added chunk rendering

CMakeLists.txt

@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ add_executable(VoxelEngine
     src/World.cpp
     src/Mesh.h
     src/Mesh.cpp
+    src/Chunk.h
+    src/Chunk.cpp
 )
 
 # --- Configure GLAD (from your src/ and include/ folders) ---

README.md

@@ -6,9 +6,15 @@ Currently, however, the program only renders a single cube.
 
 ![a wireframe cube](.attachments/wireframe-cube.png)
 
-## World Render - 11/10/25
+## World Mesh Rendering - 11/10/25
 
 World now renders as a single mesh! Much faster than rendering cube by cube.
 
 ![cube world](.attachments/world-render.png)
 
+## Chunk Mesh Rendering - 11/11/25
+
+Instead of making the _entire_ world a single mesh, now the world is made up of 32x32x32 "Chunks" which are areas of the world that are a single mesh.
+
+![cube world (but in chunks!)](.attachments/chunk-render.png)
+

src/Chunk.cpp

@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+#include "Chunk.h"
+#include <vector>
+
+const int VERTEX_SIZE = 6;
+
+const float topFace[24] = {
+    // x, y, z, nx, ny, nz
+    -0.5f, 0.5f, -0.5f, 0.0f, 1.0f, 0.0f,
+     0.5f, 0.5f, -0.5f, 0.0f, 1.0f, 0.0f,
+     0.5f, 0.5f,  0.5f, 0.0f, 1.0f, 0.0f,
+    -0.5f, 0.5f,  0.5f, 0.0f, 1.0f, 0.0f
+};
+const float bottomFace[24] = {
+    -0.5f, -0.5f, -0.5f, 0.0f, -1.0f, 0.0f,
+     0.5f, -0.5f, -0.5f, 0.0f, -1.0f, 0.0f,
+     0.5f, -0.5f,  0.5f, 0.0f, -1.0f, 0.0f,
+    -0.5f, -0.5f,  0.5f, 0.0f, -1.0f, 0.0f
+};
+const float rightFace[24] = {
+     0.5f,  0.5f,  0.5f, 1.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f,
+     0.5f,  0.5f, -0.5f, 1.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f,
+     0.5f, -0.5f, -0.5f, 1.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f,
+     0.5f, -0.5f,  0.5f, 1.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f
+};
+const float leftFace[24] = {
+    -0.5f,  0.5f,  0.5f, -1.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f,
+    -0.5f,  0.5f, -0.5f, -1.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f,
+    -0.5f, -0.5f, -0.5f, -1.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f,
+    -0.5f, -0.5f,  0.5f, -1.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f
+};
+const float frontFace[24] = {
+    -0.5f,  0.5f, 0.5f, 0.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f,
+     0.5f,  0.5f, 0.5f, 0.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f,
+     0.5f, -0.5f, 0.5f, 0.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f,
+    -0.5f, -0.5f, 0.5f, 0.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f
+};
+const float backFace[24] = {
+    -0.5f,  0.5f, -0.5f, 0.0f, 0.0f, -1.0f,
+     0.5f,  0.5f, -0.5f, 0.0f, 0.0f, -1.0f,
+     0.5f, -0.5f, -0.5f, 0.0f, 0.0f, -1.0f,
+    -0.5f, -0.5f, -0.5f, 0.0f, 0.0f, -1.0f
+};
+
+void addFace(glm::ivec3 pos, const float *faceVertices, std::vector<float> &vbo, std::vector<unsigned int> &ebo) {
+    unsigned int vIndex = vbo.size() / VERTEX_SIZE;
+    for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
+        const float* v = &faceVertices[i * VERTEX_SIZE];
+        vbo.push_back(v[0] + pos.x);
+        vbo.push_back(v[1] + pos.y);
+        vbo.push_back(v[2] + pos.z);
+        vbo.push_back(v[3]);
+        vbo.push_back(v[4]);
+        vbo.push_back(v[5]);
+    }
+    ebo.push_back(vIndex + 0);
+    ebo.push_back(vIndex + 1);
+    ebo.push_back(vIndex + 2);
+    ebo.push_back(vIndex + 0);
+    ebo.push_back(vIndex + 2);
+    ebo.push_back(vIndex + 3);
+}
+
+Chunk::Chunk() {
+    // mesh is initially null (nullptr)
+}
+
+Mesh* Chunk::getMesh() {
+    // Generate mesh on first access if not already generated
+    if (!mesh && !voxels.empty()) {
+        generateMesh();
+    }
+    return mesh.get();
+}
+
+void Chunk::generateMesh() {
+    std::vector<float> vboData;
+    std::vector<unsigned int> eboData;
+
+    for (const glm::ivec3 pos : voxels) {
+        if (voxels.count(pos + glm::ivec3(0, 1, 0)) == 0) {
+            addFace(pos, topFace, vboData, eboData);
+        }
+        if (voxels.count(pos + glm::ivec3(0, -1, 0)) == 0) {
+            addFace(pos, bottomFace, vboData, eboData);
+        }
+        if (voxels.count(pos + glm::ivec3(1, 0, 0)) == 0) {
+            addFace(pos, rightFace, vboData, eboData);
+        }
+        if (voxels.count(pos + glm::ivec3(-1, 0, 0)) == 0) {
+            addFace(pos, leftFace, vboData, eboData);
+        }
+        if (voxels.count(pos + glm::ivec3(0, 0, 1)) == 0) {
+            addFace(pos, frontFace, vboData, eboData);
+        }
+        if (voxels.count(pos + glm::ivec3(0, 0, -1)) == 0) {
+            addFace(pos, backFace, vboData, eboData);
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Create and initialize mesh if it doesn't exist
+    if (!mesh) {
+        mesh = std::make_unique<Mesh>();
+        mesh->init();
+    }
+
+    // Now, upload this data to our mesh object
+    mesh->uploadData(vboData, eboData);
+}

src/Chunk.h

@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+#ifndef CHUNK_H
+#define CHUNK_H
+
+#include <unordered_set>
+#include <memory>
+
+#include <glm/glm.hpp>
+
+#include "Mesh.h"
+
+const int CHUNK_SIZE = 32;
+
+// Hash function for glm::ivec3 to use with unordered_set
+namespace std {
+    template <>
+    struct hash<glm::ivec3> {
+        size_t operator()(const glm::ivec3& v) const {
+            // Combine hash values of x, y, z components
+            size_t h1 = hash<int>()(v.x);
+            size_t h2 = hash<int>()(v.y);
+            size_t h3 = hash<int>()(v.z);
+
+            // Use a simple hash combination algorithm
+            return h1 ^ (h2 << 1) ^ (h3 << 2);
+        }
+    };
+}
+
+class Chunk {
+  public:
+    std::unordered_set<glm::ivec3> voxels;
+
+    Chunk();
+
+    Mesh* getMesh();  // Returns pointer, can be null if not generated yet
+
+    void generateMesh();
+
+  private:
+    std::unique_ptr<Mesh> mesh;  // Nullable mesh
+};
+
+#endif CHUNK_H

src/Mesh.cpp

@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+#include <iostream>
+
 #include "Mesh.h"
 
 Mesh::Mesh() : m_VAO(0), m_VBO(0), m_EBO(0), m_indexCount(0) {}
@@ -38,10 +40,14 @@ void Mesh::init() {
 void Mesh::uploadData(const std::vector<float> &vboData, const std::vector<unsigned int> &eboData) {
     m_indexCount = eboData.size();
 
+    std::cout << "Uploading mesh: " << vboData.size() << " floats, " << eboData.size() << " indices" << std::endl;
+
+    // Bind VAO first, then upload buffer data
+    glBindVertexArray(m_VAO);
+
     glBindBuffer(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, m_VBO);
     glBufferData(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, vboData.size() * sizeof(float), vboData.data(), GL_STATIC_DRAW);
 
-    glBindVertexArray(m_VAO);
     glBindBuffer(GL_ELEMENT_ARRAY_BUFFER, m_EBO);
     glBufferData(GL_ELEMENT_ARRAY_BUFFER, eboData.size() * sizeof(unsigned int), eboData.data(), GL_STATIC_DRAW);
     glBindVertexArray(0);

src/World.cpp

@@ -1,98 +1,22 @@
 #include "World.h"
-#include <vector>
 
-const int VERTEX_SIZE = 6;
+World::World() {}
 
-const float topFace[24] = {
-    // x, y, z, nx, ny, nz
-    -0.5f, 0.5f, -0.5f, 0.0f, 1.0f, 0.0f,
-     0.5f, 0.5f, -0.5f, 0.0f, 1.0f, 0.0f,
-     0.5f, 0.5f,  0.5f, 0.0f, 1.0f, 0.0f,
-    -0.5f, 0.5f,  0.5f, 0.0f, 1.0f, 0.0f
-};
-const float bottomFace[24] = {
-    -0.5f, -0.5f, -0.5f, 0.0f, -1.0f, 0.0f,
-     0.5f, -0.5f, -0.5f, 0.0f, -1.0f, 0.0f,
-     0.5f, -0.5f,  0.5f, 0.0f, -1.0f, 0.0f,
-    -0.5f, -0.5f,  0.5f, 0.0f, -1.0f, 0.0f
-};
-const float rightFace[24] = {
-     0.5f,  0.5f,  0.5f, 1.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f,
-     0.5f,  0.5f, -0.5f, 1.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f,
-     0.5f, -0.5f, -0.5f, 1.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f,
-     0.5f, -0.5f,  0.5f, 1.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f
-};
-const float leftFace[24] = {
-    -0.5f,  0.5f,  0.5f, -1.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f,
-    -0.5f,  0.5f, -0.5f, -1.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f,
-    -0.5f, -0.5f, -0.5f, -1.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f,
-    -0.5f, -0.5f,  0.5f, -1.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f
-};
-const float frontFace[24] = {
-    -0.5f,  0.5f, 0.5f, 0.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f,
-     0.5f,  0.5f, 0.5f, 0.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f,
-     0.5f, -0.5f, 0.5f, 0.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f,
-    -0.5f, -0.5f, 0.5f, 0.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f
-};
-const float backFace[24] = {
-    -0.5f,  0.5f, -0.5f, 0.0f, 0.0f, -1.0f,
-     0.5f,  0.5f, -0.5f, 0.0f, 0.0f, -1.0f,
-     0.5f, -0.5f, -0.5f, 0.0f, 0.0f, -1.0f,
-    -0.5f, -0.5f, -0.5f, 0.0f, 0.0f, -1.0f
-};
+void World::flip_voxel(glm::ivec3 position) {
+    glm::ivec3 chunk_position = position / CHUNK_SIZE;
+    glm::ivec3 local_position = position % CHUNK_SIZE;
 
-void addFace(glm::ivec3 pos, const float *faceVertices, std::vector<float> &vbo, std::vector<unsigned int> &ebo) {
-    unsigned int vIndex = vbo.size() / VERTEX_SIZE;
-    for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
-        const float* v = &faceVertices[i * VERTEX_SIZE];
-        vbo.push_back(v[0] + pos.x);
-        vbo.push_back(v[1] + pos.y);
-        vbo.push_back(v[2] + pos.z);
-        vbo.push_back(v[3]);
-        vbo.push_back(v[4]);
-        vbo.push_back(v[5]);
-    }
-    ebo.push_back(vIndex + 0);
-    ebo.push_back(vIndex + 1);
-    ebo.push_back(vIndex + 2);
-    ebo.push_back(vIndex + 0);
-    ebo.push_back(vIndex + 2);
-    ebo.push_back(vIndex + 3);
-}
-
-World::World() {
-    m_mesh.init();
-}
-
-Mesh& World::getMesh() {
-    return m_mesh;
-}
-
-void World::generateMesh() {
-    std::vector<float> vboData;
-    std::vector<unsigned int> eboData;
-
-    for (const glm::ivec3 pos : voxels) {
-        if (voxels.count(pos + glm::ivec3(0, 1, 0)) == 0) {
-            addFace(pos, topFace, vboData, eboData);
-        }
-        if (voxels.count(pos + glm::ivec3(0, -1, 0)) == 0) {
-            addFace(pos, bottomFace, vboData, eboData);
-        }
-        if (voxels.count(pos + glm::ivec3(1, 0, 0)) == 0) {
-            addFace(pos, rightFace, vboData, eboData);
-        }
-        if (voxels.count(pos + glm::ivec3(-1, 0, 0)) == 0) {
-            addFace(pos, leftFace, vboData, eboData);
-        }
-        if (voxels.count(pos + glm::ivec3(0, 0, 1)) == 0) {
-            addFace(pos, frontFace, vboData, eboData);
-        }
-        if (voxels.count(pos + glm::ivec3(0, 0, -1)) == 0) {
-            addFace(pos, backFace, vboData, eboData);
+    Chunk * chunk = get_or_create_chunk(chunk_position);
+    if (chunk->voxels.count(local_position) != 0) {
+        chunk->voxels.erase(chunk->voxels.find(local_position));
+    } else {
+        chunk->voxels.insert(local_position);
     }
 }
 
-    // Now, upload this data to our mesh object
-    m_mesh.uploadData(vboData, eboData);
+Chunk* World::get_or_create_chunk(glm::ivec3 chunk_position) {
+    if (this->chunks.count(chunk_position) == 0) {
+        this->chunks[chunk_position] = Chunk();
+    }
+    return &this->chunks[chunk_position];
 }

src/World.h

@@ -1,41 +1,22 @@
 #ifndef WORLD_H
-#define CAMERA_H
+#define WORLD_H
 
-#include <unordered_set>
+#include <unordered_map>
 
 #include <glm/glm.hpp>
 
-#include "Mesh.h"
-
-// Hash function for glm::ivec3 to use with unordered_set
-namespace std {
-    template <>
-    struct hash<glm::ivec3> {
-        size_t operator()(const glm::ivec3& v) const {
-            // Combine hash values of x, y, z components
-            size_t h1 = hash<int>()(v.x);
-            size_t h2 = hash<int>()(v.y);
-            size_t h3 = hash<int>()(v.z);
-
-            // Use a simple hash combination algorithm
-            return h1 ^ (h2 << 1) ^ (h3 << 2);
-        }
-    };
-}
+#include "Chunk.h"
 
 class World
 {
   public:
-    std::unordered_set<glm::ivec3> voxels;
+    std::unordered_map<glm::ivec3, Chunk> chunks;
 
     World();
 
-    void generateMesh();
+    void flip_voxel(glm::ivec3 position);
 
-    Mesh& getMesh();
-
-  private:
-    Mesh m_mesh;
+    Chunk* get_or_create_chunk(glm::ivec3 chunk_position);
 };
 
 #endif WORLD_H

src/main.cpp

@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 #include <iostream>
-#include <unordered_set>
 
 #include <glad/glad.h> // Must be included before GLFW
 #include <GLFW/glfw3.h>
@@ -171,28 +170,6 @@ void processInput(GLFWwindow *window)
         camera.speed = CAMERA_SPEED * 20;
 }
 
-// Draw a cube at some x, y, z
-// [UPDATED] Added a new 'color' parameter
-void draw_cube(glm::ivec3 coords, Shader& shader, unsigned int VAO, size_t indexCount, const glm::mat4& view, const glm::mat4& projection, const glm::vec3& color) {
-    // Create model matrix for positioning the cube
-    glm::mat4 model = glm::mat4(1.0f);
-    model = glm::translate(model, glm::vec3(coords));
-
-    model = glm::scale(model, glm::vec3(0.5f, 0.5f, 0.5f));
-
-    // Calculate MVP matrix
-    glm::mat4 mvp = projection * view * model;
-
-    // Set the uniform and draw
-    shader.use();
-    shader.setMat4("u_mvp", mvp);
-    // [NEW] Set the color uniform in the fragment shader
-    shader.setVec3("u_Color", color);
-
-    glBindVertexArray(VAO);
-    glDrawElements(GL_TRIANGLES, indexCount, GL_UNSIGNED_INT, nullptr);
-}
-
 int main() {
     // 1. --- Initialize GLFW ---
     if (!glfwInit()) {
@@ -231,16 +208,15 @@ int main() {
     Object3D cube = Object3D("objs/cube.obj");
 
     // Place cubes in the world
-    for (int z = 0; z <= 32; z++) {
-        for (int x = 0; x <= 32; x++) {
-            world.voxels.insert(glm::ivec3(x, -1, z));
+    for (int z = 0; z <= 256; z++) {
+        for (int x = 0; x <= 256; x++) {
+            world.flip_voxel(glm::ivec3(x, -1, z));
         }
     }
 
-    world.voxels.insert(glm::ivec3(7, 0, 13));
-    std::cout << "Generating world mesh..." << std::endl;
-    world.generateMesh();
-    std::cout << "Mesh generated!" << std::endl;
+    world.flip_voxel(glm::ivec3(7, 0, 13));
+    std::cout << "World created with " << world.chunks.size() << " chunks" << std::endl;
+    // Mesh generation now happens automatically when first rendering
 
     if (WIREFRAME_MODE)
         glPolygonMode(GL_FRONT_AND_BACK, GL_LINE);
@@ -257,6 +233,7 @@ int main() {
     double move_time = glfwGetTime();
 
     glEnable(GL_DEPTH_TEST);
+    bool debug_printed = false;
 
     // 6. --- The Render Loop ---
     while (!glfwWindowShouldClose(window)) {
@@ -269,9 +246,13 @@ int main() {
         view = camera.getView();
 
         shader.use();
-        glm::mat4 model = glm::mat4(1.0f);
-        glm::mat4 mvp = projection * view * model;
-        shader.setMat4("u_mvp", mvp);
+
+        if (!debug_printed) {
+            std::cout << "\n=== RENDER DEBUG ===" << std::endl;
+            std::cout << "Camera pos: (" << camera.position.x << ", " << camera.position.y << ", " << camera.position.z << ")" << std::endl;
+            std::cout << "Camera target: (" << camera.target.x << ", " << camera.target.y << ", " << camera.target.z << ")" << std::endl;
+            std::cout << "Number of chunks to draw: " << world.chunks.size() << std::endl;
+        }
 
         // ---- PASS 1: Draw solid grey cubes ----
         glEnable(GL_POLYGON_OFFSET_FILL);
@@ -279,7 +260,28 @@ int main() {
         glPolygonMode(GL_FRONT_AND_BACK, GL_FILL);
         shader.setVec3("u_Color", glm::vec3(0.5, 0.5, 0.5));
 
-        world.getMesh().draw();
+        for (auto& [chunk_position, chunk] : world.chunks) {
+
+            glm::ivec3 chunk_offset = chunk_position * CHUNK_SIZE;
+            glm::mat4 model = glm::mat4(1.0f);
+            model = glm::translate(model, glm::vec3(chunk_offset));
+            glm::mat4 mvp = projection * view * model;
+            shader.setMat4("u_mvp", mvp);
+
+            if (!debug_printed) {
+                std::cout << "Drawing chunk at (" << chunk_position.x << ", " << chunk_position.y << ", " << chunk_position.z << ")" << std::endl;
+                std::cout << "Chunk offset: (" << chunk_offset.x << ", " << chunk_offset.y << ", " << chunk_offset.z << ")" << std::endl;
+            }
+
+            Mesh* chunkMesh = chunk.getMesh();
+            if (chunkMesh) {
+                chunkMesh->draw();
+            }
+        }
+
+        if (!debug_printed) {
+            debug_printed = true;
+        }
 
         glDisable(GL_POLYGON_OFFSET_FILL);
 
@@ -287,7 +289,19 @@ int main() {
         glPolygonMode(GL_FRONT_AND_BACK, GL_LINE); // Just the lines
         shader.setVec3("u_Color", glm::vec3(1.0, 1.0, 1.0));
 
-        world.getMesh().draw();
+        for (auto& [chunk_position, chunk] : world.chunks) {
+
+            glm::ivec3 chunk_offset = chunk_position * CHUNK_SIZE;
+            glm::mat4 model = glm::mat4(1.0f);
+            model = glm::translate(model, glm::vec3(chunk_offset));
+            glm::mat4 mvp = projection * view * model;
+            shader.setMat4("u_mvp", mvp);
+
+            Mesh* chunkMesh = chunk.getMesh();
+            if (chunkMesh) {
+                chunkMesh->draw();
+            }
+        }
 
         // --- Reset polygon mode for next frame (good practice) ---
         glPolygonMode(GL_FRONT_AND_BACK, GL_FILL);