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Apple's Decision to Depreciate OpenGL and OpenCL for Metal

MacSaversMacSavers Posts: 324
in Daz Studio Discussion

I'm curious how this decision will affect things like dForce and Fluidos. With Mojave (10.14) coming very soon, probably this month, Apple has announced they want vendors to move to Metal for graphics processing. Apple was never very good at keeping OpenGL and OpenCL up-to-date, but the new Metal API gives access to the CPU/GPU at unprecidented levels compared to what Apple has done in the past. Some of the 3D games that use Metal have been extremely impressive.

Is DAZ Studio planning on moving to Metal any time soon?

Comments

  • nonesuch00nonesuch00 Posts: 18,729

    Unity has gotten good at adapting to the new differentiation in graphics API it's been handling openGL/openCL, DirectX, Vulkan, and Metal for a while now. It's up to DAZ 3D to port it's graphics engine to Metal but you can be sure that the QT and iRay developers already are or already have. That leaves 3DL and whoever did DAZ Studio openGL engine to adapt. Someone will probably try to do an openGL/openCL API wrapper around Metal so maybe it won't be a big problem. Does DAZ even have near enough customers to pay for such a port? I mean their graphics developers might want to enthusiastically work extra hours off the clock to do the job but that's probably not the best choice to get it done. Not that they aren't capable, but because of all the extra hours is not good.

  • EightiesIsEnoughEightiesIsEnough Posts: 1,229

    I hope this does not mean the changeover to Metal will make DAZ Studio incompatible on my computer.

  • Silver DolphinSilver Dolphin Posts: 1,638

    It would be nice if OpenGL was upgraded in Daz I use it alot in my cheap laptop.

  • MacSaversMacSavers Posts: 324
    JonSea31 said:

    I hope this does not mean the changeover to Metal will make DAZ Studio incompatible on my computer.

    Just depends on which version of Mac OS you are using. Apple will continue to support Open CL and Open GL in the upcoming Mojave update due out on the 24th of this month. If you are using an older system, it should be fine. I don't think Daz will take out the Open CL and Open GL. Most likely they will just add Metal or do the wrapper to allow Open CL and Open GL work within Metal.

  • mikekmikek Posts: 195
    nonesuch00 said:

    Someone will probably try to do an openGL/openCL API wrapper around Metal so maybe it won't be a big problem. 

    Vulkan is basically the successor for OpenGL and  works on a lower level for better performance like metal does. There is a wrapper allowing to run Vulkan on metal called MoltenVK. Dota 2 uses this and Vulkan+wrapper comes with a performance boost over pure OpenGL.
    It would likely be a better idea switching to the already working Vulkan instead of waiting for a wrapper for the older OpenGL.
     

  • MacSaversMacSavers Posts: 324

    This will be interesting to watch. While OpenCL and OpenGL are going to be discontinued in Mac OS, the latest version (Mojave) will still allow it to work, but next year it will be dropped completely. That will give Daz roughly a year to get it worked out. I know it sounds like a long time, but it will come screaming at them before they know it.

  • TBorNotTBorNot Posts: 374

    It's called "Open"GL for a reason.  In the dark ages, we'd have to download GL source from a web site and compile.  If we could do it for VAX/VMS running a Tektronix terminal, there's no particular reason why this can't be done again and distributed with a product.

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