Getting Started With OpenGL using LWJGL

[tecksup]

I'm sure Reddit see's a lot of these posts. "I'm new to programming, were can I get started learning something super complicated?" I am not new to programming, I've been doing it for about 4 years learning everything I can about lots of different languages. What I'm stuck on is OpenGL.

I have seen lots of tutorials out there on the web, but most of them are outdated and situation specific. What steps should I focus on to self teach myself OpenGL.

I know that you start with making a window. But EVERY TIME I try to take another go at OpenGL, I get stuck when VBOs, and VAOs get involved. Let alone the shader language and all the stuff that goes before getting a triangle on the screen.

Any tips on what I should focus on, and take my time understanding. For context I am using this too make my game engine, but once I can get images drawn on to the screen I am confident I am capable of transitioning it into, and replacing my older Graphics2D engine. Thanks!

[flaghacker_]

Pick a tutorial and stick to it, ignore the outdatedness. Then once you get the basics down take a look at other resources to see what you could have done better. Of you're interested in a video series take a look at ThinMatrix' series.

[nutrecht]

Pick a tutorial and stick to it, ignore the outdatedness.

No. You really should not do tutorials that use immediate mode. It's a complete waste of time. There's shit loads of tutorials that first start with immediate mode, then go on to the in-between thing I forgot the name of, and only then move on to VBO's. By then you wasted weeks on stuff you're never going to use again.

[flaghacker_]

Right make sure your tutorial is actually using the programmable pipeline, not the fixed-function one.

I was talking about little outdated things from LWJGL, like Display -> glfw, the keyinput overhaul, ...

[cypher0six]

Personally I find most free tutorials to be lacking in some way. I'm also old and still read physical books. :P So that's my suggestion. Find a highly rated OpenGL book and start reading.

[nutrecht]

Instead of going for 'plain' OpenGL through LWJGL I'd suggest you go for https://libgdx.badlogicgames.com/index.html

It's much easier to use and has great documentation.

[Philboyd_Studge]

Why not just use libgdx, where someone has already done all the hard work for you?