Graphics Project

Demo video (sound added in post-editing)

In my Computer Graphics course, our focus in implementation was using the OpenGL API to demo various concepts in graphics. Contrary to the rest of my peers in the class, I opted instead of only using the given initial example application framework, to develop my own version during the semester. Besides general implementation approaches, a difference is the example version utilized GLFW, whereas my version used SDL2.

For the final project of the class, I worked independently with the ambition to learn how to create real-time shadows via shadow-mapping from a light-source. To demonstrate the usage of this addition, I worked to incorporate a basic helicopter simulator game with my own created models imported from Blender into .obj files and bitmap texture images that my application then uses.

The final result is the video above, noting that the music (from the game Super Huey 3) was added in later just so that it is not silent. Note how the helicopter casts a real-time shadow onto ground and the blades also have a shadow on the helicopter itself as well!

Gameplay-wise, the user interacts via keyboard inputs with controls for throttle on the blades, as well roll/pitch/yaw on the helicopter. Also basic camera controls to look around, though the position was kept locked with the helicopter to keep it simple. The goal is the user to land on the marked helipad at a sufficiently slow speed.

Presentation Video

Alternatively, the following is a video I made to present my final project to my class (as it was online due to COVID-19 concerns). It goes more into detail discussing the implementation as well as a showing of the above demo video.