Introduction to Computer Graphics - A Practical Learning Approach

Teach Your Students How to Create a Graphics ApplicationIntroduction to Computer Graphics: A Practical Learning Approach guides students in developing their own interactive graphics application. The authors show step by step how to implement computer graphics concepts and theory using the EnvyMyCar (NVMC) framework as a consistent example throughout the text. They use the WebGL graphics API to develop NVMC, a simple, interactive car racing game.Each chapter focuses on a particular computer graphics aspect, such as 3D modeling and lighting. The authors help students understand how to handle 3D geometric transformations, texturing, complex lighting effects, and more. This practical approach leads students to draw the elements and effects needed to ultimately create a visually pleasing car racing game. The code is available at www.envymycarbook.comPuts computer graphics theory into practice by developing an interactive video gameEnables students to experiment with the concepts in a practical settingUses WebGL for code examplesRequires knowledge of general programming and basic notions of HTML and JavaScriptProvides the software and other materials on the book’s websiteSoftware development does not require installation of IDEs or libraries, only a text editor.Table of ContentWhat Computer Graphics Is. The First Steps. How a 3D Model Is Represented. Geometric Transformations. Turning Vertices into Pixels. Lighting and Shading. Texturing. Shadows. Image-Based Impostors. Advanced Techniques. Global Illumination. Appendices. Bibliography. Index.Review Quote"The book is presented in a very accessible fashion. The authors give many examples illustrating the notations and problems considered, making the learning easier. Every chapter ends with exercises, both theoretical and programming. The book is suitable for upper-level computer science/math/physics undergraduate students with at least basic programming skills and at least elementary understanding of linear algebra and calculus."—Krzystof Gdawiec, in Zentralblatt MATH 1308, 2015Biographical NoteFabio Ganovelli, Massimiliano Corsini, Sumanta Pattanaik, Marco Di Benedetto