Book Image

Learn Three.js - Third Edition

By : Jos Dirksen
1 (1)
Book Image

Learn Three.js - Third Edition

1 (1)
By: Jos Dirksen

Overview of this book

WebGL makes it possible to create 3D graphics in the browser without having to use plugins such as Flash and Java. Programming WebGL, however, is difficult and complex. With Three.js, it is possible to create stunning 3D graphics in an intuitive manner using JavaScript, without having to learn WebGL. With this book, you’ll learn how to create and animate beautiful looking 3D scenes directly in your browser-utilizing the full potential of WebGL and modern browsers. It starts with the basic concepts and building blocks used in Three.js. From there on, it will expand on these subjects using extensive examples and code samples. You will learn to create, or load, from externally created models, realistic looking 3D objects using materials and textures. You’ll find out how to easily control the camera using the Three.js built-in in camera controls, which will enable you to fly or walk around the 3D scene you created. You will then use the HTML5 video and canvas elements as a material for your 3D objects and to animate your models. Finally, you will learn to use morph and skeleton-based animation, and even how to add physics, such as gravity and collision detection, to your scene. After reading this book, you’ll know everything that is required to create 3D animated graphics using Three.js.
Table of Contents (14 chapters)

THREE.ConvexGeometry

With THREE.ConvexGeometry, we can create a convex hull from a set of points. A convex hull is the minimal shape that encompasses all these points. The easiest way to understand this is by looking at an example. If you open up the 01-advanced-3d-geometries-convex.html example, you'll see the convex hull for a random set of points. The following screenshot shows this geometry:

60 FPS (45-60)

In this example, we generate a random set of points, and based on these points, we create THREE.ConvexGeometry. In the example, you can click on redraw, which will generate 20 new points and draw the convex hull. If you try this for yourself, enable the material's transparency and set the opacity to a level below 1 to see the points that are used to create this geometry. These points are created as small THREE.SphereGeometry ...