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Real-Time Rendering, Third Edition 3rd Edition

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 85 ratings

There is a newer edition of this item:

Thoroughly revised, this third edition focuses on modern techniques used to generate synthetic three-dimensional images in a fraction of a second. With the advent of programmable shaders, a wide variety of new algorithms have arisen and evolved over the past few years. This edition discusses current, practical rendering methods used in games and other applications. It also presents a solid theoretical framework and relevant mathematics for the field of interactive computer graphics, all in an approachable style. The authors have made the figures used in the book available for download for fair use.:Download Figures.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Rendering has been a required reference for professional graphics practitioners for nearly a decade. This latest edition is as relevant as ever, covering topics from essential mathematical foundations to advanced techniques used by today’s cutting edge games.
-- Gabe Newell, President,
Valve, May 2008


Rendering ... has been completely revised and revamped for its updated third edition, which focuses on modern techniques used to generate three-dimensional images in a fraction of the time old processes took. From practical rendering for games to math and details for better interactive applications, it's not to be missed.
--
The Bookwatch, November 2008


You'll get brilliantly lucid explanations of concepts like vertex morphing and variance shadow mapping―as well as a new respect for the incredible craftsmanship that goes into today's PC games.
-- Logan Decker,
PC Gamer Magazine , February 2009

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ A K Peters/CRC Press; 3rd edition (July 25, 2008)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 1045 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1568814240
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1568814247
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 3.95 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.25 x 1.75 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 85 ratings

About the author

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Eric Haines
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I'm a Senior Principal Engineer (read, "programmer") at Autodesk, a company that makes more software than you might realize, e.g., Max, Maya, and Softimage. I've been there for over fifteen years, previously working twelve years for a little startup begun by my advisor, Don Greenberg, called 3D/Eye. I graduated with an MS from the Program of Computer Graphics at Cornell in 1985 and have been in Ithaca ever since - it's been a career goal, in a sense: college town, beautiful lakes and trails, plenty of arts and culture, no major highway, and cold winters that help slow growth. Prior to Ithaca I worked on satellites a few years in Princeton with RCA Astro-Electronics. I graduated with a BS in Computer Science from RPI in 1980. I've done research in the areas of ray tracing, radiosity, and interactive shadows, and have contributed to a number of books.

That's the resume filler. Where I have spent a fair bit of my time and effort over the past few decades is in being an active member in the community of computer graphics people. I do my bit to provide useful resources and make things interesting: blogging and editing, maintaining the Graphics Gems code repository, reviewing for the Journal of Graphics Tools and the new Journal of Computer Graphics Techniques, editing the Ray Tracing News, running the Fantasy Graphics League, etc. Which sounds altruistic, or maybe egotistical, but analysis aside, it's what I find I like to do. I also run a popular wildflower identification site - go figure. But I also admit to wasting way too much time on FPS games like the Battlefield series and Left 4 Dead.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
85 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book very thorough and gives a good description of everything. They also describe it as a great book for theory and a perfect complement to special-purpose books on specific APIs. Readers mention the topics are well-chosen and well-written.

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15 customers mention "Depth"15 positive0 negative

Customers find the book very thorough and provides a good description of everything. They say it has just the right amount of detail on almost every facet of real-time rendering. Readers also mention it's the best comprehensive introduction to computer graphics.

"This book is a great collection of almost current practical rendering techniques...." Read more

"...It has a great overview of a lot of different topics related to real-time rendering, from lighting models to collision detection, and all the math..." Read more

"...This is simply the perfect practical approach. Their complementary website is an absolute gold mine of references and advice...." Read more

"Probably the best comprehensive introduction to computer graphics if you already have a little exposure to computer graphics...." Read more

14 customers mention "Readability"14 positive0 negative

Customers find the book great, good for theory, and a perfect complement to special-purpose books on specific APIs. They also appreciate the well-chosen and written topics.

"...All in all I think it was a great read, and I feel a lot more comfortable with the basic concepts of rendering after reading the book...." Read more

"...It is a perfect complement to special-purpose books on specific APIs (OpenGL or DirectX) or GPU shading languages (GLSL or CG or HLSL) that..." Read more

"Awesome book, it goes over as much rendering as humans know...." Read more

"...Overall good book for theory." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2009
This book is a great collection of almost current practical rendering techniques.

Very basic theories/ideas for game engine, basis for game client programming as well as the necessary knowledge for understanding DirectX and OpenGL, in short, almost all stuffs of graphical rendering topics are covered by this book.

I think of that this book consists of three major parts by three different coauthors.
(But the consistency of the entire book content is kept well; the related issues in different sections/chapters are referred/linked with each other exactly.)

It covers,
BASIC SUFF AND LIGHT (Basic Vector Calculus, Basic Optical Science)
Basic logical tools for graphics - Matrix, Projection, Terminologies,
Basic graphics concepts - Aliasing, Morphing, Sensor, Color, Texture,
Characteristics of light - Spectrum of Light, Irradiance, Reflection/Refraction, etc.

RENDERING TECHNIQUE (More Artificial Technique)
Illumination, Shading, Mapping, Effects, Bill boarding, Fogging, Silhouette, Cartoon-Rendering, etc.

GEOMETRY AND PERFORMANCE
Line, Surface, Culling, LOD, Space Partitioning, Collision, Performance, GPU Pipeline, etc.

It cites a lot of references on graphics/rendering/shader books, mathematics, journals, treaties and articles on the both side of online and offline.
But the subjects/content of each section are written in brief and clear way to understand them due to that this book tries to avoid using complex formulae or equations.
Recommending to find/read the original references to get more details for those kind of formulae, this book focuses on the major flow of how the techniques are derived and applied to.

Again, it is very helpful to people who want to get a stout understanding for rendering technology.

Strongly Related Books with this;
Physically Based Rendering : From Theory to Implementation (The Morgan Kaufmann Series in Interactive 3D Technology) (The Interactive 3d Technology Series) , ShaderX6: Advanced Rendering , 3D Game Engine Design, Second Edition: A Practical Approach to Real-Time Computer Graphics (The Morgan Kaufmann Series in Interactive 3D Technology) , Real-Time Collision Detection (The Morgan Kaufmann Series in Interactive 3-D Technology)

Thanks.
21 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on December 20, 2012
This is, by far, one of the most thorough books I've read on computer graphics. It has a great overview of a lot of different topics related to real-time rendering, from lighting models to collision detection, and all the math that is involved. Make no mistake, there is a lot of math in this book. I will be honest, on some pages with dense equations my eyes glazed over somewhat. But it is great to have the equations to refer back to, and there are ample references given if you want to find out more.

The thing to realize is that there is not a whole lot of code in this book. Sometimes pseudo-code will be giving, to illustrate an algorithm, but there is not stuff you can just copy and paste. If you are working on a 3D engine, this book should certainly be in your library, but you will need more to finish the job. So look to combine this book with one on your API of choice (OpenGL or DirectX) and another book that focuses on the architecture (I liked Game Engine Architecture by Jason Gregory).

All in all I think it was a great read, and I feel a lot more comfortable with the basic concepts of rendering after reading the book. If you are in the field, or looking to get into the field, this is basically required reading. Highly recommended.
5 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2009
This is my favorite 3D graphics book by a wide margin. The writing is clear, concise and quite up-to-date (assuming you have the most recent edition). Every page contains concise, unobtrusive references to 1200 excellent sources of information (books, articles, links). For example, if you see [987] in the text, just find entry [987] in the appendix to find the name of a book, article, link or PDF with more information.

What's best about this text is how well chosen and written are the topics. Their intention is always to describe the best up-to-date techniques to implement solutions to every aspect of real-time 3D graphics, with only enough general or historical discussion of each topic to provide a foundation to understand the current state-of-the-art. This is simply the perfect practical approach. Their complementary website is an absolute gold mine of references and advice.

If I could only buy one general book on 3D graphics, this would definitely be it. It is a perfect complement to special-purpose books on specific APIs (OpenGL or DirectX) or GPU shading languages (GLSL or CG or HLSL) that describe the specific graphics environment and software tools you need to implement your 3D applications. If your choice is OpenGL/GLSL, then "Realtime Rendering" is the perfect complement to the OpenGL SuperBible (4th~5th edition) and the OpenGL Shading Language (3rd edition).
22 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on January 16, 2018
Probably the best comprehensive introduction to computer graphics if you already have a little exposure to computer graphics. It talks about the theories behind most of the features that you will see in a game engine or 3d software (unity, blender). If you have taken a 101 on unity or blender, this is the book to help you understand what is going on underneath.

DON'T get the kindle version, it is just pdf images (table of content links don't work, page takes up only half of the phone screen, cannot zoom in)

Top reviews from other countries

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TC
5.0 out of 5 stars Gutes Grundlagenwerk für Studenten oder allgemein als Nachschlagewerk
Reviewed in Germany on December 7, 2017
Ich habe dieses Buch gekauft (gebraucht, Zustand "wie neu"), da ich als Informatik Student Vorlesungen und Prüfungen mit Bezug zu Computer Graphics besucht habe und es dort ab und zu als Referenzwerk angegeben wurde und mich der Bereich auch außerhalb des Studiums interessiert.

Die Sachverhalte sind wirklich gut und anschaulich beschrieben und es werden so gut wie alle grundlegenden Themen abgedeckt.

Mir hat es bisher gut als ergänzendes Vorlesungsmaterial sowie einfach als Nachschlagewerk gedient.

Auch interessant zum Auffrischen der Thematiken sind die Anhänge "Some Linear Algebra" und "Trigonometry".

Ich habe das Buch tatsächlich in einem Zustand erhalten, den man als "wie neu" bezeichnen kann. Bis auf ein paar sehr leichte Abnutzungserscheinungen auf dem Hardcover gibt es nichts auszusetzen.
3 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Would highly recommend for anyone getting into real time graphics/shader work
Reviewed in Canada on January 26, 2016
A fantastically informative and detailed account of the rendering pipeline as it applies to games. Would highly recommend for anyone getting into real time graphics/shader work.
Francesco83
5.0 out of 5 stars Consigliatissimo!
Reviewed in Italy on August 11, 2016
Un libro che mi ha molto appassionato.
Tratta tutti gli argomenti relativi al rendering in real time ma anche gli argomenti più avanzati e pertinenti al rendering offline come gli algoritmi di illuminazione globale in modo molto efficace e completo.
In particolare segnalo l'ottima trattazione relativa all'interazione tra luce e materiali che è alla base del physically based rendering moderno e a ragione viene spesso citata come fonte anche in altri testi sulla computer grafica 3D e l'ottima parte finale dove viene spiegata l'architettura delle GPU moderne con pixels e vertex shaders progammabili.
Si tratta comunque di un testo che illustra le tecniche e la teoria che c'è dietro il rendering in tempo reale, NON è in alcun modo un testo di programmazione, quella viene dopo per chi vuole effettivamente implementare queste tecniche e necessita di altri manuali specifici.
Come difetto segnalo che alle volte il libro si limita a fare carrellate troppo veloci delle idee e soluzioni proposte da altri autori in letteratura senza effettivamente spiegarle bene e andare nei dettagli.
Inoltre il libro ormai non è più aggiornatissimo, quest'ultima edizione è stata scritta nell'era DX9/10. Non erano ancora uscite le nuove consoles tipo PS4. Ci vorrebbe una nuova edizione su cui magari stanno lavorando.

PS: Per una lettura ''gradevole'' ( ovvero per capirci qualcosa), occorrono conoscenze matematiche da laurea triennale di facoltà scientifica (tipo ingegneria, informatica, fisica,etc).
Morax
5.0 out of 5 stars Imprescindible
Reviewed in Spain on January 14, 2016
Un gran libro con temas muy interesantes sobre la programación gráfica, sobre todo de videojuegos. Explica conceptos y algoritmos utilizados en la industria de manera clara. Si algún tema es especialmente complicado para ti, además incluye referencias que pueden ayudarte a entenderlo. Muy recomendado.
oukrat
5.0 out of 5 stars Livre complet
Reviewed in France on September 17, 2015
Tout est expliqué. Il s'agit du livre le plus exhaustif que j'ai lu. Cependant celui-ci est destiné aux personnes ayant de bonnes bases en mathématiques, algorithmique et en API 3D sur ordinateur.