Standard-of-Iron/render/gl/backend

Backend Module Structure

This directory contains the modular implementation of the OpenGL rendering backend.

Architecture

The Backend class serves as the main rendering interface, but its implementation is split across multiple files for better maintainability:

Core Files

• ../backend.h - Public Backend interface (in parent directory)
• ../backend.cpp - Main implementation and command execution (in parent directory)

Pipeline Implementations

The following pipeline modules reduce backend.cpp complexity (2055 → 973 lines, -53%):

• ✅ cylinder_pipeline.h/.cpp - Cylinder and fog-of-war instanced rendering (350 lines)
• ✅ terrain_pipeline.h/.cpp - Ground plane, terrain chunks, and grass instanced rendering (220 lines)
• ✅ vegetation_pipeline.h/.cpp - Trees (stone, plant, pine) and firecamp instanced rendering (533 lines)
• ✅ character_pipeline.h/.cpp - Character rendering (archer, knight, spearman, basic) (115 lines)
• ✅ water_pipeline.h/.cpp - River, riverbank, and bridge rendering (90 lines)
• ✅ effects_pipeline.h/.cpp - Grid, selection rings, selection smoke (75 lines)

Utilities

• pipeline_interface.h - Abstract base class for all pipeline implementations
• backend_impl.h - Helper function declarations (forward compatibility)

Design Principles

1. Separation of Concerns: Each pipeline handles one category of rendering
2. Uniform Validation: All pipelines validate uniform names match shaders
3. Resource Management: Each pipeline manages its own VAOs, VBOs, and shaders
4. Testability: Pipelines can be tested independently

Naming Conventions

IMPORTANT: Shader uniforms use camelCase (e.g., u_viewProj, u_lightDir). The backend code MUST use identical names when calling uniformHandle().

Run the validation script to check for mismatches:

python3 scripts/validate_shader_uniforms.py

Migration Status

• Directory structure created
• Pipeline interface defined
  
• Validation tooling added
• Cylinder pipeline extracted (350 lines)
• Vegetation pipeline extracted (533 lines)
• Terrain pipeline extracted (220 lines)
• Character pipeline extracted (115 lines)
• Water pipeline extracted (90 lines)
• Effects pipeline extracted (75 lines)
• Backend.cpp refactoring COMPLETE (2055 → 973 lines, -53%)

Adding New Pipelines

When creating a new rendering pipeline:

1. Inherit from IPipeline interface
2. Implement initialize(), shutdown(), cacheUniforms(), isInitialized()
3. Add validation to ensure uniform names match shader files
4. Document any shader dependencies
5. Update this README with the new pipeline

Debugging

If rendering doesn't work after changes:

1. Check shader compilation errors in console
2. Run validate_shader_uniforms.py to find naming mismatches
3. Enable OpenGL debug output
4. Verify VAO/VBO bindings are correct
5. Check uniform locations aren't InvalidUniform (-1)