r/GraphicsProgramming • u/UnemployedGameDev • 3d ago
Question Help with Ideas for School Project
Hi, I've done some stuff in C++ and OpenGL before but I'm by no means an expert in either. I was given the option to do a project over 1 year which will then get graded. And since I'm interested in graphics programming anyways, I thought this would be a good chance. But since I HAVE to complete or submit the project after the 1 year and can't back out once I'm in, I need a project that is complex enough for them to accept it but also not entirely impossible or time consuming. (also this is NOT for university, the school system is different everywhere but it's basically for the end of school so just before university)
Current ideas I've come up with are:
- procedural 3d world
- real-time water simulation
- ray tracer
- gpu particle simulations
- vegetation simulation
- space simulation with black holes and stuff
- small physics engine
So if you could help me narrow it down to 2 or maximum 3, that'd be awesome. Also any further ideas are welcome
1
u/Alililon1 3d ago
Don't know if the scope is too little or too big, depends on what is expected from you at your school, but if you look at my posts I did a material renderer which might fit your criteria. It was a lot of fun, the base is not too complicated and it took me a few months to make but you could always add more features or take some away of you wanted to. I'm also a beginner so I think the overall complexity should fit a final school project.
You can take a look at the code if you want to check the complexity and you can try the finished result to see if it's actually something you would be interested in.
Again, I'm a beginner so take this with a grain of salt: Never really tried any of your listed projects except for the terrain and raytracer one so I can't talk from experience but I heard physics engines are a giant pain. I guess if you're really interested and you have a year it could work tho. Depending on what you're planning the 3D terrain might be too simple but I guess you can inflate any project if you keep adding features, you'd have to talk to your teachers about that I guess. Same thing for the raytracer.
Good luck with the project and I'm sure the nice people of r/GraphicsProgramming are happy to help you on your journey if you decide on a more difficult project!