A Simple 3D Application - Essentials of Interactive Computer Graphics - page 351

13

A Simple 3D Application

Similar to Chapter 3, where we were introduced to 2D graphics programming
with a minimal program, this chapter introduces us to 3D graphics programming
with a minimal 3D program. This chapter:

• reviews that the model, camera, and scene are the basic elements in a 3D
composition;

• presents the left- and right-handed coordinate systems;

• describes approaches to define a simple scene composition;

• demonstrates a simple computer graphics simulation of the defined scene.

After this chapter we should:

• understand the basic elements in a 3D scene composition;

• understand the basic approaches to define a simple scene composition.

In addition, with respect to hands-on programming, we should:

Figure 13.1. The pa-
per scene. A photograph
of two pieces of papers on
a desk (the larger one is 8
cm × 8 cm, and the smaller
one is 5 cm × 5cm).

• be able to parse and understand a simple 3D program.

The photograph of Figure 13.1 shows two pieces of square paper on a desk. This
photograph is the 3D version of the two drawn squares from Figure 3.1. Recall
that in Chapter 3, we use Figure 3.1 as an example to illustrate the similarities
between drawing two squares on a piece of paper and drawing two squares in an

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