into a volcano at any moment.

I figured id ask here cuz, well you're all coder types and would know the answer.

OK, does Opengl REQUIRE DirectX to run? (does opengl games need directx to run them?)
Or is it simply independant and utilizes DirectX because of the other components of it?


and plz respond to this quote:

Also, the use of DX8.x, DX9, etc is a classification for graphics chips and their general feature-set. Like DX9 has some pretty high specifications and ATI has followed those specs with their R300, but what you can do in OpenGL is still governed by those specs (just an example).

thx.
Your knowledge will be greatly appreciated.
 
OpenGL games for Windows often do use certain DirectX features. Direct3D (the API's graphics engine) isn't used (of course), but DirectInput, DirectPlay, and DirectSound are some part of DirectX that are used. Obviously, no part of DirectX is not used on other platforms, such as Linux and Macintosh.

What you can do in OpenGL is not governed by DirectX, but by what the video card can do. A vid card developer might make an experimental feature that is not supported in D3D, but is supported in an OpenGL extension. That's why OpenGL really is so good for chip developers: it lets them experiment beyond the boundries of DirectX.

OpenGL is totally independant of DirectX. The only reason why OpenGL games use some DirectX features is that OpenGL itself is just a rendering API -- all it does is 3d --, while DirectX contains more than just rendering.
 
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