Pitfall 3D - Year 1 - Block B
Challenge: Transform a 2D platformer into a fully 3D game running efficiently on Raspberry Pi hardware, building the entire game from scratch without templates.
Result: Delivered a complete 3D game with smart rendering features and cross-platform support, earning a perfect 10.0 grade.
Technical Architecture
Built entirely from scratch with cross-platform compatibility (Windows/Linux):
- OpenGLES Rendering - Custom 3D graphics
- Bullet Physics Integration - 3D collision and physics simulation
- Shader Programming - Custom GLSL shaders for visual effects
- ImGui Integration - Debug interface and development tools
Advanced Rendering Features
Skeletal Animation System
Implemented a bone animation system using Mixamo assets and Blender processing. The system supports multiple animation states including running, jumping, sliding, and falling with smooth transitions.
Unity-Based Level Editor Pipeline
Problem: Writing 3D levels manually in code is time-consuming and error-prone.
Solution: Created a custom Unity-to-game pipeline using a JavaScript conversion script that transform Unity prefabs into JSON format compatible with my game.
Prefabs in Unity
In-Game Result
Custom Shader Development
Wrote a couple of shaders to make the game look better.
Curve Shader: Creates the illusion of a world curving away from the player, giving a 3D depth perception.
Distance Fog Shader: Hides objects popping-in/out.
Visual Comparison: Before and After Shaders
Performance Optimization
GPU Instancing Implementation
Challenge: Rendering hundreds of objects (trees, rocks, objects) caused performance bottlenecks on both the Raspberry Pi and Windows.
Solution: Implemented GPU instancing to batch identical objects into single draw calls.
Performance Results:
| Platform | Before Instancing | After Instancing | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows | ~28 fps (~37 ms/frame) | ~300 fps (~3.5 ms/frame) | 971% |
| Raspberry Pi | ~10 fps (~105 ms/frame) | ~40 fps (~25 ms/frame) | 300% |
Project Outcome
Grade: 10.0/10.0
Teacher Feedback: “Superb work. The game is looking professional and very attractive. The evidencing is of superb quality as well, with detailed statements and clear visual evidence on all ILO slides. The 10/10 is well-deserved.”
Technologies Used
- C++
- OpenGL
- GLSL
- Bullet Physics Engine
- ImGui (Development interface)
- Unity (Level design pipeline)
- Node.js / JavaScript (Asset conversion)
- Mixamo & Blender (Animation pipeline)