I built a small C++ game engine so an AI IDE could touch the whole thing

Description and use

A lightweight C++ game engine that runs on integrated graphics and can be fully edited by an AI IDE, enabling rapid development on modest hardware.

Problem

Develop a lightweight game engine that runs on integrated graphics and can be fully edited by an AI IDE, avoiding heavy middleware and complex build processes.

Outcome

A functional, lightweight game engine that runs on integrated graphics, fully editable by an AI IDE, enabling rapid iteration and deployment on modest hardware.

Workflow

• 1. Choose Diligent Engine for cross‑platform GPU abstraction.
• 2. Implement ECS with EnTT and JSON scene format.
• 3. Wrap Diligent’s GLTF loader for asset caching.
• 4. Add rendering modes (Basic and PBR) with cascaded shadows and LOD.
• 5. Integrate Jolt physics via FetchContent and pimpl.
• 6. Build flight simulation with configurable profiles and camera modes.
• 7. Store input bindings in JSON and enable cursor capture.
• 8. Use AI IDE to write most C++ code, correcting model mistakes.
• 9. Compile and run on Linux/Windows; tweak configs and rebuild without recompiling everything.
• 10. Deploy sandbox demo with drone, trees, physics cubes, and integrated graphics performance.
• 11. Identify and work around far‑distance cull strobing bug by disabling LOD in config.
• 12. Publish repo and demo video.

Evidence

I built a small C++ game engine so an AI IDE could touch the whole thing

Source

The machine is an Intel HD 620. No discrete GPU. That forced the rest of the design.

Source

Demo: https://youtu.be/nsptiy-I4Ps

Source