3D graphics.pptVIP

3D Graphics Goal: To produce 2D images of a mathematically described 3D environment Issues: Describing the environment: Modeling (mostly later) Computing the image: Rendering Graphics Toolkits Graphics toolkits typically take care of the details of producing images from geometry Input: Where the objects are located and what they look like Where the camera is and how it behaves Parameters for controlling the rendering Output: Pixel data in a framebuffer Data can be put on the screen Data can be read back for processing (part of toolkit) OpenGL OpenGL is an open standard graphics toolkit Derived from SGI’s GL toolkit Provides a range of functions for modelling, rendering and manipulating the framebuffer Why use it? Portable, hardware supported, simple and easy to program (really!) Alternatives: Direct3D, Java3D - more complex and less well supported respectively In the Coming Weeks… We will look at the math and algorithms on which OpenGL is built We will look at how to access those algorithms in OpenGL Coordinate Systems The use of coordinate systems is fundamental to computer graphics Coordinate systems are used to describe the locations of points in space Multiple coordinate systems make graphics algorithms easier to understand and implement Coordinate Systems (2) Different coordinate systems represent the same point in different ways Some operations are easier in one coordinate system than in another Transformations Transformations convert points between coordinate systems Transformations(Alternate Interpretation) Transformations modify an object’s shape and location in one coordinate system 2D Affine Transformations An affine transformation is one that can be written in the form: Why Affine Transformations? Affine transformations are linear Transforming all the individual points on a line gives the same set of points as transforming the endpoints and joining them Interpolation is the same in either space: Find the halfway point in one space, and transform it