3D Computer Graphics Book

The third edition of Alan Watt's 3D Computer Graphics, a bible of computer graphics, includes a CD-ROM full of examples and updated information on graphics and rendering algorithms. The book discusses many of the techniques that have evolved in the last seven years since the previous edition was published.3D Computer Graphics is a textbook, and it is designed for serious programmers creating graphics applications (not the end users). Over the course of 16 sections, Watt introduces the concepts and implementation of computer imaging, from "Mathematical Fundamentals of Computer Graphics" to "Representation and Rendering" and ending with "Image-based Rendering and Photo-modeling". The last section, devoted to computer animation, includes methods for linked structures, collision detection and particle animation (to name a few).Although the topics are sometimes hard to grasp, Mr Watt writes clearly and concisely, making generous use of diagrams to help convey the principles described in the text.The accompanying CD-ROM includes over a dozen studies of computer graphics techniques and rendering algorithms. Presented in HTML, the exhaustive studies, each with a matrix of thumbnails, demonstrates the varied achievable results. One minor complaint here: although the thumbnails can be clicked to view a much larger image, the larger version come in ".tif" format, which few (if any) web browsers can view. Users will need another application view them. Having the large image in ".jpg" format would have enabled the reader to view it in the already-open web browser.3D Computer Graphics is ideally suited for graphics programmers and researchers working to create new medical imaging devices, a geological research system, a virtual structural testing system for aircraft, cars and spacecraft, or effects and photorealistic Hollywood animation. --Mike Caputo, amazon.comRead More