3D Computer Graphics Programming - Gustavo Pezzi

This is a self-contained course with no prerequisites. However, you will probably get the most out of it if you already know the basics of coding (if-else, loops, functions).

If you never programmed in C before, don't worry! Many successful students come from different languages like Java, Python, JavaScript, Swift, and others. We'll learn to work with the C language together.

Course content 

1. Introduction

• Motivations & Learning Outcomes
• How to Take This Course

2. Compiling our C Project

• Configuring Dependencies
• Project Folder Structure
• Configuring a Makfile
• Compiling on Linux
• Compiling on macOS
• Configuring Visual Studio on Windows

3. SDL Window & Color Buffer

• Creating an SDL Window
• Declaring a Color Buffer
• Allocating and Freeing Memory
• Quiz: Memory Allocation
• SDL Texture
• Fullscreen Window
• Exercise: Drawing a Background
• Drawing Rectangles
• Quiz: Color Buffer

4. Header Files

• Defining Header Files
• Quiz: Header Files

5. Vectors and Points

• A Function to Draw Pixels
• Vectors
• Declaring a Vector Type
• Declaring Structs
• Array of Vector Points
• Quiz: Vectors and Points

6. Projecting Points

• Orthographic Projection
• Isometric Projection
• Perspective Projection
• Implementing the Perspective Divide
• Coordinate System Handedness
• Quiz: Perspective Projection

7. Vector Transformations

• Transforming Vectors
• Review of Sine, Cosine, and Tangent
• Quiz: Trigonometric Functions
• Rotating Vectors
• Proof of Angle Sine Addition
• Proof of Angle Cosine Addition
• Quiz: Rotating Vectors

8. Fixed Framerate

• Fixing our Game Loop Timestep
• Using a Delay Function
• Constant Framerate and Variable Delta Time

9. Triangles and Vertices

• 3D Triangles and Meshes
• Vertices and Triangle Faces
• Triangle Edges
• Quiz: Joystick Input

10. Drawing Lines

• Line Equation
• DDA Line Drawing Algorithm
• Do We Need Bresenham Lines?
• Coding a Function to Draw Lines

11. Dynamic Arrays

• Dynamic Arrays in C
• Dynamic Mesh Vertices and Faces
• Defining the Project Playfield Graphics

12. OBJ Files

• OBJ File Vertices and Faces
• Exercise: Loading OBJ File Content
• OBJ File Triangles and Quads

13. Vector Operations

• Introduction to Back-face Culling
• Vector Magnitude
• Vector Addition
• Vector Subtraction
• Vector Scaling
• Vector Cross Product
• Finding the Triangle Normal Vector
• Dot Product
• Implementing the Back-face Algorithm
• Vector Normalization
• Quiz: Vector Operations

14. Triangle Rasterization

• Triangle Fill
• Flat-Top & Flat-Bottom Technique
• Flat-Top Triangle Code
• Flat-Bottom Triangle Code
• Avoiding Division by Zero
• Exercise: Different Rendering Methods
• Solid Color Triangle Faces

15. Sorting Faces by Depth

• Painter's Algorithm
• Exercise: Sorting Faces by Depth
• A Simple Sorting Function

16. Matrices

• Matrices Review
• Matrix Operations
• Matrix Multiplication
• Exercise: Matrix Multiplication
• 2D Rotation Matrix

17. 3D Matrix Transformations

• 3D Scale Matrix
• 3D Translation Matrix
• 3D Rotation Matrices
• The World Matrix
• Order of Matrix Transformations
• Quiz: Matrix Transformations
• Translation is Not a Linear Transformation

18. Projection Matrix

• Defining a Projetion Matrix
• Populating the Perspective Projection Matrix
• Exercise: Projecting Negative Z Values
• Projection in OpenGL & DirectX
• Row-Major and Column-Major Order

19. Light and Shading

• Flat Shaded Triangles
• Coding Flat Shading and Light
• Smooth Shading
• Gouraud Shading & Phong Shading

20. Texture Mapping

• Representing Textures in Memory
• Textured Triangles
• Textured Flat-Top Triangle
• Textured Flat-Bottom Triangle
• Barycentric Coordinates
• Barycentric Weights (α, β, γ)
• Coding Textured Triangles
• Quiz: Texture Mapping

21. Perspective Correct Interpolation

• Perspective Correct Interpolation
• What Does "Affine" Mean?
• 3D UV Coordinates

22. Decoding PNG Files

• Decoding PNG Files
• Loading PNG File Content
• Freeing PNG Textures from Memory
• Quiz: PNG Files

23. Textured OBJ Files

• Loading OBJ Textures Attributes
• Preventing Texture Buffer Overflow
• Rasterization Rules
• Visualizing Textured OBJ Files

24. Z-Buffer

• Implementing a Z-Buffer
• Exercise: Z-Buffer for Flat-Shaded Triangles
• Z-Buffer for Flat-Shaded Triangles
• Reviewing Dynamic Memory Allocation

25. Camera

• Camera Space
• LookAt Camera Model
• LookAt Camera Transformations
• Implementing a Variable Delta Time
• Coding a Simple FPS Camera Movement
• Quiz: Camera Transformations

26. 3D Clipping

• Frustum Clipping
• Frustum Planes
• Exercise: Frustum Planes and Normals
• Computing Points Inside and Outside Planes
• Intersection Between Lines and Planes
• Clipping Polygon Against a Plane
• Coding the Function to Clip Polygons Against Planes
• Visualizing Clipped Triangles
• Horizontal and Vertical FOV
• Clipping Texture UV Coordinates
• Clipping Space
• Quiz: 3D Clipping
• Deciding What Not to Render

27. Code Refactoring

• Working with Static Variables
• Refactoring SDL Global Variables
• Refactoring Light Code
• Simulating Low-Resolution Display with SDL
• Exercise: Camera Pitch Rotation
• Implementing Camera Pitch Rotation

28. Rendering Multiple Meshes

• Declaring Multiple Meshes
• Coding Multiple Meshes
• Coding Multiple Textures

29. Conclusion & Next Steps