PATH TRACER made by 15-YEAR-OLD in C++ OpenGL! // Code Review
The Cherno
36 min, 56 sec
A detailed code review of a path tracer project created by a 15-year-old Ukrainian programmer, exploring the code structure, rendering techniques, and potential improvements.
Summary
- The host introduces the video from a new office, planning to review a path tracer project submitted by a young programmer named Edward.
- Edward's project is a path tracer written in C++ using OpenGL, which he has worked on for about five months.
- The host discusses the architecture of the code, highlighting the presence of unnecessary absolute paths and the importance of using relative paths for portability.
- The video covers the initial setup of OpenGL, the creation of shaders, and the implementation of a simple bloom effect within the fragment shader.
- The host suggests using uniform buffers instead of setting individual uniforms and discusses potential improvements in the random number generation used for the path tracing.
Chapter 1
Host CH introduces the video series, the new office, and the purpose of the code review series.
- CH welcomes viewers back to the code review series.
- He mentions being in a new office that is still being set up.
- The focus of this episode is to review a new project, moving away from the previous 2,000-hour game engine topic.
Chapter 2
The host introduces the path tracer project submitted by Edward, a 15-year-old programmer from Ukraine.
- Edward's email introduces himself and his path tracer project.
- The project is written in C++ using OpenGL and has been in development for approximately five months.
- Edward's code repository contains a Visual Studio solution file, aiming for straightforward setup.
Chapter 3
CH examines the GitHub repository of the path tracer project, noting the use of libraries and the project's Visual Studio setup.
- The GitHub repository is briefly reviewed, noting the inclusion of libraries and certain files.
- CH clones the project to inspect it locally and discusses the pros and cons of including executables in the repository.
- He comments on the absolute paths used in the project settings and provides advice on using relative paths.
Chapter 4
The host attempts to build the project and encounters errors due to absolute paths, which he then corrects.
- Upon attempting to build the project, CH encounters errors related to absolute include paths.
- He demonstrates how to correct the issue by using Visual Studio's macros for relative paths.
- After making the adjustments, the project builds successfully.
Chapter 5
The path tracer runs, but with some issues, leading CH to explore the rendering and potential causes of the problems observed.
- The path tracer runs, but CH encounters issues with full-screen mode and viewport resizing.
- He examines the rendering results and the use of an HDR skybox, noting some unusual behavior in the image brightness over time.
- CH speculates on the potential reasons for the brightness shifts and the architecture of the path tracing on the GPU.
Chapter 6
CH discusses the overall code structure, offering advice on project organization and architecture for better maintenance and potential scalability.
- He advises cleaning up the main function to be as lean as possible.
- CH suggests segregating different functionalities into classes and files for better organization.
- He talks about the importance of establishing a proper application lifecycle and event system.
Chapter 7
The host dives into the rendering techniques used in the project, including OpenGL setup, shader creation, and rendering the scene.
- CH discusses the use of OpenGL 3.3 and suggests using a more recent version like 4.6.
- He explores how shaders are created and used for drawing in the project.
- The video covers the use of bloom effects and postprocessing steps within the rendering loop.
Chapter 8
CH wraps up the video with final thoughts on the project's code and expresses enthusiasm for continuing the series in another episode.
- He summarizes his findings and expresses interest in the project, indicating it will likely become a multi-episode review.
- CH shares his excitement about the path tracing and rendering techniques used in the project.
- He encourages viewers to share their thoughts and indicates a desire to return to his ray tracing series.
More The Cherno summaries
How the C++ Compiler Works
The Cherno
The video explains the C++ compiler process in detail, from pre-processing to object file generation.
How the C++ Linker Works
The Cherno
Detailed explanation of the linking process in programming with examples and error handling.
Variables in C++
The Cherno
A comprehensive explanation of variables in C++, covering their purpose, types, memory allocation, and the relationship between data types and memory size.