OpenGL:An API for Interactive 3D Graphics

摘要

This is the first in an open-ended series of articles intended to explain the basics of 3D interactive programming on the Macintosh using OpenGL. This article will serve as an introduction to OpenGL, give the history of its development, discuss the details of its architecture, and talk about Apple's implementation. Finally, we will close with a program showing some of the capabilities of OpenGL, without going too deeply into the details of the code; it is primarily designed to whet your appetite for what is to come. Future articles in the series will discuss basic topics in 3D programming, including how to construct and display objects, positioning the camera, and texture mapping, just to name a few. After covering the basics, we will go on to more advanced topics such as bump-mapping, shadow volumes, and particle systems. We will begin each article with a short discussion of the mathematics of the topic, then give a basic implementation in OpenGL. If space permits, we may also show some variations on the theme. Finally, we will close with some ideas for advanced experimentation. Hopefully, through these articles, the readers can get a taste of what 3D programming is like, and hone their skills in OpenGL.