helios
helios is a custom game engine framework built from first principles, written in C++.
Project Overview
helios is an educational project to explore the intricacies of game engine architecture. Each component is built from first principles: The primary goal is to apply and analyze modern software engineering in a performance-critical domain while implementing the mathematical building blocks of 2D and 3D graphics.
The framework strives for a modern C++20 module-based architecture, providing a clean and robust dependency graph for fast compilation. The initial rendering backend is implemented using OpenGL.
Development Focus
The development process emphasizes understanding both the mathematical foundations and the rationale behind established patterns - trade-offs between indirect and direct data storage, the division of labor between CPU-side culling and GPU-side clipping, and how architectural decisions impact performance.
Current systems include rendering with scene graphs, input management, math libraries, and an event-driven application layer.
Documentation & Source
For detailed API documentation, architecture analysis, and development progress, visit the project site: