Fast Algorithms for 3D-Graphics [Paperback]

Georg Glaeser (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0387942882 | ISBN-13: 978-0387942889 | Publication Date: July 28, 1994

The aim of this book is to provide a mathematical background to techniques in computer graphics, to develop a graphics program in C implementing these techniques, and to illustrate the use of C stressing portability and speed. As a result, many students and professionals will find this presentation will give them a thorough understanding of the most fundamental algorithms in graphics programming as well as to provide with them a usable graphics package. Readers are assumed to be moderately familiar with programming though all type definitions, global variables, and macros are described thoroughly before their first applications. Whilst ray-tracing is not covered, the book does cover: hidden surfaces, shadows, reflections, patterns, and modelling curves and surfaces.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

A tremendous book on the theoretical and mathematical foundations and practical aspects of C programming for writing fast 3D graphics code. Topics covered thoroughly by the book and its diskette include hidden surfaces, shadows, reflections, patterns, spline curves and surfaces, and real-time animation. Requires a good background in mathematics and C programming. Highly Recommended.

Product Details

• Paperback: 306 pages
• Publisher: Springer (July 28, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0387942882
• ISBN-13: 978-0387942889
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,785,406 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not for professionals, April 9, 2000

By 

J. Fristrom (www.gamedevblog.com) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fast Algorithms for 3D-Graphics (Paperback)

The algorithms provided in this book have nothing to offer over the standard ones everyone uses in the games industry. If you're just getting started, this book might be fine. If you're a professional, stick with Foley/ van Dam and Graphics Gems.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars valuable hands-on introduction, July 29, 1999

By 

Erik Neumann (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fast Algorithms for 3D-Graphics (Paperback)

For those who like a hands-on approach to learning a subject this can be an excellent intro to 3D graphics. Glaeser provides a minimal (and occasionally cryptic) introduction to the subject in prose alongside most of the C source code you will need to implement the concepts. He explains the ideas just enough that you can understand the code.

But be forewarned: the floppy disk containing source code is fairly worthless. It does not correspond to the source in the text, it seems to be a much more advanced version of the system he developed on an SGI Iris running Unix. If you happen to have such a machine, perhaps you can get it to compile. But even if you did, you would have a "black box" consisting of a lot of code that is difficult to understand (and with very few comments). I decided instead to type in sections by hand, coming to understand everything I put in, fixing some glaring errors even before compiling, and bringing up sections incrementally. I also had to provide a good bit of my own code to actually make a functioning system. For me this was a good learning experience. The book is valuable but it would benefit by a second edition.

The worst part of the book is the license for the software on the disk, which states that you may have no more than one copy and that "Springer-Verlag has the right to audit your computer". Since I didn't wind up using anything from the disk I take it that the license doesn't apply to me, but who knows? A new addition with an "open source" style license and a reworking of the organization would be very welcome.

4.0 out of 5 stars Good educational value!, January 15, 2004

By 

"gagey" (Adelaide, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fast Algorithms for 3D-Graphics (Paperback)

This book provides a great educational resource for elementary 3D graphics. Even though the algorithms presented may be a bit simplistic compared to, for example, those used in the QuakeIII engine, they offer a great insight into the mathematics behind 3D graphics. C code optimization is also well presented in this book, but again a bit outdated, as modern compilers make macros for speed a thing of the past! This is a great book though, and ALL algorithms described have good mathematical background provided. You can also disregard the source code and use this just as a book on the math behind 3D graphics.
Covered are: vectors, matrices, planes, lines, surfaces and all possible intersections thereof. Interpolation is also covered.
I took the ideas in this book to write a very efficient C++ class library for my own use, and currently am rewriting for Java. This book is especially good if you only require wire-frame or simple shaded images.
The book is also very good on the subject of C programming techniques (and tricks) alone (for those newbies who are scared of pointers, this book will convince you they're worth getting 'under your belt'!!), but as I said, with modern C++ compilers you'd be better off rewriting the code in C++. For example if you write a Vector class and overload the [] operator, all the macros will still work! In the book, they type a vector simply as array of float, ie a pointer, so a macro like:
#define sub_vec2(ab, a, b)\ /* 2D vector subtraction */
( (ab)[0] = (a)[0] - (b)[0],\
(ab)[1] = (a)[1] - (b)[1] )
will still work with your class if you overload the [] operator, even though the macro was originally intended for float arrays!
As said above, you get the same performance implementing the 3D operations (+,-,scale, magnitude, normalize etc) as member functions rather than (harder to debug) macros.

A basic understanding of math and vectors/matrices would be an advantage before reading this book, but the equations are well explained.

In a nutshell, this book is DEFINITELY worth a read, just don't expect to be able to write a cutting edge 3D engine from what you learn 8^)