Graphical/ Sound API
In this bit i will cover both forms of API, this is graphical, and sound.
Graphical API:
Firstly what is an API? Well short for Application Programming interface, this is a set of protocols and tools for building software applications. It expresses a software component, relative to inputs and outputs, as well as underlying types and operations. It can also be referred to as a web tool. The point is that software companies may release its API to the public in order to get other software developers to design products using their service. An example of this could be seen when looking at Amazon.com. They released their API so the website developers could access Amazon's product information a lot more easily, and allows third party web sites to post direct links to amazon products with updated prices. It is essentially a software to software interface, as apposed to a user interface, as applications may talk to each other without the users knowledge.
Now specifically, a Graphic API is the software that renders the video you see in the screen. There are 3 main types of Graphic API...
Firstly what is an API? Well short for Application Programming interface, this is a set of protocols and tools for building software applications. It expresses a software component, relative to inputs and outputs, as well as underlying types and operations. It can also be referred to as a web tool. The point is that software companies may release its API to the public in order to get other software developers to design products using their service. An example of this could be seen when looking at Amazon.com. They released their API so the website developers could access Amazon's product information a lot more easily, and allows third party web sites to post direct links to amazon products with updated prices. It is essentially a software to software interface, as apposed to a user interface, as applications may talk to each other without the users knowledge.
Now specifically, a Graphic API is the software that renders the video you see in the screen. There are 3 main types of Graphic API...
OpenGL:
One of the most widely used open graphics API, as it is designed to give the use maximum performance on GPUs. It is a window system and operating system independent as well as a network transparent. It enables developers to create high performance visually pleasing graphics applications. It is an open standard, and is designed to render 2D and 3D graphics. It is used a lot in CAD, virtual reality, flight simulations, and especially video games. OpenGL ES: ES standing for Embedded systems. it uses a GPU and is designed for smartphones, games consoles, and PDAs as they are all embedded systems. |
DirectX:
This built in API comes with Windows OS, and provides low level functions which give access to hardware. When the Xbox was first named, the X within the name came from DirectX, in order to indicate that the console was based on this technology. DirectX is actually various APIs, all starting with the word Direct, and so X as a shorthand. |
Sound API:
Pretty much the same as a graphic API, however instead of focusing on visuals, it focuses on audios instead. There are tow main sound API which i will be talking about, and this is OpenAL, and Java Sound API.
OpenAL:
Also known as Open Audio Library, this interface software has multiple functions that programmers may use to help producing high quality audio output. Designed to cater for a multi channel output for 3D sound sources, this platform can because across any platform/ The coding style is similar to that of OpenGL as it uses syntax to function. The basis behind OpenAL is to make it possible to generate audio in 3D space. By doing this it enhances player experience, as mimicking 3D space using audio includes the addition of the dopler effect by utilizing sound frequencies. This adds a much more immerseive experience in video games, as i have explained within the sound page.
Pretty much the same as a graphic API, however instead of focusing on visuals, it focuses on audios instead. There are tow main sound API which i will be talking about, and this is OpenAL, and Java Sound API.
OpenAL:
Also known as Open Audio Library, this interface software has multiple functions that programmers may use to help producing high quality audio output. Designed to cater for a multi channel output for 3D sound sources, this platform can because across any platform/ The coding style is similar to that of OpenGL as it uses syntax to function. The basis behind OpenAL is to make it possible to generate audio in 3D space. By doing this it enhances player experience, as mimicking 3D space using audio includes the addition of the dopler effect by utilizing sound frequencies. This adds a much more immerseive experience in video games, as i have explained within the sound page.
Java Sound API:
This API is designed to help users write programs, and is a low level API which controls the inputs and outputs of sound, it has an excellent degree of control over audio capability. It is a pretty straight forward API when compared to the others, as it follows the already mentioned conventions.
This API is designed to help users write programs, and is a low level API which controls the inputs and outputs of sound, it has an excellent degree of control over audio capability. It is a pretty straight forward API when compared to the others, as it follows the already mentioned conventions.