My friends and i are working on a strategy and i was wondering if we should use OpenGl? We are also learning more Visual C++ at this time.
Well there is no reason for you not to use openGL, there are some examples of opengl being used for tile based games.
The only big thing to gain with using OpenGL is that the game then would be easier to port to other systems like Mac and Linux.
You would be supporting a open programming format vs. MS direct X which is a closed one.
Originally posted by Doorknob:
My friends and i are working on a strategy and i was wondering if we should use OpenGl? We are also learning more Visual C++ at this time.
That depends on how experienced you are. I work on a strategiegame for over one year now (not at one piece, just now i didn´t work on it for a month or so) and i am using only directx, no opengl.
I experienced, that it is so much work to do a good strategiegame, and that you learn very much with such a huge project.
However, in my opinion, directdraw is much easier to use and to understand if you never worked with it before, than gl.
I think, if you are not that experienced with c++ and if you never used gl before, than you should first learn directdraw.
For 2d it is easier to create bitmaps (for units the landscape, etc.) than creating real 3d models. Additionally it is much easier to create an editor for 2d games, than for 3d games (i am just working on one).
For 3d you usually need much math. That means vectors, matrices and all that nasty stuff. And you need a LOT of it. For 2d you don´t need more math than that what you learned in your first 3 years in school.
However, if you created some games before and if you and your friends are experienced in creating 3d models and all that stuff, than it might be very interessting to use a 3d engine.
Of course 3d looks usually better, because you can rotate it, zoom in and out, and if you are really good in programming animationsystems, your models will look better and move (and die 
more realistic.
That´s all of good advice i can give you. You have to decide on your own, what interessts you more, and what you think you are able to do.
Cheers,
Jan.