Raycasting in Maze

A 3D maze exploration game built using raycasting techniques in C++ with SDL2. This project demonstrates the classic raycasting algorithm similar to early first-person games like Wolfenstein 3D.

Features

• Procedurally Generated Mazes: Each maze is randomly generated for a unique experience
• 3D Raycasting Rendering: Converts 2D maze data into a 3D first-person perspective
• Smooth Movement: Fluid player movement and rotation controls
• Real-time Rendering: Efficient SDL2-based graphics rendering
• Configurable Settings: Easy-to-modify game parameters (FOV, speed, screen resolution)

Prerequisites

The project automatically installs dependencies, but you'll need:

• Operating System: Linux (tested on Debian/Ubuntu-based distributions)
• Git: For project management
• Sudo privileges: For installing packages

Dependencies (auto-installed)

• build-essential: C++ compiler and build tools
• libsdl2-dev: SDL2 development libraries
• cmake: Build system generator

Building the Project

The project includes automated build scripts for easy setup.

Quick Build

./build.sh

This script will:

1. Check for required packages
2. Install any missing dependencies
3. Create a build directory
4. Compile the project using CMake and Make
5. Generate the executable in build/Raycasting-in-Maze

Running the Game

After building, run the game with:

./run.sh

The run.sh script will:

• Check if the executable exists
• Build the project if needed
• Launch the game

Development Mode

To force a rebuild before running, edit run.sh and set:

DEV_MODE=1

Controls

Key	Action
W	Move forward
S	Move backward
A	Strafe left
D	Strafe right
←	Rotate camera left
→	Rotate camera right
ESC	Exit game

Project Structure

Raycasting-in-Maze/
├── include/
│   ├── Config.hpp      # Game configuration constants
│   ├── Game.hpp        # Main game loop and logic
│   ├── Maze.hpp        # Maze generation and management
│   ├── Player.hpp      # Player movement and state
│   └── Renderer.hpp    # Raycasting rendering engine
├── src/
│   ├── main.cpp        # Entry point
│   ├── Game.cpp        # Game implementation
│   ├── Maze.cpp        # Maze generation algorithm
│   ├── Player.cpp      # Player controller
│   └── Renderer.cpp    # Rendering implementation
├── build.sh            # Automated build script
├── run.sh              # Automated run script
├── clean.sh            # Cleanup script
├── packages.txt        # Required system packages
└── CMakeLists.txt      # CMake configuration

How It Works

Raycasting Algorithm

The project implements a raycasting engine that:

1. Casts rays from the player's position through each screen column
2. Calculates ray-wall intersections using DDA (Digital Differential Analysis)
3. Computes wall distances to determine wall heights
4. Renders vertical lines with appropriate heights to create 3D perspective

Maze Generation

Uses a randomized algorithm to generate perfect mazes (mazes with exactly one path between any two points).

Cleaning Up

To remove build artifacts and uninstall dependencies:

./clean.sh

This will:

• Remove the build/ directory
• Uninstall packages listed in packages.txt

Note: Use with caution if you have other projects using the same dependencies.

Configuration

Edit include/Config.hpp to customize:

• Maze Size: MAZE_WIDTH and MAZE_HEIGHT (default: 20x20)
• Movement Speed: MOVE_SPEED (default: 0.05)
• Rotation Speed: ROTATE_SPEED (default: 0.05)
• Field of View: FOV (default: 0.66)
• Screen Resolution: SCREEN_WIDTH and SCREEN_HEIGHT (default: 1920x1080)
• Key Bindings: Customize control keys

After modifying configuration, rebuild the project:

./build.sh

Building Manually

If you prefer manual building:

# Install dependencies
sudo apt update
sudo apt install build-essential libsdl2-dev cmake

# Create build directory
mkdir -p build && cd build

# Configure with CMake
cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release ..

# Compile
make -j$(nproc)

# Run
./Raycasting-in-Maze

Troubleshooting

Build Fails

• Ensure all dependencies are installed: sudo apt install build-essential libsdl2-dev cmake
• Check that you're in the project root directory
• Try cleaning and rebuilding: ./clean.sh && ./build.sh

Black Screen

• Check that SDL2 is properly initialized
• Verify screen resolution settings in Config.hpp match your display

Performance Issues

• Reduce SCREEN_WIDTH and SCREEN_HEIGHT in Config.hpp
• Ensure you're building in Release mode (default in build.sh)