Metroid Prime - Explorer

Type: Demo

Source: Personal Project

Language: C++

After completing a new run of Metroid Prime 1 on the Nintendo Switch and creating a high level interactive map project for this game, I had another idea for a new project. Now that I can move around the game world map and explore maps for the different levels, I would like another application that would let the use explore the rooms themselves in the first person.

At the same time, I would like to use some different tools for this project with the challenges I had to overcome with the interactive map project. Here are some differences I am planning:

• Use Microsoft’s C++ compiler through the VS Developer Powershell (CL.exe) w/ CMake
• Use SDL2 in order to handle inputs and window creation
• Use RAD Debugger in order to debug issues as the project evolves
• Use WinDbg to capture DirectX12 debug layer outputs

I am still in the starting steps of this project, but I already have some idea of the features I would like to handle :

• First person camera controls (WASD + mouse)
• Render rooms for one level selected
  • Maybe look into some dynamic loading algo to only show rooms in a given range around the player
• Render objects in the rooms as well
  • Maybe look into rendering VFX
• Implement rendering motion vectors in order to unlock effects that require reprojection
  • Used to implement TAA at a later stage
• Look into some effects using DXR if possible with the models (reflections?)
• Look into having GPU driven rendering with some culling
• Going with bindless model for the renderer
• Trying my hand at using C-style C++ to see how I like it

I will come back with screenshots whenever I have something ready to show, please come back for updates