GSoC New rendering system

GSoC idea: New Rendering System

Why

Spring rendering engine includes many fixed function pipeline OpenGL functions. This rendering system is becoming deprecated and is generally slower and less flexible than more modern approaches.

What

Under this proposal, the rendering code should get a complete overhaul and moved into a Scene Graph. Allowing to replace the old code optionally with shader based approaches, including techniques as normal/relief mapping or 100% GPU based rendering of particles.

Required skills

• Knowledge of C++
• Knowledge of OpenGL 2.0 API
• Knowledge of GLSL

Difficulty

Estimated: high

Technical details

• Refactor C++ code and classes
• Create new GLSL shaders and integrate some from Lua scripts
• Add threading to renderer
• Remove all direct OpenGL calls from synced (sim) code.
• Push more work onto GPU and use DMA transfers (VBOs) while retaining OpenGL 1.4 code path for intel chipsets
• Reduce/refactor the amount of code paths used for rendering different world objects and model types.
• Use more class overriding for new rendering code (instead of branching)
• OpenGL ES 2.0 compatibility should be aimed at where possible.