
The downside is that, since it's much faster, you can ask it to do much more (such as dynamic lights) and overdoing that can result in a slower render at the end. Unless you have a very powerful CPU coupled with a pathetic GPU, the hardware renderer is going to be much faster. The hardware renderer, however, calls upon a graphic library (Open GL = Open Graphic Library) that delegates most of the work to your graphic chipset and its GPU, which has specialized components to do standard graphical operations faster than normal code does (hence, hardware).
#Difference between zdoom and gzdoom software
With the software renderer, Doom makes all the graphic work itself (so the computations are handled by the CPU). What does "hardware" and "software" mean? Simple. Independently of the renderer, the physics code is slightly different (to account for 3D floors they're invisible in the software renderer but still present anyway, while in ZDoom they're completely ignored). Every feature that is in ZDoom is found in GZDoom (though you can have to wait a bit for the latest ZDoom SVN novelty to be added in the GZDoom SVN but not vice-versa. GZDoom is basically ZDoom but with an additional renderer which uses OpenGL. Nothing at all to worry about now.Īnd a final tip: The "blurriness" is probably texture filtering, which can be turned off in the OpenGL display settings menu. Of course, this is the future I'm talking here. I'm certain that Graf Zahl will do his best to keep his port relatively up-to-date with ZDoom standards, but it's possible that a split may occur and one day standard ZDoom may support a feature or two that GZDoom doesn't, or vice-versa. The only thing I'd worry about is perhaps compatibility between the two ports in the future. Just be sure to put them to good use if you decide to go GL, to justify the needs. Other notable features include dynamic lighting and reflective floors, though due to their nature, none of these will work in the software renderer. The biggest addition that GZDoom has is, naturally, the 3D floor. I'd go as far as to say they're identical, but then again, who knows? Having said that though, GZDoom has (for now) the normal software renderer included, though. As I understand it people buy the steam versions to have the wad files to run through source ports like gzdoom and Zandronum. GZdoom is objectively a better, more robust port.
#Difference between zdoom and gzdoom for free
With gzdoom you can also look in any direction, whereas zdoom limits how far you can look up. wad files for free on gzdoom, that would be pretty odd. GZDoom is, however, better than most GL ports in handling these errors, and if you're mapping specifically for GZDoom then you'll never have to worry about it. ZDoom uses a software renderer, GZDoom uses OpenGL. The only oddities that really seem to occur are maps which use certain quirks in the software engine that the GL renderer has trouble with (sector-referencing tricks and whatnot). And breaking out the flamethrower for an entirely harmless question isn't quite the smartest move in the book, either.įor most practical purposes, GZDoom supports all features that standard ZDoom does.
