That's brilliant - how did you get it to display that many cubes in real-time?
Actually, like LittleWhite already said, the GPU stuff isn't really the biggest problem in the demo. All but the two static block images are quite ok (and even those could possibly be optimized a bit with display lists). Most load is on CPU with the looping for positions for all the cubes, and that's I think only place where I really had to think how to optimize bigger images, for example scroller, so that it iterates only visible block positions. Now it's quite fast with reasonable amount of visible blocks scrolling, I could have _really_ long scrollers etc. In the end it's still quite unsurprising crappy code.
Thanks for the kind words about the effects.
I myself felt that the plasma is only _real_ effect in the demo, maybe that block-line stuff (with horrible coders colors
) with earth as well. But it was fun how when I had enough building blocks I could do the invader part, pulsating block and the rest really quickly. Most of the time was spent just trying to get grips with the whole world of 3D.
SFML was used to open window, run main loop, load images and play music. In the end it felt quite limited for more lower level demo coding, but the main loop and portability are good. GNU/Linux all the way..
I also have to give big credit to kaba for making the music, a demo would be nothing without sound. I harassed him for a week when he should've be doing his paper to make music for the demo, since I knew I wouldn't have time myself to do it. And eventually, 6 hours before deadline at 6 in the morning the music was ready.
And mouldy I asked two days before the party if he had some useful drawings on his notebook (which I have seen him drawing), which he kindly scanned for me to use. I was surprised when he told me that he had previous demoscene experience from years back.
