Interactive Computer Graphics: A Top-Down Approach with OpenGL (Hardcover)

This introductory text features a top-down, programming-oriented approach to computer graphics. Capitalizing upon this top-down and hands-on approach, the text quickly gets students writing interesting 3D graphics programs. Angel uses OpenGL, a graphics library supported by most workstations, and the C programming language (which, like OpenGL, is not object-oriented), allowing students to be aware of what is happening at the lowest levels of computer-graphics programming. Each chapter is built around an application, with key principles and techniques explained as needed and in increasing detail, teaching students by example and by practice. While emphasizing applications programming, the book covers all topics required for a fundamental course in computer graphics, such as light-material interactions, shading, modeling, curves and surfaces, antialiasing, texture mapping, and compositing, as well as hardware issues. The top-down approach taken in this book enables students of computer science and engineering to generate complex interactive applications by the end of their first course, and will give them a solid background for future work or study in computer graphics.

This introductory text recognizes that beginners learn computer graphics more quickly by doing it. Taking a top-down approach, the book gets you started early in writing interesting 3D graphics programs. Each chapter is built around a nontrivial application program. In this programming context, key principles and techniques are explained as needed and in increasing detail. Coverage includes all the topics required for a fundamental understanding of computer graphics, such as light-material interactions, shading, modeling, curves and surfaces, anti-aliasing, texture mapping, and compositing, as well as important hardware issues.

To enable this top-down approach, the book first describes an important application programmer's interface, OpenGL, a graphics library available on most platforms, from high-end graphics workstations to PCs. This high-level interface and a basic knowledge of C programming allow you to generate complex interactive applications, even applications involving 3D viewing and event-driven input. OpenGL's well-defined architecture also facilitates the book's technical discussions of algorithm implementations.

The Second Edition of this widely used book features enhanced discussion of hierarchy and object orientation, visualization, interaction, and projection; includes additional code examples, such as two new variants of the Sierpinski gasket, display of hierarchical models, shadow generation, and visualization; and covers functionality added to OpenGL 1.1, including vertex arrays.

• Books > Computing & Internet > Networking & Security > Network Topics
• Books > Computing & Internet > PC & Video Games > Programming
• Books > Computing & Internet > Programming > Games
• Books > Computing & Internet > Programming > Graphics & Multimedia > OpenGL
• Books > Computing & Internet > Software & Graphics > Graphics & Multimedia > Animation & Multimedia

• Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
• I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
• I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.