The guide uses code examples in C, and is targeted at programmers with experience in coding, yet new to coding for OpenGL applications. The opening chapters go into descriptive detail of how OpenGL, the software interface for hardware 3D chipsets, works and what you can expect from it, which turns out to be much more than expected. Colour plates are used, for example, to show how OpenGL handles such effects as motion blur and depth-of-field blur, in addition to shadows and texture mapping.

This is not a beginners guide to programming computer graphics. Some foreknowledge of both programming in general and computer graphics in particular is required. For example, code snippets are used to describe how to implement these effects, but because OpenGL is platform-independent, some code examples may need to be modified when used with your specific compiler.

Written by members of the OpenGL Architecture Review Board, there is no better reference volume for learning and understanding OpenGL. The examples cited are clear, commented and explained. The only drawback to the book is that it lacks a companion CD--all examples must be either typed in or downloaded from an internet FTP site (the URL is listed in the preface). --Mike Caputo, amazon.com

Product Description

This book provides definitive information on OpenGL, a powerful software interface for graphics hardware that enables graphics programmers to produce high-quality color images of 3D objects. The authors' coverage ranges from basic functions of the latest OpenGL release to the sophisticated capabilities of the OpenGL Utility Library. The third edition has been extensively updated to include the newest features of OpenGL, Version 1.2, and includes many code examples and sample color images. The Architecture Review Board (ARB) is an industry consortium responsible for guiding the evolution of OpenGL and related technologies, and is comprised of industry leaders such as Evans & Sutherland, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Intel, Intergraph, Microsoft, Sun Microsystems, and Silicon Graphics.