OpenGL® Distilled provides the fundamental information you need to start programming 3D graphics, from setting up an OpenGL development environment to creating realistic textures and shadows. Written in an engaging, easy-to-follow style, this book makes it easy to find the information you're looking for. You'll quickly learn the essential and most-often-used features of OpenGL 2.0, along with the best coding practices and troubleshooting tips.

Topics include

Drawing and rendering geometric data such as points, lines, and polygons

Controlling color and lighting to create elegant graphics

Creating and orienting views

Increasing image realism with texture mapping and shadows

Improving rendering performance

Preserving graphics integrity across platforms

A companion Web site includes complete source code examples, color versions of special effects described in the book, and additional resources.