Modernization Phase 1: Engine and Rendering Upgrades
This phase focuses on rebuilding the Command & Conquer: Generals Zero Hour engine to run natively on modern hardware. This includes replacing outdated DirectX 8 dependencies, improving resolution support, and preparing the engine for future visual and UI upgrades.
Core Goals
- Switch rendering backend to BGFX for cross-platform GPU support
- Add native resolution support for 1440p, 4K, and ultrawide monitors
- Fix HUD/UI stretching and alignment issues
- Improve camera height, zoom, and input responsiveness
- Enable modern shader systems and lighting pipelines
Replaced Libraries and Components
- DirectX 8.1 → Replaced with BGFX
- Miles Sound System → Planned replacement with OpenAL Soft
- Shader System (WWShade) → Replaced with a new BGFX shader pipeline
- MP3 Decoder (Asimp3) → Replaced with minimp3
- LZH Compression → Replaced with zlib
Reference Docs and Tools
Current Status
The core BGFX rendering wrapper is in place. Direct3D 8 references have been removed. The shader system is being actively converted, and new resolution and camera handling code has been successfully tested at 1440p.