After SDL....

[Bullet Pulse]

I have gotten pretty comfortable with SDL, and after I finish my current project, I plan on learning another API so that I can accomplish more.
I have been given recommendations to use SFML and OpenGL, but I don't have the pros and cons of each.
If you were to recommend an API for me, what would it be, and why?

[XianForce]

I have gotten pretty comfortable with SDL, and after I finish my current project, I plan on learning another API so that I can accomplish more.
I have been given recommendations to use SFML and OpenGL, but I don't have the pros and cons of each.
If you were to recommend an API for me, what would it be, and why?

well, OpenGL is strictly graphics, so you'd need to use something like SDL or SFML alongside it. I can already see all the SFML fanboys recommending to go use SFML, but here's what I honestly thing. Using SFML is going to be like a small back track, because to get the full speed of OpenGL, you'd have to use OpenGL with SFML anyways. So learning SFML would be like learning all the input, audio, and video stuff all over again, so that you can eventually use it with OpenGL... So imho, much better to integrate OpenGL into SDL.

[MrDeathNote]

I have gotten pretty comfortable with SDL, and after I finish my current project, I plan on learning another API so that I can accomplish more.
I have been given recommendations to use SFML and OpenGL, but I don't have the pros and cons of each.
If you were to recommend an API for me, what would it be, and why?

well, OpenGL is strictly graphics, so you'd need to use something like SDL or SFML alongside it. I can already see all the SFML fanboys recommending to go use SFML, but here's what I honestly thing. Using SFML is going to be like a small back track, because to get the full speed of OpenGL, you'd have to use OpenGL with SFML anyways. So learning SFML would be like learning all the input, audio, and video stuff all over again, so that you can eventually use it with OpenGL... So imho, much better to integrate OpenGL into SDL.

I agree with this, OpenGL is extemely powerful but it's more complex than something like SDL where you can render with one line. If you feel confident enough to try OpenGL you may want to check out the last lazyfoo tutorial and then use that with the nehe tutorials to give yourself a grounding in OpenGL. But you have been warned, it can be quite a learning curve

[XianForce]

I agree with this, OpenGL is extemely powerful but it's more complex than something like SDL where you can render with one line. If you feel confident enough to try OpenGL you may want to check out the last lazyfoo tutorial and then use that with the nehe tutorials to give yourself a grounding in OpenGL. But you have been warned, it can be quite a learning curve

^^ Agreed

Also check out LazyFoo's last article and NeHe.

[eatcomics]

yeah, there is a lot to take in, and you really have to know what features you want, because with all the lighting techniques, culling, rendering, and maths and such it can really seem overwhelming...

[MadPumpkin]

You all sound like prophets sent by some god or something. "Thou shalt not take the name of OpenGL, until thou hast forgotten the ways of SDL!" is what I have to say for myself.... I'd probably go with learning SFML and using it with OpenGL, I was looking at SFML but never made an effort to learn it well... I do know that learning many different output libraries just like MrDeathNote said:

I agree with this, OpenGL is extemely powerful but it's more complex than something like SDL where you can render with one line. If you feel confident enough to try OpenGL you may want to check out the last lazyfoo tutorial and then use that with the nehe tutorials to give yourself a grounding in OpenGL. But you have been warned, it can be quite a learning curve

My thoughts exactly. Especially NeHe, great tutorials. I'm still learning from them however.


EDIT: Oh and also, I'm not a fan of Halo, but I'm a fan of good art. Your signature is F*ing sick as hell... Is that your art?

[Live-Dimension]

My suggestion would be to use SFML and then integrate OGL into it, but you see, SFML actually uses OGL exclusively so alot of the hard work is already done. I don't know how SDL does it. That's just me though :P

[Ginto8]

My suggestion would be to use SFML and then integrate OGL into it, but you see, SFML actually uses OGL exclusively so alot of the hard work is already done. I don't know how SDL does it. That's just me though :P

Yes, but SFML's website actually says (I forget the exact quote though) that their rendering, though it is hardware accelerated, isn't optimized. If you are going to use something like OBB collision detection, you're going to have to calculate vertices, and because of this you can probably make rendering more efficient in cases where they've already been calculated. Also, the OP said that he already knows SDL. Though SFML is better for rendering than SDL, it's about the same otherwise (not including networking, which SFML has an amazing interface for), so he might as well use SDL with OpenGL, or else he'd have to learn two new APIs instead of just 1

[GroundUpEngine]

I use both but I'll say this, It doesn't matter what you use.

...If you know SDL, then use SDL. simples

[MrDeathNote]

My suggestion would be to use SFML and then integrate OGL into it, but you see, SFML actually uses OGL exclusively so alot of the hard work is already done. I don't know how SDL does it. That's just me though :P

Yes, but SFML's website actually says (I forget the exact quote though) that their rendering, though it is hardware accelerated, isn't optimized. If you are going to use something like OBB collision detection, you're going to have to calculate vertices, and because of this you can probably make rendering more efficient in cases where they've already been calculated. Also, the OP said that he already knows SDL. Though SFML is better for rendering than SDL, it's about the same otherwise (not including networking, which SFML has an amazing interface for), so he might as well use SDL with OpenGL, or else he'd have to learn two new APIs instead of just 1

Agreed