CODEDAY #4
This was the project for my fourth CodeDay. I received the prize for Most Technically Impressive.
I had decided for this project, that I wanted to learn how to use OpenGL. Instead of doing it with C++, I used Java since this was my most proficient language. It was, to say the least, difficult, It’s really quite hard to write in such a strangely different way from the way I’m used to. Most of the time, I had no idea what I was doing, I was writing matrix math when I’ve never even done basic matrix math, and I was using pointers without having knowledge of what they were for. Luckily, I had my Computer Science teacher next to me and he helped me with the matrix math. After a lot of trial and error and talking to a super-genius helper at CodeDay, I finally got a cube to display.
From here on, the progress sky-rocketed, I made a .obj file loader and I could have any 3D model load and show up on my renderer. After that, I had a lot of trouble getting multiple objects to display. I finally figured it out after actually understanding what was going on. Lastly, I made the tech-test complete : A cube slowly moved down, hit a loaded .obj model in the middle of the screen, the cube then exploded into ~250 more cubes. I was impressed that the FPS stayed at a constant 1000 with ~250 objects on the screen all moving at once.
This was by far the biggest learning experience I’ve ever had at a CodeDay. I finally understand VBOs and shaders and the communication between the fabulous GPU and CPU. (Yay!)
Link coming soon….