Focus On 3D Models

✍ Scribed by Evan Pipho

• Publisher: Course Technology PTR
• Year: 2002
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 231
• Series: Game Development
• Edition: 1
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

The book is a reference for developers using 3D models. Instead of simply showing a spec sheet, the book delves into the loading and rendering techniques of 3D models. The text is as API and platform independent as possible, so users of Direct3D, OpenGL, etc. will be able to interpret and use the information provided in the book.

✦ Table of Contents

Contents......Page 12
LETTER FROM THE SERIES EDITOR......Page 17
INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW......Page 20
CHAPTER 1 REVIEWING MATRICES AND VECTORS......Page 28
Understanding and Using Matrices......Page 29
The Zero and the Identity Matrices......Page 30
Matrix Operations......Page 32
Determinants of Matrices......Page 35
The Inverse of a Matrix......Page 36
Using and Understanding Vectors......Page 39
Vector Arithmetic......Page 41
Vector Products......Page 44
Transforming a Vector by a Matrix......Page 46
The CD’s Code......Page 47
Conclusion......Page 48
CHAPTER 2 INTRODUCTION TO QUATERNIONS......Page 50
What Is a Quaternion and Why Are They Used?......Page 51
Quaternion Operations......Page 53
Quaternion Conversions......Page 55
Interpolation with Quaternions......Page 61
SLERP (Spherical Linear Interpolation)......Page 62
Conclusion......Page 63
CHAPTER 3 QUAKE II'S MD2 MODELS......Page 64
Understanding the FILE * Functions......Page 66
Looking at the Source Code......Page 70
The Data: Frames and Vertices......Page 73
Making It Solid: Triangles......Page 75
Rendering the Results for the First Time......Page 77
Beautification: Adding Skins......Page 79
Making It Move: Animation......Page 82
Strips and Fans: GL Commands......Page 83
Conclusion......Page 85
CHAPTER 4 LOADING OBJ FILES......Page 88
Parsing Text Files......Page 89
Understanding the OBJ Format......Page 90
Loading the OBJ Format......Page 93
Rendering OBJ......Page 95
Conclusion......Page 97
CHAPTER 5 AN INTRODUCTION TO SKELETAL ANIMATION......Page 98
Benefits of Skeletal Animation......Page 100
Inner Workings of Skeletal Animation......Page 102
KeyFrames in Skeletal Animation......Page 104
Taking Position......Page 105
Attaching the Mesh......Page 107
The Demo’s Controls......Page 109
Advanced Applications of Skeletal Animation......Page 112
Conclusion......Page 113
CHAPTER 6 MILKSHAPE 3D......Page 114
Getting the Data......Page 115
Vertices......Page 116
Faces......Page 117
Meshes......Page 119
Materials......Page 120
Animation......Page 126
Finding the Lost Parents......Page 128
Initial Setup......Page 129
Animation and Interpolation......Page 130
Conclusion......Page 135
CHAPTER 7 THE 3DS MODELS......Page 136
Understanding Chunky 3ds Files......Page 137
3ds Chunk Headers: the Start......Page 139
Objects in the 0x4000 Chunk......Page 140
Materials 0xAFFF......Page 147
Rendering Your 3ds Files......Page 149
Conclusion......Page 152
CHAPTER 8 MDL, THE LEGENDARY HALF-LIFE FORMAT......Page 154
VALVe’s MDL Viewer Files......Page 156
Initializing the Model......Page 157
Animating the Model......Page 158
For More Practice.........Page 159
Conclusion......Page 160
CHAPTER 9 ENTER THE QUAKE: QUAKE III'S MD3 FORMAT......Page 162
Retrieving Data......Page 164
Boneframes......Page 165
MD3 Tag Structures......Page 167
Meshes......Page 168
Using Multi-Part Models......Page 175
Tags......Page 176
Conclusion......Page 178
CHAPTER 10 TIPS, TRICKS, AND METHODS......Page 180
Calculating Face Normals......Page 181
Calculating Vertex Normals......Page 182
Text-Based Format......Page 183
Planning the File......Page 184
Creating the Files......Page 187
Linear Interpolation......Page 188
Optimization Tips......Page 189
Conclusion......Page 191
APPENDIX A: COMMON 3D MODEL FORMATS......Page 192
APPENDIX B: STL VECTOR PRIMER......Page 196
The Basics of Using Vectors......Page 197
Sorting......Page 200
Searching......Page 201
Using Your Own Objects......Page 203
Pointers......Page 206
Conclusion......Page 208
APPENDIX C: GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND......Page 210
For More Information......Page 213
What’s on the CD......Page 215
A......Page 218
D......Page 219
F......Page 220
L......Page 221
M......Page 222
O......Page 223
R......Page 224
T......Page 225
W-Z......Page 226