Software vs. OpenGL Mode

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Which mode, in your opinion, do you prefer to use?

I decided to actually use OpenGL online, and it actually fast much better. The 3D view of everything looks a lot more... correct.

Like for example:

Software:
srb20002.png


OpenGL:
srb20004.png


When you look upwards towards a wall, it just... looks weird. I can't really explain it any further than that.

However, looking in OpenGL displays it the way it's meant to be seen.

Besides the occasional visual glitches, OpenGL is a pretty fine option to go with.

So which one do you guys prefer?
 
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http://wiki.srb2.org/wiki/SRB2_Rendering_Modes

See here for more comparisons between Software and OpenGL, in case anyone doesn't know them.

Just thought this might be of somewhat relevance to the topic.


...as for me, I prefer Software. It looks fine as it is in that mode; OpenGL's lighting and the way the sprites appear in it don't quite fit SRB2 to me, on the other hand.

Not to mention Software has fog, unlike OpenGL. =P
 
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Before 2.0, I almost exclusively used OpenGL, and I still like playing with the Trilinear filter and max anisotropic, but since 2.0 came out, I've switched to usually using Software.

Since 2.0, I've noticed OpenGL, at least for me, gained a noticeable input lag, and is generally laggier than Software. There's also the thing about it not rendering stuff, sometimes not even rendering critical parts of the level, and that's a big turn off.

Software used to cause my graphics driver to crash and BSOD my computer, but it stopped doing that, and using an SDL build fixes all my other non-crashy Software issues.

Basically, I really only use OpenGL to play with MD2 models lately, and I find it unusable for any kind of gametype that involves shooting.

On a side note, I'm apparently pretty good at coming up with map gimmicks that completely break in OpenGL. So I guess you could say that's another reason. :x
 
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Back in the days of 1.09.4, I used OpenGL religiously. Now I hardly ever use it, but I still appreciate its ability to show proper viewing angles and render MD2.
 
This is just me wondering, why can't you fix the angle correction? What exactly stops the development team from fixing it in software mode? Is there some sort limitation by software mode or has no one really gotten around to it yet?
 
I use mouselook, and play match and CTF much like an FPS, so OpenGL helps with making it so I can see the ground :P
 
Violo said:
This is just me wondering, why can't you fix the angle correction? What exactly stops the development team from fixing it in software mode? Is there some sort limitation by software mode or has no one really gotten around to it yet?
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This is an issue with how the software renderer actually works. Software isn't drawing polygons; it's using a method called raycasting to generate a three dimensional image. If you've ever done two-point perspective drawings in art class, the software renderer works by doing that. When you're looking straight forward, the vanishing points are off the side of the screen directly in the middle of the screen, so the perspective looks normal. When you look up or down, it simply moves the vanishing points up or down to create the illusion that you're looking up or down at something. As you look farther and farther up or down, the vanishing points end up going way off the top or bottom of the screen, and this causes the picture to start becoming rather distorted as the perspective isn't designed to have vanishing points that far above or below the frame of view.
 
I think software mode and opengl mode have their own unique qualities. Opengl supports md2s and I think that is what makes Opengl unique, opengl also has better enviroment rendering. But software mode is fast, easy, and familiar. Both should be regarded with the same amount of priority. I think opengl should be completed.

---------- Post added at 08:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:51 PM ----------

Mystic said:
This is an issue with how the software renderer actually works. Software isn't drawing polygons; it's using a method called raycasting to generate a three dimensional image. If you've ever done two-point perspective drawings in art class, the software renderer works by doing that. When you're looking straight forward, the vanishing points are off the side of the screen directly in the middle of the screen, so the perspective looks normal. When you look up or down, it simply moves the vanishing points up or down to create the illusion that you're looking up or down at something. As you look farther and farther up or down, the vanishing points end up going way off the top or bottom of the screen, and this causes the picture to start becoming rather distorted as the perspective isn't designed to have vanishing points that far above or below the frame of view.
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Ohh, I understand. There is a unique way of thinking when programming is considered, thank heavens that I've acquired this way of thinking. The angle perspective is kinda like the 'skew' tool on ms paint.
 
I love, and always use OpenGL now. Software mode hurts my eyes when looking at detailed textures due to it's bad resolution, has a horrible FPS, and is shaky. The only thing I still wish the team would consider is fixing OpenGL to look like it does in XSRB2, with the shadows, fog, and what not. As I always say, shadows and fog give the game an even more realistic quality to it.

EDIT: Pfft!! Srb2 alone already has fog. Whoops.
 
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I can't use OpenGL, it never ran, not even from 1.09.4 and never will.

However, in modern versions of Doom (Skulltag), OpenGL is better administered, and a little lag is worth, as the game "saves" the sprites, and it doesn't have to load them all over again, making the game run almost perfectly.

Also, the Skulltag engine doesn't have this viewpoint glitch, not even in Software mode.
 
Sonnarkku said:
Also, the Skulltag engine doesn't have this viewpoint glitch, not even in Software mode.
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Well changing to the Skulltag engine now really isn't a good idea.

OpenGL must really be tedious/hard to code in if it's still unsupported over the potentially inferior Software.
 
To add to what Mystic said, the Doom engine (and similar engines, such as the Build engine) Assumes all walls are inherently vertical, and renders them as such. Considering Doom had a fixed viewing angle that was always perpendicular to these vertical walls, this worked. Then people started adding the ability to look up and down, and that's where the differences in perspective became more obvious.
 
OpenGL was what I used all the time during 1.09.4. Unfortunately it doesn't render everything now. I think the Paper Mario sprite problem might be fixed with md2s. I still like to use OpenGL because it's steam overlay compatible.
 
I still prefer OpenGL to Software, even if I almost always use Software now (for convenience). I would like to attempt to fix most of OpenGL's problems some day.
 
Get a better computer? I can't really think of anything else, but I'll check my video settings. You can also play in Windowed Mode at a lower resolution which makes it run a lot faster (and you can multitask easily :D).
 
I prefer the Software, playing online, it is faster viewing stages, plus it has some effects that OpenGL can not do.

But in single player, OpenGL is not bad. Also fun to use 3D models.
 
Callum said:
I still prefer OpenGL to Software, even if I almost always use Software now (for convenience). I would like to attempt to fix most of OpenGL's problems some day.
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The main problems for OpenGL are the lack of billboard options and the fact that certain flats don't render. Any other fix is just gravy.
 
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