sarvex / neogfx

Cross-platform GPU-oriented C++ application/game framework

Introduction

neoGFX is a C++ app/game engine and development platform targeted at app and game developers that wish to leverage modern GPUs for performant application user interfaces and game graphics. neoGFX is still a work in progress (incomplete) so is not yet suitable for making apps or games. Currently neoGFX has only been built for and tested on Windows.

neoGFX uses C++20 features; although C++20 compiler support is currently patchy this isn't a problem given the expected neoGFX 1.0 release date of Q4, 2021.

Features (when version 1.0 released)

• clean modern C++ design including full exception safety supporting various widget allocation patterns (stack, member variable or free store);
• use of standard non-proprietary C++ data types including using standard string classes (UTF-8 encoding) and containers from the C++ standard library;
• simple, easy to use multi-threaded event system (an improvement over traditional signals and slots);
• no baggage: neoGFX primarily contains only the GUI and graphics related functionality needed for creating apps and games;
• full library of widgets and layout managers specifiable in an RJSON (Relaxed JSON) derived declarative UI description language drag/drop editable using the included design tool, neoGFX Design Studio;
• CSS3 style sheet support with support for custom skins;
• scripting engine, neos, that will be able to support a wide range of scripting languages (on release: neoscript, JavaScript and Lua);
• sub-pixel text rendering;
• simple window style for specifying that a window is "nested" rather than being a separate native desktop window;
• "text_edit" widget supports multiple fonts, text colours (with optional gradient effects), colour emojis and rendering text in columns;
• "Green" and "Arcade" modes to optimize CPU power consumption, fight #ClimateChange!
• GPU shader rendered CSS3 compliant gradients with optional gaussian smoothing;
• MVC (model-view-controller) related classes supporting robust and fast app design;
• optional MDI support utilizing "nested" windows;
• 2D, 2.5D and 3D game support: sprites, objects and physics;
• Pure ECS (Entity-component-system) usable by both games and apps;
• flexible asset management: texture images (e.g PNGs) can be stored in .zip archives which can be optionally embedded inside the program binary accessible using simple URLs;
• support for OpenGL, DirectX and Vulkan.

Roadmap

Version	ETA	Features
v0.99	WID*	Windows OpenGL; widget library feature complete; UI design tool
v1.00	WID + 12 months	Linux OpenGL; scripting engine
v1.10	WID + 24 months	Vulkan; Android support; physics engine
v1.20	WID + 36 months	macOS support

* When It's Done

Implementation Progress

Feature	% done	TODO
Window	95	Drop shadow
Dialog	90	Default button
Message Box	100
Menu	100
Nested windows	90
MDI	0
Tabs	95	Vertical tabs
Toolbars	90	Drop-down button support
Layout Managers	95	Need to fully support size policies
Label	100
Button	100
Table View	95	Selection; cell widget
Tree View	95
List View	95
Text Edit	85	Columns; rich text (HTML); undo/redo; performance optimization
Line Edit	100
Spin Box	100
Slider	90	Keyboard
Check Box	100
Radio Button	100
Combo Box	95	Glob and regex filters; review UX.
Group Box	100
Tool Tips	0
Status Bar	100
Progress Bar	95
Docks	75
Font Picker	99	Monospace filter
Colour Gradient Selector	95	Swatch library
Colour Picker	100
Date/Time	0
File Browsers (Native)	99
Drag and drop	75
UI/Resource Description (RJSON)	40
tool: neoGFX Design Studio	10
i18n	70
l10n	0	UK English, US English, French, German, Chinese
HID: Game Controllers	80	Calibration/settings UI; DirectInput button mapping
Multi-monitor	50	DPI changes when changing or dragging between monitors
Scene Graph	0
Skins	40