There’s a great deal of focus at the moment on Microsoft’s next generation API, DirectX 12, and indeed on AMD’s own low-level interface, Mantle. Both promise a more console-like approach, with lower-level access to the hardware, unobstructed by layer upon layer of abstraction. There is another though; OpenGL. The Silicon Graphics API that let you play Quake with hardware rendering is set for an update – and it’ll be revealed next month. Interestingly, it’ll be revealed by – amongst others – Valve.
At next month’s Game Developer’s Conference, a group of graphics engineers from Valve, Electronics Arts, Unity, Epic Games and other will present a panel titled “glNext: The Future of High Performance Graphics (Presented by Valve)”
It’ll be used as a platform to unveil a brand new “upcoming cross-platform graphics API designed for modern programming techniques and processors.”
The panel will be hosted by Johan Andersson, technical fellow on the Frostbite Engine Team, Valve developers Pierre-Loup Griffais and John McDonald, Niklas Smedberg, senior engine programmer at Epic Games, Dan Baker, graphics architect at Oxide Games, and unity engine graphics architect Aras Pranckevicius.
They’ll be doing a full technical breakdown of the API, and show off the power of their new software API.
It’s the Valve bit that has me intrigued. Valve’s been trying to make a greater push in to gaming with its Steam OS – which does away with things like DirectX, favouring instead open source and royalty free software. OpenGL has always been the cornerstone of SteamOS’ graphics rendering, and this next generation of it could bring with it the impetus it needs to finally get SteamOS off the ground.
The delusion, over-excitable part of me though, hopes we may finally catch a glimpse of Valve new Source engine, running on a next generation API. With that comes all sorts of possibilities: Left 4 Dead 3? Other things ending in 3?
Who knows! We’ll get to find out on March 5 (via PCGamer)
[Thanks to Erwin for the tip]Last Updated: February 4, 2015
Blood Emperor Trevor
February 4, 2015 at 13:33
…
Admiral Chief
February 4, 2015 at 13:43
Bowchickawowow
Hammersteyn
February 4, 2015 at 13:43
Erwin is a gentleman
RinceThis
February 4, 2015 at 13:59
That’s all there is. Be nice.
Tosh MA
February 4, 2015 at 14:01
Ouch.
Admiral Chief
February 4, 2015 at 14:02
Haha, imagine how odd that would look, ALL HEAD!
Blood Emperor Trevor
February 4, 2015 at 14:03
But then you’d be able to shout things like “ALL A HEAD FULL!”
Admiral Chief
February 4, 2015 at 14:03
ALL STEAM A HEAD
Admiral Chief
February 4, 2015 at 14:04
Dammit should be FULL STEAM A HEAD
Tosh MA
February 4, 2015 at 14:05
“Full” is a bit optimistic, don’t you think?
Admiral Chief
February 4, 2015 at 14:06
Indeed, half a meter is not a full meter, I apologize
Ceyber, The Metal Rabbit
February 4, 2015 at 14:05
XD
RinceThis
February 4, 2015 at 14:11
What a big helmet you’ve got! 0_O
Admiral Chief
February 4, 2015 at 14:12
I’m surrounded by assholes
RinceThis
February 4, 2015 at 14:14
Trevor tries very hard. We should appreciate that!
Blood Emperor Trevor
February 4, 2015 at 14:17
No one ever does 🙁
Just the other day I was being an asshole in the office & I got told to fuck off, loudly. It was so rude & hurtful.
RinceThis
February 4, 2015 at 14:20
BWAHAHAHHAHAAHHA! Brilliant 🙂
Admiral Chief
February 4, 2015 at 14:22
Serious?
Geez, some people. I hope you farted in that general direction
Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim
February 4, 2015 at 13:59
Read that in Archer voice. Mission accomplished?
hairyknees
February 4, 2015 at 13:37
OPENGL3 CONFIRMED! Wait…. :'(
Blood Emperor Trevor
February 4, 2015 at 13:37
YOU SHUT UP, AND DON’T EVEN THINK OF MENTIONING CABBAG3.
hairyknees
February 4, 2015 at 13:40
DOTA3*******
Blood Emperor Trevor
February 4, 2015 at 13:43
I WARNED YOU! NOW I’M ANGRY! ON THE INTERNET!
hairyknees
February 4, 2015 at 13:54
WANNA WEBCAM BATTLE?
Tosh MA
February 4, 2015 at 13:55
O_O
Blood Emperor Trevor
February 4, 2015 at 13:58
MY SCHWARTZ IS BIGGER THAN YOURS!
Ghost In The Rift
February 4, 2015 at 13:37
Upgrade required costs, 2 internal body parts.
Blood Emperor Trevor
February 4, 2015 at 13:38
Do they have to be from my body, or can I use someone elses. Asking for a friend.
Admiral Chief
February 4, 2015 at 13:37
AWWWJISSSS RECOGNITION!!!
Admiral Chief
February 4, 2015 at 13:38
Man, games need to do this again! 3 different paths to follow to choose difficulty level!
Hammersteyn
February 4, 2015 at 13:43
Don’t forget the nightmare level
Admiral Chief
February 4, 2015 at 13:43
Indeed!
I miss Quake1 🙁
Hammersteyn
February 4, 2015 at 13:49
Sooooooo no new Quake game?
*Goes home.
Matewis Jubilai
February 4, 2015 at 13:53
I loved Q4, and hope that the next one is a mix between Q4 and http://www.mobygames.com/game/freedom-fighters: fighting on the Strogg homeworld, and you have to decide which facilities and areas to attack, which in turn has an effect on the equipment, enemies and support you can call in for each mission.
Blood Emperor Trevor
February 4, 2015 at 13:50
The best part of Valve’s involvement is that we know from day one it’ll have full hat support.
Tosh MA
February 4, 2015 at 13:54
OpenGL was never widely adopted if I’m not mistaken. it was around for a bit, but apparently it’s really difficult to code for?
Idk, if it’s widely adopted and works as well or better than DX or Mantle, then maybe this is cool. If not, then this is forgettable.
Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim
February 4, 2015 at 13:56
You’re mistaken. It’s used in CAD, and in a bunch of games too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_OpenGL_programs
Tosh MA
February 4, 2015 at 13:58
That’s very interesting.
And twice in a day, dammit. Fluctuation… XD
Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim
February 4, 2015 at 14:01
FLUCK YOU!
Admiral Chief
February 4, 2015 at 14:03
Flucking flucks all over the flucking place
Blood Emperor Trevor
February 4, 2015 at 14:04
I hoped it was just a fluke.
Tosh MA
February 4, 2015 at 14:05
*prace
Admiral Chief
February 4, 2015 at 14:07
Nope, place, else it would have been “frucking frucks arr over the frucking prace”
Tosh MA
February 4, 2015 at 14:28
Then that.
z1n
February 4, 2015 at 15:48
I think it’s not widely adopted because ‘Windows is for gaming’ which pretty much forces you to used DX (the odd game allows OpenGL). I think with the rise of non-Windows gaming, OpenGL will start to enjoy some big success (ahem, Steam Machines).
RustedFaith
February 4, 2015 at 17:08
OpenGL was widely adopted all over the world in the 90’s. It was the dominant API until 3dfx went bust.
loftie
February 4, 2015 at 13:56
i am almost at the halfway point in my life. half life 3 confirmed.
CrasH
February 4, 2015 at 14:00
what…
5/03/2015..
5+3+20+15 = 43….L4D3 revealed 😛
Admiral Chief
February 4, 2015 at 14:03
Your math, it is very sound!
Tosh MA
February 4, 2015 at 14:04
Like this?
z1n
February 4, 2015 at 15:43
I’m so glad OpenGL is getting more exposure and becoming a real option as a gfx language. Direct X bullshit has held us up for long enough. It’s been good sure, I can’t dispute that, but it’s Windows dependant which is so limiting in this day and age.
It’s clear to see the reason Valve are in on this is because of Steam machines. And because OpenGL is, well… open, it has much more cross platform capability than DirectX while at the same time making it easier for devs (and importantly the indies) to access the potential of the hardware. The community has always been the best at making games/ideas because they do it for love, not money.
TL;DR: Open source FTW!