mini3d

3D software rendering tutorial, without any performance optimization, mainly explains how to write a fixed pipeline software renderer. Although the main code is only 700 lines, it is small but complete.

Features

• Single File: The source code consists of only one file, mini3d.c, which implements all the functionality. It is easy to read and understand.
• Independent Compilation: There is no third-party library dependency and no complex project directory.
• Model Standard: Uses the standard D3D coordinate model, left-handed system with WORLD/VIEW/PROJECTION matrices.
• Clipping Implementation: Implements simple CVV (Canonical View Volume) clipping.
• Texture Support: Supports textures up to a maximum of 1024 x 1024.
• Depth Buffering: Uses a depth buffer to determine the order of image rendering.
• Perspective Texture Mapping: Implements perspective texture mapping and perspective color filling.
• Edge Calculation: Accurately calculates polygon edge coverage.
• Simplified Implementation: The rendering engine consists of only 700 lines of code, with clear modules and a prominent main structure.
• Detailed Comments: The primary code is well-documented with detailed comments.

Compile

• mingw: gcc -O3 mini3d.c -o mini3d.exe -lgdi32
• msvc: cl -O2 -nologo mini3d.c
• Compiled version: https://github.com/skywind3000/mini3d/releases

Demonstration

Texture Mapping：RENDER_STATE_TEXTURE

Color Filling：RENDER_STATE_COLOR

Wireframe Rendering：RENDER_STATE_WIREFRAME

Added Lighting and Bicubic Interpolation (screenshot of lighting effect added by a friend to Mini3D)

Basic TO-DO:

• Add backface culling
• Implement simple lighting
• Provide more rendering modes
• Implement texture sampling with bicubic interpolation

Advanced TO-DO:

• Derive and prove all geometric knowledge used in the program
• Optimize vertex computation performance
• Optimize draw_scanline performance
• Load textures from BMP/TGA files
• Load BSP scenes and implement roaming.

Explanation of principles

• Wei Yixiao: How do OpenGL and DirectX determine the position of pixels only based on vertices?
• Wei Yixiao: How does the computer access the graphics card at a low level?

Related Projects

• RenderHelp：Another implementation of a streamlined software renderer with support for programmable rendering pipelines, for more details see https://skywind.me/blog/archives/2589

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