Gamers vs programmers

[Reverend]

This is just out of curiosity. I've wanted to do such a poll during, er, "my time" here at this site but somehow never got around to it.

How many here are :

(A) pure gamers, with little-to-no knowledge of programming, and can/will only appreciate OOTB features (AA and AF primarily ATM) of the latest video cards+drivers

(B) programmers that only care about the features of the latest video cards and what they can potentially do with such features

(C) programmers that care about the features of the latest video cards, what they can do with such features but also care about OOTB features (AA, AF, etc)

I should probabbly add in "... and will buy such a video card based on these criteris" but I'll leave them out of the options for now (but feel free to comment on this).

Of course, there is no need to "reveal" yourself here, nor is B3D able to tell who voted which option. I encourage all who participate here (posters and non-posters) to participate in this poll (and hopefully be honest). Hopefully it will help with the improvements at the site.

 

[Fuz]

Hey Rev, at the beginning of the year, you hinted at making a come back of some sort. I think "I shall return" was what you said.

So whats up with that?

Edit: I voted A. I can barely program my VCR.

 

[tazdevl]

How about an A/B or D. Folks that aren't programmers but are interested and want to learn about the technical aspects of graphics products/3dapps... and play games.

Last discussion I read made by head spin. Damn business school, should have gone into programming instead.

 

[UberLord]

Is the graphics bit exclusively targeted at graphics programmers? I ask because I'm a competent programmer in a wide variety of languages and skill sets - the only real hole being graphics level programming.

Personally, I'd answer C as I can appreciate some of the stuff the graphics devs talk about

 

[Tahir2]

Very interesting post, Reverend and something I have been wondering also.

 

[Basic]

I voted B, but it isn't the full truth. I'm of course interested in things like AA and AF, but if somebody here is mostly into the prgrammability I think it's me. The thing that makes the AF of R9700 most interesting right now is to write a program to reveal how it works. Which will be done when I've put together a new computer soonish.

Is anybody surprised?

 

[Humus]

I think I'm a C. Sure I care about AA and AF. Still though, for me features are more important.

 

[Luminescent]

May situation is similar to Uberlord's. I have general (rudimentary) programming knowledge, specifically C. Programming in graphics, however, I have no experience with. I have programmed solutions for physics and math; problems involving vectors and such. With what I know, though, it seems I can understand most of the graphics programming jargon, especially with the new trend of expressing code in higher order languages. I always look forward to new features, performance, and architecture potential (flexibility, precision, AA, Aniso, trufrom, etc. included).

 

[WaltC]

*chuckle* Rev, everybody's a "programmer", don't'cha know....

 

[Riptides]

I've programmed alot of Basic in my time.
But that was before the age of 13.. and so long ago...
I don't think it counts anymore.

So I'm a pure gamer. But enjoy the hell out of these forums.

 

[Brent]

I voted A, it best suits me right now

I'm a gamer, through and through

Though I am interested in 3D programing such as OGL and D3D, but I don't know anything about it yet... Haven't gotten into the programming end, just hardware.... and still learning all kinds of stuff everyday!

These forums are an increadible resource for learning and talking about these technologies with proffesionals in the biz in a friendly environment with people that are also gamers as well as programmers. So it covers both ends of the 3D graphics world.

 

[MuFu]

I abstain.

Much more interested in the EE side of things - ASIC/PCB design etc. Only have basic C/C++ programming knowledge and high-level software skills. Don't game enough to call myself a "gamer".

MuFu.

 

[Bambers]

Im A but I would be a D in the suggested option above, I've just got a physics degree to finish first

 

[martrox]

I've programmed alot of Basic in my time.

Well, just what does Basic have to say about that?

 

[LeStoffer]

A, since I have no programming skills at all (should be obvious for everybody by now ) but since I'm interested in more than just Out Of The Box features, I would have gone for option E.

 

[Himself]

Heh, none of the above, not much of a gamer, not a game programmer.

 

[Basic]

I've programmed alot of Basic in my time.

Well, just what does Basic have to say about that?

Is that the voices I hear in my head?

 

[Xmas]

I guess I'm somewhere between B and C. Voted C, though.

 

[madshi]

Don't know what to vote. Programming is my job, but have never done any 3D graphics programming yet, only 2D (for the fun of it). So as a programmer I don't care about all the newest features. AF+AA has not much sense in 2D. But as a gamer I'm very much interested in AF+AA.

So, can I vote for all three options at the same time?

 

[ZoinKs!]

(A) pure gamers, with little-to-no knowledge of programming, and can/will only appreciate OOTB features (AA and AF primarily ATM) of the latest video cards+drivers

I'm a pure gamer, but I'm interested in more than just the out of the box abilities of cards in current games. I'm also interested in how the more advanced features will be used in future games. But I'm still more interested in the effects of programming (that is, the games) rather then the specifics of how programming create those effects.