WebGL: Up and Running: Building 3D Graphics for the Web

by Tony Parisi

Overview

Get a quick introduction to WebGL, the new standard for 3D rendering on the Web and a member of HTML5’s family of technologies. With this hands-on guide, you’ll learn essential WebGL development and production concepts, using the JavaScript 3D engine Three.js. At the end of the book, you’ll put everything together and build a full 3D application with WebGL.

You don’t have to be a game development wizard or have 3D graphics experience to get started. If you use HTML, CSS, and JavaScript—and have familiarity with JQuery and Ajax—this book will help you gain a working knowledge of WebGL through clear and simple examples.

• Understand core 3D graphics concepts and how to implement them in WebGL
• Create WebGL sample pages as you learn, and build a racing game application in the final chapter
• Get to know the Three.js open source library in detail
• Develop working knowledge of graphics rendering, texturing, animation, interaction, and behaviors
• Seamlessly integrate 3D graphics with other content on the page
• Learn the tools, file formats, and techniques for developing robust and secure applications in a production environment

"WebGL: Up and Running is an ideal introduction to the world of 3D programming on the web. It’s well-written, clear, and fun. I wish it had been around when I started learning!"

—Giles Thomas, LearningWebGL.com

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781449326517
Publisher:	O'Reilly Media, Incorporated
Publication date:	08/07/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	230
File size:	8 MB

About the Author

Tony Parisi is an entrepreneur and career CTO/architect. He has developed international standards and protocols, created noteworthy software products, and started and sold technology companies. Tony's passion for innovating is exceeded only by his desire to bring coolness and fun to the broadest possible audience.

Tony is perhaps best known for his work as a pioneer of 3D standards for the web. He is the co-creator of VRML and X3D, ISO standards for networked 3D graphics. He also co-developed SWMP, a real-time messaging protocol for multi-user virtual worlds. Tony continues to build community around innovations in 3D as the co-chair of the WebGL Meetup and a founder of the Rest3D working group.

Tony is currently a partner in a stealth online gaming startup and has a consulting practice developing social games, virtual worlds and location-based services for San Francisco Bay Area clients.

Table of Contents

Foreword; Preface; Audience; How This Book Is Organized; Conventions Used in This Book; This Book’s Example Files; Using Code Examples; Safari® Books Online; How to Contact Us; Acknowledgments; Chapter 1: An Introduction to WebGL; 1.1 WebGL—A Technical Definition; 1.2 3D Graphics—A Primer; 1.3 The WebGL API; 1.4 Chapter Summary; Chapter 2: Your First WebGL Program; 2.1 Three.js—A JavaScript 3D Engine; 2.2 Setting Up Three.js; 2.3 A Simple Three.js Page; 2.4 A Real Example; 2.5 Chapter Summary; Chapter 3: Graphics; 3.1 Sim.js—A Simple Simulation Framework for WebGL; 3.2 Creating Meshes; 3.3 Using Materials, Textures, and Lights; 3.4 Building a Transform Hierarchy; 3.5 Creating Custom Geometry; 3.6 Rendering Points and Lines; 3.7 Writing a Shader; 3.8 Chapter Summary; Chapter 4: Animation; 4.1 Animation Basics; 4.2 Creating Tweens Using the Tween.js Library; 4.3 Animating an Articulated Model with Keyframes; 4.4 Animating Materials and Lights; 4.5 Animating Textures; 4.6 Animating Skinned Meshes and Morphs; 4.7 Chapter Summary; Chapter 5: Interaction; 5.1 Hit Detection, Picking, and Projection; 5.2 Implementing Rollovers and Clicks; 5.3 Implementing Dragging; 5.4 Using Hit Point and Normal Information; 5.5 Camera-Based Interaction; 5.6 Chapter Summary; Chapter 6: Integrating 2D and 3D; 6.1 Combining Dynamic HTML and WebGL; 6.2 Overlaying 3D Visuals on 2D Pages; 6.3 Creating Dynamic Textures with a Canvas 2D; 6.4 Using Video As a Texture; 6.5 Rendering Dynamically Generated 3D Text; 6.6 WebGL for Ultimate Mashups; 6.7 Chapter Summary; Chapter 7: WebGL in Production; 7.1 Choosing a Runtime Framework; 7.2 Loading 3D Content; 7.3 Creating 3D Content; 7.4 Browser Realities; 7.5 Handling Context Lost Events; 7.6 WebGL and Security; 7.7 Chapter Summary; Chapter 8: Your First WebGL Game; 8.1 Building the Pieces; 8.2 Putting It All Together; 8.3 Chapter Summary; Afterword; WebGL Resources; The WebGL Specification; Official Mailing Lists and Forums; Tools and Toolkits; Blogs and Demo Sites; Community Sites; Colophon;