Book Image

Mathematics for Game Programming and Computer Graphics

By : Penny de Byl
5 (1)
Book Image

Mathematics for Game Programming and Computer Graphics

5 (1)
By: Penny de Byl

Overview of this book

Mathematics is an essential skill when it comes to graphics and game development, particularly if you want to understand the generation of real-time computer graphics and the manipulation of objects and environments in a detailed way. Python, together with Pygame and PyOpenGL, provides you with the opportunity to explore these features under the hood, revealing how computers generate and manipulate 3D environments. Mathematics for Game Programming and Computer Graphics is an exhaustive guide to getting “back to the basics” of mathematics, using a series of problem-based, practical exercises to explore ideas around drawing graphic lines and shapes, applying vectors and vertices, constructing and rendering meshes, and working with vertex shaders. By leveraging Python, Pygame, and PyOpenGL, you’ll be able to create your own mathematics-based engine and API that will be used throughout to build applications. By the end of this graphics focussed book, you’ll have gained a thorough understanding of how essential mathematics is for creating, rendering, and manipulating 3D virtual environments and know the secrets behind today’s top graphics and game engines.
Table of Contents (26 chapters)
1
Part 1 – Essential Tools
9
Part 2 – Essential Trigonometry
14
Part 3 – Essential Transformations
20
Part 4 – Essential Rendering Techniques

Interactions with the Keyboard and Mouse for Dynamic Graphics Programs

For computer games, graphics applications, and mobile applications, the mouse is a key way of interacting with graphics windows. In this case, by mouse, I also include finger touches as they are processed in almost the same way. The mouse is a pointer that moves across the screen and represents a pixel location (usually at the tip of the arrow if that is the cursor you are using). This location is represented as an (x, y) coordinate in the 2D plane, that is, the graphics window.

Although technically you could create graphics applications without the need for interaction, having these peripherals available becomes useful when testing out an application, moving around in the virtual world, and interacting with models and user interface objects. Hence, I’m adding this chapter early to allow the ability to explore graphics concepts in later chapters with such input. This knowledge will also serve you well...