Customer Reviews

Focus On Curves and Surfaces (Focus on Game Development)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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This is a first review I am ever writing. I was looking for a book that would give a clear explanation of bsplines and nurbs in an easy and intuitive way and found this book to serve the purpose perfectly. Highly technical books skip these concepts and go into complex mathematical concepts assuming that the reader has a perfect background. This book does not assume this. Along with explanation it also gives why this particular method is beneficial and the weaknesses of it. This is also good for those who are already familiar with the subject but like to teach it to others. I wish the author could take other complicated methamatical topics and explain them also at this level clearly outlining their use in the industry like Fourier transforms, Z transform, Wavelets etc. Computer Graphics and Computer Aided Geometric Design are fields of highly sophisticated mathematics and we need books like these for every topic.

The book is great on giving people an intuitive grasp on what a B-Spline or NURB is, allowing people to look at series of points and knowing "sorta" what the curve will look like.

The only serious lacking point is it's explanation of Knot Vectors and the reason they're ordered the way they are and what the numbers in them represent. It's a tricky subject to explain though, and the author made a good effort, but really needs to explain what the numbers DO persay. (Though if you play with the source and have a good eye it eventually makes sense). Anyway, excellent book and is the reason I'm the only person in my 3D Graphics class who knows how NURBS work (teacher included... "Just download code off the internet" he says, sheesh).

Anyway, BUY! It be good!