done with trying to copy treexy. it wasnt better after I implemented it. going to switch back to my method.

.gitmodules

@@ -4,3 +4,4 @@
 [submodule "stb"]
 	path = stb
 	url = https://github.com/nothings/stb
+    

tests/g3test3.cpp

@@ -1,9 +1,41 @@
-// test_voxel_render.cpp
 #include "../util/grid/grid33.hpp"
+//#include "../util/grid/treexy/treexy_serialization.hpp"
 #include "../util/output/bmpwriter.hpp"
+#include "../util/noise/pnoise2.hpp"
+#include "../util/timing_decorator.cpp"
 #include <random>
 #include <iostream>
 
+struct configuration {
+    float threshold = 0.1;
+    int gridWidth = 128;
+    int gridHeight = 128;
+    int gridDepth = 128;
+    PNoise2 noise = PNoise2(42);
+};
+
+void setup(configuration& config, VoxelGrid<Vec3ui8, 2, 3>& grid) {
+    TIME_FUNCTION;
+    uint8_t thresh = config.threshold * 255;
+    for (int z = 0; z < config.gridDepth; ++z) {
+        if (z % 64 == 0) {
+            std::cout << "Processing layer " << z << " of " << config.gridDepth << std::endl;
+        }
+
+        for (int y = 0; y < config.gridHeight; ++y) {
+            for (int x = 0; x < config.gridWidth; ++x) {
+                uint8_t r = std::clamp(config.noise.permute(Vec3f(static_cast<float>(x) / config.gridWidth / 64, static_cast<float>(y) / config.gridHeight / 64, static_cast<float>(z) / config.gridDepth / 64)), 0.f, 1.f) * 255;
+                uint8_t g = std::clamp(config.noise.permute(Vec3f(static_cast<float>(x) / config.gridWidth / 32, static_cast<float>(y) / config.gridHeight / 32, static_cast<float>(z) / config.gridDepth / 32)), 0.f, 1.f) * 255;
+                uint8_t b = std::clamp(config.noise.permute(Vec3f(static_cast<float>(x) / config.gridWidth / 16, static_cast<float>(y) / config.gridHeight / 16, static_cast<float>(z) / config.gridDepth / 16)), 0.f, 1.f) * 255;
+                uint8_t a = std::clamp(config.noise.permute(Vec3f(static_cast<float>(x) / config.gridWidth / 8 , static_cast<float>(y) / config.gridHeight / 8 , static_cast<float>(z) / config.gridDepth / 8 )), 0.f, 1.f) * 255;
+                if (a > thresh) {
+                    bool wasOn = grid.setVoxelColor(Vec3d(x,y,z), Vec3ui8(r,g,b));
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 int main() {
     // Initialize random number generator
     std::random_device rd;
@@ -14,32 +46,8 @@ int main() {
     // Create a voxel grid with 0.1 unit resolution
     VoxelGrid<Vec3ui8, 2, 3> voxelGrid(0.1);
         
-    std::cout << "Placing 10 random colored voxels..." << std::endl;
+    configuration config;
-    
+    setup(config, voxelGrid);
-    // Place 10 random colored voxels
-    for (int i = 0; i < 10; ++i) {
-        // Generate random position
-        double x = pos_dist(gen);
-        double y = pos_dist(gen);
-        double z = pos_dist(gen);
-        
-        // Generate random color
-        uint8_t r = static_cast<uint8_t>(color_dist(gen));
-        uint8_t g = static_cast<uint8_t>(color_dist(gen));
-        uint8_t b = static_cast<uint8_t>(color_dist(gen));
-        
-        Vec3d worldPos(x, y, z);
-        Vec3ui8 color(r, g, b);
-        
-        // Set voxel color
-        bool wasOn = voxelGrid.setVoxelColor(worldPos, color);
-        
-        std::cout << "Voxel " << i + 1 << ": "
-                  << "Pos(" << x << ", " << y << ", " << z << ") "
-                  << "Color(RGB:" << static_cast<int>(r) << ","
-                  << static_cast<int>(g) << "," << static_cast<int>(b) << ") "
-                  << (wasOn ? "(overwritten)" : "(new)") << std::endl;
-    }
     
     std::cout << "\nMemory usage: " << voxelGrid.getMemoryUsage() << " bytes" << std::endl;
     
@@ -53,15 +61,16 @@ int main() {
     std::vector<uint8_t> imageBuffer;
     
     // Render with orthographic projection (view along Z axis)
-    voxelGrid.renderProjectedToRGBBuffer(imageBuffer, width, height, 
+    Vec3d camPos = Vec3d(config.gridDepth, config.gridHeight, config.gridWidth * 2);
-                                        Vec3d(0, 0, 1),  // View direction (looking along Z)
+    Vec3d lookAt = Vec3d(config.gridDepth / 2, config.gridHeight / 2, config.gridWidth / 2);
-                                        Vec3d(0, 1, 0)); // Up direction
+    Vec3d viewDir = (lookAt-camPos).normalized();
+    voxelGrid.renderToRGB(imageBuffer, width, height, camPos, viewDir, Vec3d(0, 1, 0), 80.f);
     
     std::cout << "Image buffer size: " << imageBuffer.size() << " bytes" << std::endl;
     std::cout << "Expected size: " << (width * height * 3) << " bytes" << std::endl;
     
     // Save to BMP using BMPWriter
-    std::string filename = "voxel_render.bmp";
+    std::string filename = "output/voxel_render.bmp";
     
     // Create a frame object from the buffer
     frame renderFrame(width, height, frame::colormap::RGB);
@@ -71,33 +80,8 @@ int main() {
     if (BMPWriter::saveBMP(filename, renderFrame)) {
         std::cout << "Successfully saved to: " << filename << std::endl;
         
-        // Also save using the direct vector interface as backup
-        if (BMPWriter::saveBMP("voxel_render_direct.bmp", imageBuffer, width, height)) {
-            std::cout << "Also saved direct version: voxel_render_direct.bmp" << std::endl;
-        }
     } else {
         std::cout << "Failed to save BMP!" << std::endl;
-        
-        // Try alternative save method
-        std::cout << "Trying alternative save method..." << std::endl;
-        
-        // Convert to Vec3ui8 format
-        std::vector<Vec3ui8> pixelsVec3;
-        pixelsVec3.reserve(width * height);
-        
-        for (size_t i = 0; i < imageBuffer.size(); i += 3) {
-            pixelsVec3.push_back(Vec3ui8(
-                imageBuffer[i],
-                imageBuffer[i + 1],
-                imageBuffer[i + 2]
-            ));
-        }
-        
-        if (BMPWriter::saveBMP("voxel_render_vec3.bmp", pixelsVec3, width, height)) {
-            std::cout << "Saved Vec3ui8 version: voxel_render_vec3.bmp" << std::endl;
-        } else {
-            std::cout << "All save methods failed!" << std::endl;
-        }
     }
     
     // Test accessor functionality
@@ -132,6 +116,7 @@ int main() {
     });
     
     std::cout << "\nTotal voxels in grid: " << voxelCount << std::endl;
+    FunctionTimer::printStats(FunctionTimer::Mode::ENHANCED);
     
     return 0;
 }

util/grid/grid33.hpp

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #include <iostream>
 #include "../vectorlogic/vec3.hpp"
 #include "../basicdefines.hpp"
+#include "../timing_decorator.hpp"
 
 /// @brief Finds the index of the least significant bit set to 1 in a 64-bit integer.
 /// @details Uses compiler intrinsics (_BitScanForward64, __builtin_ctzll) where available, 
@@ -659,7 +660,7 @@ public:
     /// @param fov the field of view for the camera
     void renderToRGB(std::vector<uint8_t>& buffer, int width, int height, const Vec3d& viewOrigin, 
                  const Vec3d& viewDir, const Vec3d& upDir, float fov = 80) {
-        // Resize buffer to hold width * height * 3 bytes (RGB)
+        TIME_FUNCTION;
         buffer.resize(width * height * 3);
         std::fill(buffer.begin(), buffer.end(), 0);
         
@@ -674,14 +675,11 @@ public:
         // Compute focal length based on FOV
         double aspectRatio = static_cast<double>(width) / static_cast<double>(height);
         double fovRad = fov * M_PI / 180.0;
-        double focalLength = 1.0 / tan(fovRad * 0.5);
+        double focalLength = 0.5 / tan(fovRad * 0.5); // Reduced for wider view
         
-        // Precompute scaling factors for screen coordinates
+        // Pixel to world scaling
-        double pixelWidth = 2.0 / (width - 1);
+        double pixelWidth = 2.0 * focalLength / width;
-        double pixelHeight = 2.0 / (height - 1);
+        double pixelHeight = 2.0 * focalLength / height;
-        
-        // Compute half voxel size for accurate ray-voxel intersection
-        double halfVoxel = resolution * 0.5;
         
         // Create an accessor for efficient voxel lookup
         Accessor accessor = createAccessor();
@@ -689,81 +687,55 @@ public:
         // For each pixel in the output image
         for (int y = 0; y < height; ++y) {
             for (int x = 0; x < width; ++x) {
-                // Convert pixel coordinates to normalized device coordinates [-1, 1]
+                // Calculate pixel position in camera space
-                double ndcX = (2.0 * x / (width - 1)) - 1.0;
+                double u = (x - width * 0.5) * pixelWidth;
-                double ndcY = 1.0 - (2.0 * y / (height - 1)); // Flip Y
+                double v = (height * 0.5 - y) * pixelHeight;
                 
-                // Scale by aspect ratio
+                // Compute ray direction in world space
-                ndcX *= aspectRatio;
+                Vec3d rayDirWorld = viewDirN * focalLength + 
-                
+                                rightDir * u + 
-                // Compute ray direction in camera space
+                                realUpDir * v;
-                Vec3d rayDirCam(ndcX, ndcY, focalLength);
-                
-                // Transform ray direction to world space
-                Vec3d rayDirWorld = (rightDir * rayDirCam.x) + 
-                                    (realUpDir * rayDirCam.y) + 
-                                    (viewDirN * rayDirCam.z);
                 rayDirWorld = rayDirWorld.normalized();
                 
                 // Set up ray marching
                 Vec3d rayPos = viewOrigin;
-                double maxDistance = 100.0; // Maximum ray distance
+                double maxDistance = 1000.0; // Increased maximum ray distance
-                double stepSize = resolution; // Step size for ray marching
+                double stepSize = resolution * 0.5; // Smaller step size
                 
                 // Ray marching loop
-                for (double t = 0; t < maxDistance; t += stepSize) {
+                bool hit = false;
+                for (double t = 0; t < maxDistance && !hit; t += stepSize) {
                     rayPos = viewOrigin + rayDirWorld * t;
                     
+                    // Check if we're inside the grid bounds
+                    if (rayPos.x < 0 || rayPos.y < 0 || rayPos.z < 0 ||
+                        rayPos.x >= 128 || rayPos.y >= 128 || rayPos.z >= 128) {
+                        continue;
+                    }
+                    
                     // Convert world position to voxel coordinate
                     Vec3i coord = posToCoord(rayPos);
                     
-                    // Look up voxel value using accessor (cached for efficiency)
+                    // Look up voxel value using accessor
                     DataT* voxelData = accessor.value(coord);
                     
                     if (voxelData) {
                         // Voxel hit - extract color
-                        // Assuming DataT is Vec3ui8 or compatible
                         Vec3ui8* colorPtr = reinterpret_cast<Vec3ui8*>(voxelData);
                         
                         // Get buffer index for this pixel
                         size_t pixelIdx = (y * width + x) * 3;
                         
-                        // Apply simple shading based on normal
+                        // Simple distance-based attenuation
-                        // Estimate normal by checking neighbors
+                        double distance = t;
-                        double shading = 1.0;
+                        double attenuation = 1.0 / (1.0 + distance * 0.01);
                         
-                        // Check neighboring voxels to estimate surface normal
+                        // Store color in buffer with attenuation
-                        Vec3d voxelCenter = Vec3iToPos(coord);
+                        buffer[pixelIdx]     = static_cast<uint8_t>(colorPtr->x * attenuation);
-                        Vec3d toRay = (rayPos - voxelCenter).normalized();
+                        buffer[pixelIdx + 1] = static_cast<uint8_t>(colorPtr->y * attenuation);
-                        
+                        buffer[pixelIdx + 2] = static_cast<uint8_t>(colorPtr->z * attenuation);
-                        // Simple normal estimation by checking adjacent voxels
-                        Vec3i neighbors[6] = {
-                            Vec3i(coord.x + 1, coord.y, coord.z),
-                            Vec3i(coord.x - 1, coord.y, coord.z),
-                            Vec3i(coord.x, coord.y + 1, coord.z),
-                            Vec3i(coord.x, coord.y - 1, coord.z),
-                            Vec3i(coord.x, coord.y, coord.z + 1),
-                            Vec3i(coord.x, coord.y, coord.z - 1)
-                        };
-                        
-                        // Count empty neighbors to estimate surface orientation
-                        int emptyCount = 0;
-                        for (int i = 0; i < 6; ++i) {
-                            if (!accessor.value(neighbors[i])) {
-                                emptyCount++;
-                            }
-                        }
-                        
-                        // Simple shading: more visible if fewer neighbors (edge/corner)
-                        if (emptyCount > 0) {
-                            shading = 0.7 + 0.3 * (emptyCount / 6.0);
-                        }
-                        
-                        // Store color in buffer with shading
-                        buffer[pixelIdx]     = static_cast<uint8_t>(colorPtr->x * shading);
-                        buffer[pixelIdx + 1] = static_cast<uint8_t>(colorPtr->y * shading);
-                        buffer[pixelIdx + 2] = static_cast<uint8_t>(colorPtr->z * shading);
                         
+                        hit = true;
                         break; // Stop ray marching after hitting first voxel
                     }
                 }