I've done a little bit of research on Direct3D. Having seen how easy the tutorial at http://www.directxtutorial.com/ is, I think I'd like to propose the following: a 3D benchmarking program that would allow users and developers to determine what aspects of WineD3D are the slowest so that they can be improved.
My high level idea is that a user would be able to set graphics options (similar to a game -- or maybe automatically test many configurations) and a 3D "demo" would run. It would time D3D function calls so that we can get an idea for which functions need optimization, report FPS at points in time, and whatever else makes sense as I learn more about it.
As I mentioned before, I haven't really done anything w/ 3D but in my endeavors as a student I've taken up through calculus 4 (including linear algebra) so I think that will give me a leg up here. I plan to do some research on D3D before SOC begins.
Does this sound like it would be useful to work on? Working on 3D sounds like a particularly fun project to me and I don't think I'd mind spending some extra hours on it if need be.
Sorry for hitting the list so hard -- SOC was only recently suggested to me and I am really set on contributing to Wine if that's possible.
Again, thanks for your support and suggestions.
John