I’m Burak, a C/C++ (and recently assembly) programmer jumping into Dosember with a few different projects on my plate and thought I’d introduce myself. Last jam I worked on Cat Burglar, a little MS-DOS project that actually made it to submission, and since then I’ve been pushing further into retro development. Right now I’m experimenting with CyberVGA, my own 3D software renderer for DOS, running under DPMI with Borland C and assembly. It’s been a good way to practice low-level graphics and memory management while still keeping things fun.
I’ve also started development of a new game called Metaphor. The plan is for a short ARPG, where the main character gradually discovers shamanic abilities through the natural world. It’s early days, but I’d like to build it out with a proper sense of progression in both story and gameplay.
All kinds of help are welcome — code, art, design feedback, or just sharing your thoughts. I’ll try to share progress and lessons learned along the way by sending new dev logs, and I’m always happy to swap knowledge. Looking forward to seeing what everyone else is making this jam.
Thank you very much! Using protected mode in MS-DOS was really a pain but basically I mapped new bios interrupts using assembly. You can find the source code here:
CyberVGA is a modular, retro-style 3D graphics engine built for MS-DOS and classic VGA Mode 13h (320×200, 256 colors). Inspired by the demoscene and the earliest PC game engines, CyberVGA recreates the look and feel of 90s 3D graphics — wireframes, neon palettes, and pixel-perfect rasterization.
Features
🖥️ Runs on MS-DOS (Borland C/C++ era authenticity)
🎨 Palette manipulation: color cycling, fades, pseudo-lighting
🔺 3D rendering: wireframes, filled triangles, backface culling
📂 Mesh loading: simple OBJ support (Cube and Sphere for now)
📐 Math core: trig tables, rotations, and perspective projection
⌨️ Keyboard input: arrow-keys to rotate objects
Why CyberVGA?
CyberVGA is more than an engine — it’s a tribute to the golden age of DOS graphics, when every pixel had to be pushed by hand and clever tricks made up for hardware limits. It blends authenticity with hackability, making it a perfect playground for retro coders, demoscene fans, and anyone curious about how 3D worked before GPUs.
Development
CyberVGA is in active development. Current builds focus on core rendering and palette effects, with future plans for texture mapping, shading, and more demoscene-style visuals.
What’s Next?
Texture mapping (PCX/Deluxe Paint import is planned)
