3D Math Primer for Graphics and Game Development, 2nd Edition


Book Description

This engaging book presents the essential mathematics needed to describe, simulate, and render a 3D world. Reflecting both academic and in-the-trenches practical experience, the authors teach you how to describe objects and their positions, orientations, and trajectories in 3D using mathematics. The text provides an introduction to mathematics for game designers, including the fundamentals of coordinate spaces, vectors, and matrices. It also covers orientation in three dimensions, calculus and dynamics, graphics, and parametric curves.




Computer Animation Primer


Book Description

Explains how computers are used in the production of animated films and discusses techniques for programming personal computers to create graphics and animation




Understanding Motion Capture for Computer Animation


Book Description

Understanding Motion Capture for Computer Animation discusses the latest technology developments in digital design, film, games, medicine, sports, and security engineering. Motion capture records a live-motion event and translates it into a digital context. It is the technology that converts a live performance into a digital performance. In contrast, performance animation is the actual performance that brings life to the character, even without using technology. If motion capture is the collection of data that represents motion, performance animation is the character that a performer represents. The book offers extensive information about motion capture. It includes state-of-the-art technology, methodology, and developments in the current motion-capture industry. In particular, the different ways to capture motions are discussed, including using cameras or electromagnetic fields in tracking a group of sensors. This book will be useful for students taking a course about digital filming, as well as for anyone who is interested in this topic. - Completely revised to include almost 40% new content with emphasis on RF and Facial Motion Capture Systems - Describes all the mathematical principles associated with motion capture and 3D character mechanics - Helps you budget by explaining the costs associated with individualized motion capture projects




Computer Animation Complete


Book Description

A compilation of key chapters from the top MK computer animation books available today - in the areas of motion capture, facial features, solid spaces, fluids, gases, biology, point-based graphics, and Maya. The chapters provide CG Animators with an excellent sampling of essential techniques that every 3D artist needs to create stunning and versatile images. Animators will be able to master myriad modeling, rendering, and texturing procedures with advice from MK's best and brightest authors. Divided into five parts (Introduction to Computer Animation and Technical Background, Motion Capture Techniques, Animating Substances, Alternate Methods, and Animating with MEL for MAYA), each one focusing on specific substances, tools, topics, and languages, this is a MUST-HAVE book for artists interested in proficiency with the top technology available today! Whether you're a programmer developing new animation functionality or an animator trying to get the most out of your current animation software, Computer Animation Complete: will help you work more efficiently and achieve better results. For programmers, this book provides a solid theoretical orientation and extensive practical instruction information you can put to work in any development or customization project. For animators, it provides crystal-clear guidance on determining which of your concepts can be realized using commercially available products, which demand custom programming, and what development strategies are likely to bring you the greatest success. - Expert instruction from a variety of pace-setting computer graphics researchers. - Provides in-depth coverage of established and emerging animation algorithms. - For readers who lack a strong scientific background, introduces the necessary concepts from mathematics, biology, and physics. - A variety of individual languages and substances are addressed, but addressed separately - enhancing your grasp of the field as a whole while providing you with the ability to identify and implement solutions by category.




3D Modeling & Animation


Book Description

"If I were still teaching introductory computer graphics, I would not hesitate to use this textbook as it has just the right amount of coverage of the topic for a semester course and is presented in a highly appealing manner to engage the reader." – Gary Bertoline, PhD, Distinguished Professor of Computer Graphics Technology, Purdue University, USA Graphics-based 3D modeling and animation are relevant not only in the motion picture and video game industries, but also in many other disciplines including creative arts, engineering, architecture, education, medicine, etc. Understanding the basics of 3D modeling and animation requires understanding some basic concepts in physics and math. While some books assume the readers’ prior knowledge of these concepts, but 3D Modeling & Animation: A Primer explains these important concepts in a visually engaging manner. This book is not just for university students, but for anyone with an interest in computer graphics modeling and animation. Using a Software-Agnostic approach, this book and focuses on the modeling and animation concepts spanning across multiple software platforms. Employing a balanced approach that is neither too technical nor too artistic, this book instills the need for creativity and visual composition in animation. KEY FEATURES: • Uses a simple, clear, and concise approach to explain the basics of modeling and animation • Two hundred plus vibrant images to easily understand and appreciate complex concepts • Review questions at chapter ends to help readers better review the content AUTHOR: Magesh Chandramouli is a Professor of Computer Graphics Technology at Purdue University Northwest and is a Distinguished Visiting Faculty of Computer Graphics at Feng Chia University, Taiwan. He is currently serving as the Director of Programs of the Engineering Design Graphics Division of the American Society for Engineering Education. He was a Frederick Andrews Fellow at Purdue University, West Lafayette, where he completed his Ph.D. He received Master of Science from the University of Calgary, Canada, Master of Engineering from the National University of Singapore, and B.E. from College of Engineering, Guindy, India. He has received National and International awards for his scholarly accomplishments and has delivered invited lectures in reputed universities and research centers around the world.




A Primer for DAZ Studio


Book Description

Learn how to use DAZ Studio and create beautiful 3D images within days. This book is designed to teach the beginner to 3D art and the free DAZ Studio software, the basics quickly with simple step by step lessons and detailed pictures. It even includes tips and cheats. This book is a great reference guide for beginners and even for more advanced users and will jump start you into this exciting new art form. DAZ Studio can be used for: Custom artwork, graphic design, animation, book and magazine cover illustrations, storyboarding, comic book illustrations, avatars and more.




3D Animation Essentials


Book Description

The essential fundamentals of 3D animation for aspiring 3D artists 3D is everywhere--video games, movie and television special effects, mobile devices, etc. Many aspiring artists and animators have grown up with 3D and computers, and naturally gravitate to this field as their area of interest. Bringing a blend of studio and classroom experience to offer you thorough coverage of the 3D animation industry, this must-have book shows you what it takes to create compelling and realistic 3D imagery. Serves as the first step to understanding the language of 3D and computer graphics (CG) Covers 3D animation basics: pre-production, modeling, animation, rendering, and post-production Dissects core 3D concepts including design, film, video, and games Examines what artistic and technical skills are needed to succeed in the industry Offers helpful real-world scenarios and informative interviews with key educators and studio and industry professionals Whether you're considering a career in as a 3D artist or simply wish to expand your understanding of general CG principles, this book will give you a great overview and knowledge of core 3D Animation concepts and the industry.




Computer Animation


Book Description

Driven by the demands of research and the entertainment industry, the techniques of animation are pushed to render increasingly complex objects with ever-greater life-like appearance and motion. This rapid progression of knowledge and technique impacts professional developers, as well as students. Developers must maintain their understanding of conceptual foundations, while their animation tools become ever more complex and specialized. The second edition of Rick Parent's Computer Animation is an excellent resource for the designers who must meet this challenge. The first edition established its reputation as the best technically oriented animation text. This new edition focuses on the many recent developments in animation technology, including fluid animation, human figure animation, and soft body animation. The new edition revises and expands coverage of topics such as quaternions, natural phenomenon, facial animation, and inverse kinematics. The book includes up-to-date discussions of Maya scripting and the Maya C++ API, programming on real-time 3D graphics hardware, collision detection, motion capture, and motion capture data processing. - New up-to-the-moment coverage of hot topics like real-time 3D graphics, collision detection, fluid and soft-body animation and more! - Companion site with animation clips drawn from research & entertainment and code samples - Describes the mathematical and algorithmic foundations of animation that provide the animator with a deep understanding and control of technique




Computer Animation


Book Description

Driven by demand from the entertainment industry for better and more realistic animation, technology continues to evolve and improve. The algorithms and techniques behind this technology are the foundation of this comprehensive book, which is written to teach you the fundamentals of animation programming. In this third edition, the most current techniques are covered along with the theory and high-level computation that have earned the book a reputation as the best technically-oriented animation resource. Key topics such as fluids, hair, and crowd animation have been expanded, and extensive new coverage of clothes and cloth has been added. New material on simulation provides a more diverse look at this important area and more example animations and chapter projects and exercises are included. Additionally, spline coverage has been expanded and new video compression and formats (e.g., iTunes) are covered. - Includes companion site with contemporary animation examples drawn from research and entertainment, sample animations, and example code - Describes the key mathematical and algorithmic foundations of animation that provide you with a deep understanding and control of technique - Expanded and new coverage of key topics including: fluids and clouds, cloth and clothes, hair, and crowd animation - Explains the algorithms used for path following, hierarchical kinematic modelling, rigid body dynamics, flocking behaviour, particle systems, collision detection, and more




XNA 3D Primer


Book Description

This Wrox Blox will guide you through the world of 3D programming and give you solid knowledge and a foundation in game programming using Microsoft's XNA Framework. You will learn the fundamentals from 3D mathematics to model animation, including all the subjects needed to start developing 3D games, such as how to position objects in 3D space, handle collision detection, control the game camera, and understand the basics of shaders — special programs that execute on the graphics processor. Also covered are how to extend the XNA Content Pipeline to read and use model skeletal animation, and also load and play back timeline animation data created in 3D modeling tools. 3D concepts and systems can seem like a foreign language when you're a beginner. And not knowing the lingo can make it hard to know what terms to search for to solve a problem. This Wrox Blox will give you all the tools you need to build your own 3D game. Table of Contents Who Is This Book For? 1 3D Overview 2 Basic 3D Math 4 Right-Hand Rule 4 Working with Matrices 5 Identity, Scale, Rotate, Orbit, Translate (ISROT) 6 Working with Vectors 7 Unit Vectors 10 Working with Quaternions 12 Controlling the Camera 13 Basic Camera 13 Follow Camera 19 ViewPorts 20 BoundingFrustum 22 3D Models 23 Modeling Programs and Formats 23 Loading a Model 24 Collision Detection 27 Skeletal Animations 29 Extending the Content Pipeline 29 Manipulating Bones at Run Time 31 Using Model Animations 36 About Michael C. Neel 39