Project Information

  • Category: Graphic Programming
  • Language: C++
  • Graphic API: Nintendo GX
  • Project Date: 28 Jan. 2025
  • Made by: Sebastián Valdés Sánchez

An Optimised Voxel Engine for the Nintendo GameCube

This is my final individual university project, focused on creating a voxel engine optimised for the Nintendo GameCube from scratch using its native Graphic API Nintendo GX. The main goal was to maximise performance and memory efficiency to render the highest number of chunks while maintaining a stable 60 FPS on the console's limited hardware.

Optimisations in the Voxel Engine

To achieve a smooth 60 FPS while rendering as many chunks as possible, I focused on both performance and memory efficiency with these key optimisations:

🗃️

Batching

Reduced CPU overhead by combining multiple draw calls into one.

🚫👀

Occlusion Culling

First culled entire cubes, then refined it to cull individual faces, improving performance.

💾

Memory Optimisation

Used bitfields in structs to pack data efficiently, allowing more chunks to fit in memory.

📜🎨

Display Lists

Pre-recorded draw commands to reduce calls and improve FPS, at the cost of memory.

🎥

Frustum Culling

Rendered only chunks within the camera’s view, optimising performance.

📦

Dynamic Chunk Management

Loaded and unloaded chunks dynamically, reducing memory use and improving load times.

🌍

Efficient Terrain Generation

Optimised terrain generation to minimise redundant calculations and improve speed.

🎬

Efficient Animations

Optimised water movement and bone animations.


Distance from Camera

Distance + Frustum Culling

Stages of Optimisation

Structure
  • Stage 0: No Optimisations
  • Stage 1: Batching
  • Stage 2: Occlusion Culling Level 1
  • Stage 3: Occlusion Culling Level 2
  • Stage 4: Occlusion Culling Level 3
  • Stage 5: Occlusion Culling Level 4
  • Stage 6: Structs Level 1
  • Stage 7: Display List
  • Stage 8: Structs Level 2
  • Stage 9: Further memory usage
  • Stage 10: Achieve 60 FPS without reducing chunk

Stages of Optimisation: Summary

Stage 0: No Optimisations

FPS: 15
N° Chunks: 9
Draw Calls: 20488
Free Memory: 17.785 KB

Stage 10: All Optimisations

FPS: 60
N° Chunks: 289
Draw Calls: ~100
Free Memory: 2.663 KB


What Knowledge Have I Acquired?

Through developing this voxel engine, I’ve gained valuable skills in:

  • Optimisation:

    • Mastered techniques like batching, frustum culling, and memory optimisations using bitfields to improve performance and memory usage, especially on constrained hardware like the GameCube.

  • Low-Level Game Development:

    • Gained experience working directly with the DevKitPro SDK, understanding how to maximise hardware potential.

  • Memory Management:

    • Learned how to efficiently manage memory, balancing performance and memory usage.

  • Performance Testing:

    • Improved my ability to track and analyse performance using tools like std::chrono to optimise in real-time.

  • Hardware Constraints:

    • Developed a deep understanding of working within the limitations of older consoles and how to achieve optimal performance despite them.