exzbuf(3alleg4)

📦 version 4.4.3.1, in debian bookworm, debian trixie, ubuntu jammy, ubuntu noble, ubuntu questing, ubuntu resolute, ubuntu stonking

💖 exzbuf — bestie edition 💖

okay so this is a page from the Allegro manual (yes, the 3alleg4 manual, we're in the Allegro 4 era and it's lowkey iconic) and it's all about a lil demo called exzbuf. sit down, grab a strawberry, we're doing Z-buffered polygons today 🍓✨

✨ NAME ✨

exzbuf — Z-buffered polygons demo. Allegro game programming library.

like. the whole vibe is "polygons, but make them know their own depth". no cap 💅

🎀 SYNOPSIS 🎀

#include <allegro.h>

Example exzbuf

that's it, that's the whole entry point, she's simple like that 🦋

💜 DESCRIPTION 💜

okay bestie so listen. this program demonstrates how to use Z-buffered polygons and floating point 3D math routines. two things. both slaying. 🫶

it also provides a simple way to compute fps (frames per second) using a timer. yes, a timer. we're doing performance metrics, we're doing it manually, we're thriving. ⏱️

after selecting a screen resolution through the standard GUI dialog, the example shows two 3D cubes rotating and intersecting each other. two cubes!! rotating!! intersecting!! it's giving choreography honestly 👑

and here's the part that actually matters, the why of this whole demo: rather than having full polygons incorrectly overlap other polygons due to per-polygon sorting, each pixel is drawn at the correct depth. like, pixel by pixel, depth-checked, no messy overlap drama. the polygons are NOT fighting each other for z-order. we love a system that just works. periodt. ✨

ngl if you've ever seen two polys clip through each other like they're passing through a wall in a horror movie, that's the exact problem this demo exists to not have. the Z-buffer is the fix. she's the main character. 💀

🌈 SEE ALSO 🌈

the whole friend group, in the exact order they were introduced (no queue-jumping besties):

go read them, they're all baddies, iykyk 🧚💖

mwah, that's the page. this was Allegro, version 4.4.3 — shoutout to the whole Allegro team, love y'all, thanks for the 3D math 🫶💅✨ bye bestie, go render something at the correct depth 💖

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