darmok

C++ game engine combining opensource libraries & tools that I like

currently using:

• bgfx as the renderer
• CMake as the build system
• vcpkg as the package manager
• glm for 3d math
• EnTT as the entity component system
• assimp for generic asset loading (not in runtime)
• sol2 modern C++ bindings for lua
• nlohmann-json for parsing json
• pugixml for parsing xml
• imgui for editor UI
• RmlUI for ingame UI to replace CEGUI
• ozz for 3d skeletal animations
• cereal for serialization
• tweeny for tweening and easings
• Jolt for 3D physics

planned to use:

• miniaudio for audio
• need to decide 2D physics
  • Box2D
  • Chipmunk2D
• ldtk for 2D level editor
• spine for 2d skeletal animations
• fastgltf for gltf asset loading (runtime)
• taskflow for multithreaded updates

Trying to use modern C++ patterns where possible.

Trying to target the following platforms:

• desktop (windows, macos, linux)
• mobile (iOS, Android) (pending)

Some philosofical decisions (could be controversial)

• no game editor, will use external tools (blender, ldtk, etc...)
• use as much stl as possible (need to look into memory management at some point)
• no naked pointers
• throw exceptions for error handling
• try to keep the API similar to Unity3D (where it makes sense) so that it's easy to port game logic

WARNING: currently in early stages of development

Frequently Asked Questions

• Will it have feature X?

Depends on what I need. Anyone is welcome to fork and submit PRs.

Current State

I'm still learning CMake, so if you see something that should be fixed please let me know.

Working features

• bgfx window setup (GLFW on windows & linux)
• scene using entt
• update logic methods with delta time
• sprites and spritesheets
• loading models using assimp (FBX, etc...)
• serializing models from assimp into binary using cereal
• renderer
  • unlit
  • forward with phong lighting (point, ambient)
• lua scripting
• multiple UI options
  • imgui for tooling
  • RmlUI for ingame (support for multiple canvases)
• skeletal animations using ozz (reading from binary)
• 3d physics using jolt
  • rigidbodies
  • character controller

Upcoming (I need them)

• export asset folders in C++
• lua camera render
• sound

Upcoming

• replace input bindings functions with interfaces
• window modes with different resolutions
• frustrum culling
• modernize renderer (probably needs frame graph or similar)
  • deferred
  • other types of lights
  • physically based renderer
  • SSAO

In the future

• unit tests, I know
• performance profiling
• 2d physics
• separate shaders for skinning?
• instancing meshes
• support multiple imgui app components with different transforms
• spine animations loading
• unify use of allocators everywhere
• progressive asset loaders
• async task management
• lua debugging would be nice

Interesting Related Projects

• SuperNovaEngine a very similar engine but much more advanced
• FrameGraph renderer agnostic frame graph library
• dome engine - minimalist engine with wren as the scripting language
• RaZ engine - C++17 game engine
• cluster - PBR implementation for bgfx

Example code

program = app.assets:load_standard_program(StandardProgramType.ForwardPhong)

camEntity = app.scene:create_entity()
camTrans = camEntity:add_component(Transform, { 0, 2, -2 })
camTrans:look_at({ 0, 0, 0 })
local cam = camEntity:add_component(Camera)
cam:set_projection(60, { 0.3, 1000 })
cam:set_renderer(ForwardRenderer)
cam:add_component(PhongLightingComponent)

lightEntity = app.scene:create_entity()
lightEntity:add_component(Transform, { 1, 1, -2 })
lightEntity:add_component(PointLight)

cubeMesh = MeshCreator.new(program.vertex_layout):create_cuboid()
greenTex = app.assets:load_color_texture(Color.green)
app.scene:create_entity():add_component(Renderable, cubeMesh, greenTex)