My Raycasting Journey
I've always been fascinated by games, especially the technology behind them. Raycasting, the technique used in classic dungeon crawlers like Wolfenstein 3D, is particularly intriguing. It creates the illusion of 3D using clever line and angle calculations.
How Raycasting Works
Imagine exploring a dark maze. This engine simulates virtual rays (like flashlights) emanating from the player's viewpoint. When a ray hits a wall, it calculates the distance, making closer walls appear larger and more distant walls smaller.
Building the Engine: Step-by-Step
Here's a simplified breakdown of the process:
- Map Creation: I start by designing the maze, which serves as the game environment. This map defines the location of walls, floors, and secret doors. (But I only had walls there !)
- Raycasting: The engine projects rays from the player's perspective, checking for collisions with walls.
- Rendering: Based on the ray collisions, the engine draws the scene, creating a 2.5D visual experience.
Why This Matters
Building this engine is a rewarding experience. It's not just about creating a game; it's about understanding the underlying technology and pushing my coding skills to new heights. Who knows? This might just be the first step towards developing a full-fledged game.
I think I'd be too crazy building a 3D game from full scratch, but who knows, maybe the knowledge I'll acquire from more coding will help me trough this ? :D