While I haven't finised the text yet, I peeked ahead and it seems to be a winner. I chose this book to be my backgrounder before going through Watt's 3rd Ed. on Computer Graphics.

I find that this book shows me math tools and I actually think about why they are useful, not just how they are useful.

I think it is sad that algorithms books get more reviews (and sales?) while accessible, foundational books like this one get ignored, based on the low number of reviews. Maybe its because they don't use a slick looking sample of ray tracing or radiosity on the front cover ;-).

This is a book for first principles! Check it out.

14 of 14 found the following review helpful:


This is the book for would be game developers.  Dec 18, 2000 By Lemont A. Washington
I have many books on the subject, but this one takes the cake. Of all my books this one explains the fundamental math algorithms in ENGLISH and allows you to intuitively understand things both from a purelely mathematical standpoint as well as from a geometric standpoint. I consulted this book after having problems understanding linear combinations and basis, and how it applies to computing the plane equation. I also learnt how to geometrically interpret the dot product. This book is inexpensive considering the subject, and a welcome addition to any personal library if your learning these things. I'm building a 3D engine for MAC/PC that require a solid understanding of linear algebra and this is basically what this book has to offer.

5 of 5 found the following review helpful:


Good geometry and few computer stuff  Nov 07, 2006 By Jose Parrot
This 2nd edition of a 1989 book maintains its mathematic approach with few or no relation to computers. The long title suggests a book with practical examples, but what it contains is pure math. Just to give an idea, the word "pixel" appears just in one page. However, the basics on hypernumbers, introduction on matrix methods, limits, points, lines, CSG spend half of book.

Computer Graphics today is much more than geometry, by the way solved by powerful graphics cards and APIs like OpenGL. Scientific visualization uses intensively colors, transparencies, movements, animation and none of these subjects are even touched. Nowadays mathematics apply also to fog, antialianing, specular, caustics, LOD, transparencies, reflexes, lightning. Unfortunately these math applications aren't tackled in this book. So, don't expect to find computer graphics in this book, as we understand it today. This is still a 1989 book.

If the title was just "Computer Graphics: An Introduction to the Mathematics and Geometry", as in its first edition, it was more related to its content. Unfortunately, just extending the book's title doesn't make it up-to-date.

10 of 12 found the following review helpful:


Good resource for game developers  Jan 07, 2001 By Jonathan D. Decarlo
This is a good book that is better suited as a reference than a text book. The book seems to be set up with that in mind as the format allows for each concept covered to be easily found. For example, I have taken a course in Linear Algebra. I was still a little shakey about the rotation matricies that are commonly used in game programming. This book brought me up to speed in no time, but if I hadn't taken Linear Algebra, I'm not so sure that I would have fully understood that section. But again, overall this is a great reference to have around!

7 of 9 found the following review helpful:


Don't. No, no, no.  Oct 15, 2005 By Henry Lenzi
I can't understand the raving reviews. It is weak on math, and has no practical example on CG.

Let me give you an example: Chapter 2 (allegedly on "Matrix Methods"), exercise 2.20 (there are 25): Compute the determinant of the following matrix (I'll use Matlab/Scilab notation): M = [ 2 0; -3 2] Are you serious? What about learning Limits and Continuity in one short chapter? No comments...Seriously, if you don't already know this stuff, should you be looking at CG in the first place?

After I got this book, I got F.S. Hill's Computer graphics Using OpenGL, which is much thicker, mathematically oriented, and has practical examples in C++, and Parberry's and Dunn's 3D Math Primer for Graphics and Game Development which doesn't attempt so much as Hill's and Mortenson's, but has nice code in C++. There might be better options. Not to mention that one has to buy and study real math books.

I give it 1 star as the book falls short of its stated goals of preparing the reader for more advanced study.

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