3D Graphics Programming: Games & Beyond

PTR Bullets

• 3D Graphics Programming: Games & Beyond explains the key mathematical concepts upon which 3D computer graphics libraries such as OpenGL and DirectX are built
• This book takes a very difficult subject and makes it easy to understand by using and clearly explaining the algorithms necessary to code exciting and realistic 3D images
• It includes the 3Dgpl graphics library written by the author. It used to illustrate concepts and algorithms in the book as well as in commercial applications
• This book presents the technology independent of the OS and is valuable to PC and console game programmers, as well as programmers who need to present 3D objects in science, medicine or other areas of technology

PTR Overview

3D Graphics Programming: Games & Beyond is a comprehensive guide to polygonal 3D graphics with an emphasis on techniques used in computer games. It contains descriptions of the most useful algorithms and combines them with practical programming examples to give programmers more control over their programs. The book's structured approach enables programmers to create their own libraries if necessary. It offers a firm theoretical base that is presented in an intuitive manner. Describing both theoretical and practical issues, the book examines thoroughly the underlying mathematical principles of 3D graphics. It gives code examples and illustrations of vital concepts using an included library, which is well commented, easy to examine, change or use. The book covers a continuous spectrum of issues ranging from: hardware interfaces, plotting a single pixel, texture mapping, modeling, hidden surface removal, color and lighting, atmospherics such as fog and clouds, and 2D and 3D clipping strategies.

User Level

Intermediate - Advanced

Audience

Experienced C programmers who program games or other applications requiring 3D rendering but lack formal mathematics training will find that the book is specifically designed for them. Serious professional or amateur programmers who are looking for 3d programming solutions that are hard to find will appreciate the clarity and succinctness of the presentation.

Product Author Bios

Sergei Savchenko, MSC is an avid gamer currently working as an engineer with Canadian Aviation Electronics in Montreal. His current projects include updating commercial flight simulators and integrating porting software. He has taught undergraduate computer science and artificial intelligence courses at McGill University in Canada. Sergei is also the creator of 3Dgpl a multiplatform graphics library and Hind MI-24 a flight simulator/visual game for NeXTStep. He is widely respected as a consultant in the domains of game graphics, scientific visualization and automated reasoning.

3D Graphics Programming: Games & Beyond is a comprehensive guide to polygonal 3D graphics with an emphasis on techniques used in computer games. It contains descriptions of the most useful algorithms and combines them with practical programming examples to give programmers more control over their programs. The book¿s structured approach enables programmers to create their own libraries if necessary. It offers a firm theoretical base that is presented in an intuitive manner. Describing both theoretical and practical issues, the book examines thoroughly the underlying mathematical principles of 3D graphics. It gives code examples and illustrations of vital concepts using an included library, which is well commented, easy to examine, change or use.

Technology

3D graphics is a very exciting topic that has enjoyed increasing attention as desktop CPU speeds have dramatically increased over the last 4 or 5 years. Survey data from the top ten games and graphics web sites shows a combined total of well over a thousand hits a week. The combination of increasingly faster microcomputers, the rising popularity of computer games, and a new level of consumer expectation for realistic 3D rendering has created new demands, and fresh market opportunities. This has resulted in a steadily growing number of programmers who create their own games, tremendous growth of the video games industry, and a marked increase of 3D rendering in fields ranging from agriculture, scientific research, movies and videos, and medicine. This book reveals and explains the importance of the algorithms necessary to create stunning 3D graphics that can be incorporated into games or programs running on a variety of operating systems.