   D3D 8 or 9
  Which should I start out using?   I really havn''t done anything like this before, so which topic should I research?   Is 9 much different than 8?  Any info is appreciated!   Kings of Chaos
  DX8 and 9 are quite similar... In DX9 a few things were moved around, a few things were added, and a small amount of extra complexity was introduced.Compared to what''s the same though, not much has changed.  I''d say learn 9, unless you have a book that uses DX8.  After you learn DX8, switching to DX9 shouldn''t be much of an issue.  If you aren''t relying on a DX8 book, go straight to DX9.;  Overall, I like 9 much better. It seems more stable and better to work with. If you do go w/ 9 though, be careful. I noticed that Microsoft added some features to help out newbies, but just cause more trouble in the long run. One example is the fact that you can specify D3DFMT_UNKNOWN for your back buffer format when working in windowed mode. In the past, you had to query the current device mode and set it from there. it wasn''t difficult at all. The problem with using D3DFMT_UNKNOWN is that if you decide to make any calls to check the device format (such as checking to see if antialiasing will work), you actually have to KNOW the back buffer format, so in the end you''ll have to query it anyway. It will just cause errors. If you''re running in windowed mode though and you set a back buffer format that''s different than your desktop, Direct3D is now designed to convert to your desktop mode in v9 so that''s helpful, although you shoudln''t be doing that anyway. In either case, it''s more helpful than not - you just have to be careful.   ---Brent Gunning | My Site;  since you're just starting, might as well learn the latest. it will be just as hard (or easy) to learn d3d8 as it would be to learn d3d9 for someone just starting.The only real difference between dx9 and 8 is just that in dx8 vertex shaders were introduced and you had to write them in assembly, but in dx9 you can write them in a c type language. Other then that everything is basically the same.   ::::   [ Triple Buffer V2.0 ] ::::  [edited by - ifoobar on July 29, 2003 5:21:06 PM];  alrighty!! Thanks very much for your helpful responses!   Kings of Chaos;  I think if you want to program games for Xbox, DX8 is still the only choice. Right? ;  Xbox is more like Direct3D 8.5 (or Direct3D 8 with some nVIDIA OpenGL extensions);  > I think if you want to program games for Xbox, DX8 is still the only choice. Right? Maybe... It's safe to say that the Xbox's DX8-class hardware isn't going to magically start running 2.0 pixel shaders and such.   [edited by - Donavon Keithley on July 31, 2003 3:52:37 AM];  But it''s unlikely a n00b is going to be developing for X-box IMO I''d advise to use the latest unless you''re developing on or for older hardware. DX8 won''t work on some hardware that DX7 will, a similar situation MAY exist with DX9 Vs DX8. Though I''d imagine it''s not much of an issue if at all. ;  In case it's even an issue, DX8.0 is the last version available for Win95. DX8.1+ is just strictly available on Win98 and newer OS's..the REALLY cool thing IMHO is the D3DSpy utility that comes with DX9. That makes debugging SO much easier as you can view the states/information coming and and out of the d3d pipeline...I realize that as developers we're never happy, but it would've been a 3000 point bonus on the "cool scale" if the D3DSpy utility supported earlier interfaces as well...but we can always dream... [edited by - wazoo69 on July 31, 2003 9:09:27 AM]