Hardback, 2nd printing, Very Good Plus to Fine Minus/no DJ (as issued); light light shelf wear and rubbing to glossy pictorial boards, illustrated with a color photosection, 8vo., 482 pages., 0.0 0.0 0.0.

Seller Inventory # 12116

Contact seller

Report this item

Bibliographic Details

Title: Real-Time Rendering
Publisher: Natick, MA, U.S.A.: A K Peters, Limited, 1999
Publication Date: 1999
Language: English
ISBN 10: 1568811012
ISBN 13: 9781568811017
Binding: Hardcover
Dust Jacket Condition: Dust Jacket Included

About this title

Synopsis

Realistically animated 3D computer graphics rendered in real time is a goal of the computer animation industry. Tomas Mˆller and Eric Haines provide a text that covers the development of real-time rendering for use in computer games, computer-animated movies, advertising, and other applications. The authors have written the book that they wish they had when they started out. Focusing on the entire graphics pipeline, this book covers optimization, visual appearance, speed-up techniques, and collision detection. The authors present new techniques and time-tested algorithms. Entire sections are devoted to special effects, polygon tessellation, and model simplification. A large section on hardware ends the book. Copious references, mathematical appendices, reading recommendations, and a dedicated web site for additional resources make this book an indispensable guide to this rapidly evolving field.The Graphics Rendering Pipeline; Transforms; Visual Appearance; Texturing; Special Effects; Speed-Up Techniques; Pipeline Optimization; Polygonal Techniques; Intersection Test Methods; Collision Detection; Graphics Hardware; The Future; Some Linear Algebra; Trigonometry

Second Edition now available.

Review

One would think that the title of Tomas Moller's and Eric Haines's book, Real-time Rendering, would be a contradiction in terms. How can such a computationally intensive process as rendering computer graphics ever hope to be done on the fly, in the blink of an eye, without delay--in short, in real time?

The term rendering, as it applies to computer graphics, refers to the mathematically intensive process of creating a picture or sequence of frames based on geometry. The duration of this process is dependent on the complexity of the scene (a forest with many trees and thousands of leaves will take much longer to render than a scene consisting of a white box over a gray background) and the speed of the hardware doing the calculations.

When Pixar's Toy Story was first released, the computer animation community was all abuzz with how it was done, and someone at Pixar mentioned that over 100 SGI workstations were used for rendering the frames over the course of almost two years. Someone else extrapolated this data and figured out that the same movie could have been rendered on one contemporary PC over the course of about 80 years.

The authors deftly answer the question, not only asserting that it can be done, but since this book is a programmer's guide, they list snippets of programming algorithms that help outline how it can be done.

Because the software and hardware is constantly and rapidly evolving due to the insatiable need for more realistic and complex graphics, the book avoids getting too specific. To quote the authors, "The field is rapidly evolving, and so it is a moving target." This lack of specificity doesn't detract from the usefulness of the book, though. Instead, it works at a higher, more abstract level, describing approaches to rendering techniques using generic algorithms. It is up to the programmer to apply these methods to the specific program or system on which it is to be implemented.

Real-Time Rendering describes some very complex methods, and this book is not for the average computer graphics creator. However, if you are working in an industry that depends on real-time rendered animation--like the gaming, medical, or military fields--or you are building the next-generation real-time render engine, this book will offer insight and concepts you can use to build some impressive software. --Mike Caputo

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

Store Description

Welcome to The Warm Springs Book Company -Booksellers since 1987! ******** We are an internet bookstore featuring new, used, and collectible books. ******** We accurately describe our books and are prompt in processing and shipping all orders. ******** Books with dust jackets are protected with clear plastic covers. All books are securely packed to protect them during shipment. ********* To ensure that our books will meet your expectations, please e-mail or telephone us if you have any questions regarding the contents or condition of any of our books.

Visit Seller's Storefront

Seller's business information

The Warm Springs Book Company
CA, U.S.A.

Sale & Shipping Terms

Terms of Sale

Books are shipped promptly on receipt of payment.
Books shipped to California addresses may be subject to Sales Tax. ********
Books may be returned within 10 (ten) days of receipt if not as described,
and must be returned in the same condition as originally shipped. Prior
notice, by email, is requested before returning a book. ********
All photographs shown with our book listings are supplied by the
publisher and posted by AbeBooks.com. They may not always show the actual cover
illustration of t...

More Information

Right of cancellation

If you are a consumer you can cancel the contract in accordance with the following. Consumer means any natural person who is acting for purposes which are outside his trade, business, craft or profession.

INFORMATION REGARDING THE RIGHT OF CANCELLATION

Statutory Right to cancel

You have the right to cancel this contract within 14 days for any reason.

The cancellation period will expire after 14 days from the day on which you acquire, or a third party other than the carrier and indicated by you acquires, physical possession of the the last good or the last lot or piece.

To exercise the right to cancel, you must inform us, The Warm Springs Book Company, P.O. Box 995, 94537-0995, Fremont, California, U.S.A., of your decision to cancel this contract by a clear statement (e.g. a letter sent by post, fax or e-mail). You may use the attached model cancellation form, but it is not obligatory. You can also electronically fill in and submit a clear statement on our website, under "My Purchases" in "My Account". If you use this option, we will communicate to you an acknowledgement of receipt of such a cancellation on a durable medium (e.g. by e-mail) without delay.

To meet the cancellation deadline, it is sufficient for you to send your communication concerning your exercise of the right to cancel before the cancellation period has expired.

Effects of cancellation

If you cancel this contract, we will reimburse to you all payments received from you, including the costs of delivery (except for the supplementary costs arising if you chose a type of delivery other than the least expensive type of standard delivery offered by us).

We may make a deduction from the reimbursement for loss in value of any goods supplied, if the loss is the result of unnecessary handling by you.

We will make the reimbursement without undue delay, and not later than 14 days after the day on which we are informed about your decision to cancel with contract.

We will make the reimbursement using the same means of payment as you used for the initial transaction, unless you have expressly agreed otherwise; in any event, you will not incur any fees as a result of such reimbursement.

We may withhold reimbursement until we have received the goods back or you have supplied evidence of having sent back the goods, whichever is the earliest.

You shall send back the goods or hand them over to us or The Warm Springs Book Company, Fremont, California, U.S.A., without undue delay and in any event not later than 14 days from the day on which you communicate your cancellation from this contract to us. The deadline is met if you send back the goods before the period of 14 days has expired. You will have to bear the direct cost of returning the goods. You are only liable for any diminished value of the goods resulting from the handling other than what is necessary to establish the nature, characteristics and functioning of the goods.

Exceptions to the right of cancellation

The right of cancellation does not apply to:

the delivery of newspapers, journals or magazines with the exception of subscription contracts; and
the supply of digital content which is not supplied on a tangible medium (e.g. on a CD or DVD) if you accepted when you placed your order that we could start to deliver it, and that you could not cancel it once delivery had started.

Model withdrawal form

(complete and return this form only if you wish to withdraw from the contract)

To: (The Warm Springs Book Company, P.O. Box 995, 94537-0995, Fremont, California, U.S.A.)

I/We (*) hereby give notice that I/We (*) withdraw from my/our (*) contract of sale of the following goods (*)/for the provision of the following goods (*)/for the provision of the following service (*),

Ordered on (*)/received on (*)

Name of consumer(s)

Address of consumer(s)

Signature of consumer(s) (only if this form is notified on paper)

Date

* Delete as appropriate.

Shipping Terms

DOMESTIC SHIPMENTS:
Individual items are shipped by media mail for $3.95. Additional items are $2.00 each.
Priority Mail (if requested) is $6.00 for a Flat Rate Envelope or $14.95 for a medium
flat rate box. Heavier books, sets, or items too large for priority flat rate
shipping are sent at cost. Please contact us regarding costs. All domestic orders over $20.00 are sent with delivery confirmation. Insurance is recommended on collectible or rare items.

INTERNATIONAL SHIPMENTS:
We ship by Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelope whenever possible (if the books fit in the envelope without incurring damage during transit) at $24.95 for most countries except for Canada and Mexico which ship at $21.95 for a flat rate envelope.
Oversized books, book sets, and heavier books that do not fit into a flat rate envelope will require additional postage. Costs for shipping by regular (non flat rate envelope) priority mail or express mail are determined on a order-by-order basis depending on the weight of the book(s) and the destination country.

Shipping rates within U.S.A.

Shipping rates within U.S.A.
Order quantity	5 to 20 business days	3 to 8 business days
First item	� 3.38	� 7.46

Delivery times are set by sellers and vary by carrier and location. Orders passing through Customs may face delays and buyers are responsible for any associated duties or fees. Sellers may contact you regarding additional charges to cover any increased costs to ship your items.