Computer Science

• Integrated theory and practice by incorporating game demos into each chapter.
• Advanced game engine accompanying the book enables readers to experiment with powerful techniques.
• State-of-the art text from authors who are leaders in the field.

Preface
1 THE ANATOMY OF AN ADVANCED GAME SYSTEM I - THE BUILD PROCESS AND STATIC LIGHTING
1.1 Data Structures
1.2 The Build Process
1.3 Light Map Build
1.4 BSP Management
1.5 Advanced Static Lighting - Radiosity
Appendix 1.1 Building In Practice
Appendix 1.2 Basic Radiosity Theory
2 THE ANATOMY OF AN ADVANCED GAMES SYSTEM II - REAL-TIME PROCESSES
2.1 Viewing And The BSP
2.2 Camera Control
2.3 Generic Collision Detection And Response
2.4 Specialised Collision Detection And Response
2.5 Generic Path Planning
Appendix 2.1 Demonstrations Of Real-Time Processes
3 THE ANATOMY OF AN ADVANCED GAMES SYSTEM III - SOFTWARE DESIGN AND APPLICATION PROGRAMMING
3.1 Types Of Applications
3.2 FLT3D Engine Architecture
Appendix 3.1 Writing A Plug-In
4 REAL - TIME RENDERING
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Vertices, Pixels And Maps
4.3 Factorisation Methods
4.4 Brdfs And Real Materials
4.5 Per-Pixel Shading Using Brdfs
4.6 Environment Map Parameterisations
4.7 Implementing Brdfs: Separable Approximations
4.8 Shading Languages And Shaders
5 REAL - TIME RENDERING - PRACTICE
5.1 Basic Shaders
5.2 Render States
5.3 Shader Examples
5.4 Real-Time Rendering In Hardware
5.5 Dynamic Textures
5.6 Effects
Appendix 5.1 Using And Experimenting With Shaders
Appendix 5.2 Vertex Programming For NVIDIA Geforce3
Appendix 5.3 NVIDIA Register Combiner Operation
6 GEOMENTRY PROCESSING
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Motivating Factors And Definitions
6.3 Ordering Or Error Criteria
6.4 Simplification And Attributes
6.5 Case Studies
Appendix 6.1 Mathematical Background
Appendix 6.2 Demonstration
7 CHARACTER ANIMATION
7.1 Introduction
7.2 Vertex Animation And Blending
7.3 Skeleton Animation
7.4 Low-Level Animation Management
Appendix 7.1 Using Quaternions To Represent Rotation
Appendix 7.2 Implementing Quaternions
Appendix 7.3 Efficiency Consideration In Character Animation (Optimising For SIMD Pentium3 Instructions)
8 ANIMATING SHAP - METHODS
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Spline Cages
8.3 Free Form Deformation (FFD)
8.4 Extended Free Form Deformations (Effds)
8.5 Curve Deformers - Wires
8.6 Skinning Revisited
Appendix 8.1 Scattered Data Interpolation Using Radial Basis Functions
9 ELEMENTS OF ADVANCED CHARACTER ANIMATION
9.1 Introduction - An Anthropomorphic Interface For Games
9.2 Converting Linguistic Representations Into Animation - Examples
9.3 Facial Animation, Visual Speech And Tracking
9.4 Models For Controlling, Rendering And Tracking Facial Meshes
9.5 Visual Speech
9.6 Facial Animation And MPEG-4
9.7 Rendering Issues
9.8 Conclusions And Problems
Appendix 9.1 A Pseudo-Muscle Model Implementation
10 ANIMATING CHARACTERS WITH MOTION CAPTURE
10.1 Introduction
10.2 Motion Data
10.3 Skeletons And Mocap - BVH Format
10.4 Basic Manipulation Of Motion Data
10.5 Interpolation In Mocap
10.6 Classic Signal Processing And Mocap
10.7 Signal Processing And Mocap Data
10.8 Motion Editing: Constraint-Based Approaches
Appendix 10 1 Demonstration
11 INVERSE KINEMATICS: THE THEORY
11.1 An Example - The Two-Link Arm
11.2 The Jacobian
11.3 Approaches To IK
11.4 Practical Approaches To Inverse Kinematics
References
Index

Programming in Multimedia  (Computer Science)
Virtual Reality  (Computer Science)
Advanced Topics in Computer Graphics  (Computer Science)

Alan Watt, based at the University of Sheffield, is the author of many successful books including 3D Computer Graphics, Advanced Animation and Rendering Techniques, The Computer Image and 3D Games Volume 1: Real-Time Rendering and Software Technology. Fabio Policarpo is a software developer and founder of the company Parelelo Computaçao based in Rio de Janeiro. He is currently working on independent 3D action multiplayer games.

The computer entertainment industry drives many of the advances in computing technology, and the second volume of 3D Games shows how to use advanced techniques in games technology and how these techniques can also be applied in other areas. The book concentrates on three main areas:

• generic processes - the build process, real-time processes and software design

• real-time rendering processes

• character animation

The treatment of these topics is built around a specific games system, Fly3D SDK 2.0 (included on the accompanying CD-ROM). By rooting as many as possible of the techniques described within the book in a practical games system, the book is able to balance theory and practice.

As well as proving invaluable for professionals in the games industry, the book can be used for courses in games programming and development, animation, advanced graphics, and multimedia.

The potential of games to embrace other applications within computing is strong, with the advent of techniques for high scene complexity at low processing costs. The Fly3D engine is not only a vehicle for game creation, but has already been used to develop 3D Internet applications, architectural walkthroughs for CAAD and generic 3D visualisation. Workers in these areas will find the techniques described and accompanying software extremely useful.

Alan Watt, based at the University of Sheffield, is the author of many successful books including 3D Computer Graphics, Advanced Animation and Rendering Techniques, The Computer Image and 3D Games Volume 1.

Fabio Policarpo is a software developer and founder of the company Paralelo Computaç©o based in Rio de Janeiro. He co-authored The Computer Image and 3D Games Volume I and currently works on new applications for real-time rendering and gaming technologies.

CD includes: Full Fly3D SDK including source code for engine, front-ends, plug-ins and utilities;  Demo levels; Engine Guide and Reference Manual and tutorials.

http://www.fly3d.com.br for Fly3D SDK documentation, updates, new demos, FAQs and message board.

The included software runs on any Microsoft Windows computer system and requires a 3D video card with full OpenGL support. For making changes to the source code, Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0 is required. For scene geometry creation, 3DStudio Max 3.x and 4.x plug-ins are included.

Pearson Higher Education offers special pricing when you choose to package your text with other student resources. If you're interested in creating a cost-saving package for your students contact your Pearson Higher Education representative.