2022 · Archived
OpenGL Solar System
A C++ and OpenGL 3.3 solar-system simulation built for a Computer Graphics project, with textured planets, camera controls, and a planet info overlay.
Overview
OpenGL Solar System was built for a Computer Graphics project during my bachelor's as a desktop C++ graphics simulation. It starts with a simple GLUT menu and then launches the main GLFW/OpenGL renderer for the 3D scene.
The renderer loads shaders, textures, models, fonts, and planet information files, then runs a frame loop that updates orbital transforms, self-rotation, model scaling, projection and view matrices, and draws the space sphere, Sun, planets, Moon, Saturn rings, and asteroids.
The interaction layer includes WASD camera movement, mouse look, scroll zoom, reset controls, orbit speed controls, and a toggleable planet information menu. The project also uses GLSL shader programs for textured rendering, sunlight rendering, Phong-style lighting, text rendering, and asteroid experiments.
Highlights
- Built a GLUT start menu that launches a GLFW/OpenGL 3.3 scene with the Sun, planets, Moon, Saturn rings, asteroid belt, and space background.
- Implemented textured model rendering, Phong-style lighting shaders, FreeType text rendering, camera movement, mouse look, scroll zoom, and orbital controls.
- Added an on-screen planet information overlay with keyboard navigation for cycling selected planets and adjusting simulation speed.