OpenGL Transparency

Sample to demonstrate different ways to render a transparent 3D model.

Initial algorithm: Order Independent Transparency with Dual Depth Peeling (Bavoil and Myers 2008).

OpenGL 2

OpenGL 3+

Order Independent Transparency modes

• OpenGL 4.4: Binary Space Partitioning (BSP) Tree with persistent mapped buffer
  • Still work in progress since the NVidia dragon take days to build
• OpenGL 4.3: Sorted Linked List
• OpenGL 4.2: Sorted A-Buffer (Image Load Store)
• OpenGL 2 and 3.3 (initial NVidia sample):
  • Dual Depth Peeling
  • Front-to-Back Peeling
  • Weighted Average
  • Weighted Sum

Links

• https://developer.download.nvidia.com/SDK/10/opengl/screenshots/samples/dual_depth_peeling.html
• https://developer.nvidia.com/content/transparency-or-translucency-rendering
• DualDepthPeeling.pdf
• OrderIndependentTransparency.pdf
• OrderIndependentTransparency-4.X.pdf

Dependencies

• GLEW: To load OpenGL symbols
• FreeGLUT: To create OpenGL context
• GLM: To manage OpenGL geometries
• Open Asset Import Library: To load the 3D NVidia dragon mesh
• FreeType: To create text glyph to render in OpenGL
• CMakeRC: To embed shader resources

All dependencies can be install by vcpkg with vcpkg install or during the CMake configuration by setting VCPKG_ROOT=[path/to/vcpkg] and PATH="$PATH:$VCPKG_ROOT" environment variable. See https://learn.microsoft.com/fr-fr/vcpkg/get_started/get-started.