Talk:3D computer graphics/Temp - Definition

A rewrite of 3D computer graphics is taking place here. Please feel free to contribute; keep in mind some of the existing problems that have been brought up on the talk page.

Article revision follows:

3D computer graphics is a field of study within computer graphics in which numerical models of objects are stored and manipulated in three dimensions by a computer. It is most commonly used to generate visual images, often used in film and television productions, computer and video games, commercial illustration, engineering, and scientific visualization. The term may also refer to images produced using such a model.

How 3D graphics are made

3D computer graphics are typically created with the aid of specialized computer software. Two basic steps are required:

• Modeling: Three-dimensional data, usually in some coordinate system, is entered into the computer
• Rendering: The computer produces a visual representation of that data

The internal representation of the data in the computer is commonly referred to as the model; it may be a model of real-world objects or phenomena, such as a weather system, building, or automobile, or an imagined object such as a flying saucer or dinosaur.

Some older discussion of the proposed article structure

Planned Structure

• What is 3D Computer Graphics ?
  1. What is 3D ? show picture of 2d surface and in contrast a 3d object
  2. Now, what is graphics ? some digital painting and a digital rendering
  3. So, 3D computer graphics ? 2 thumbnails; a pic from a 3D gallery and a still from a scene in a movie
• Where is it used ?
  1. Scientific Visualizations 3d medical imaging, weather
  2. Movies/Television say, LOTR 1, Shrek and one inconspicous use; ads
  3. Games any of the 1000+ Doom-style from past 5 years
  4. Training Military and commercial simulation for training
  5. Architecture/Plant Design CAD Models for Presentations, Construction Guidence, and Operation Scenarios
• Concepts in creation software-independent, specific technique independent description
• Process in creation
  1. Modelling 2-3 screenshots
  2. Layout and camera first, some random arrangement and then a setup with 2 different angles and perhaps different "lenses"
  3. Shading and Lighting wireframe, flat, gouraud and final render side-by-side
  4. Animating first, two wireframes at two keyframes. Then, 6 pics including initial 2 + 4 interpolations
  5. Rendering wireframe and rendered side by side
  6. Compositing something like Gollum or pics of chroma-keying
• Tools employed major and minor softwares + basic description of hardware used
• Resources on the net
  1. Free demo program downloads XSI Experience, gmax ..etc
  2. Tutorials
  3. CG news sites/blogs CGChannel, Renderosity ...etc
• Participation on the net
  1. Popular webrings/art galleries and communities RAPH.com ..etc
  2. Discussion forums CGTalk.com, Digital Sculpting ..etc

Google Search: 3d quickbasic (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=3d+quickbasic)
Google Search: "blue moon rendering toolkit" (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%22blue+moon+rendering+toolkit%22)
Google Search: "3d engines" (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%223d+engines%22)
Discussion of shadow algorithms including Shadow Volumes and Shadow Maps.

Perhaps this page should be just a short summary, with the details moved to separate pages such as Solid modelling, Computer animation, 3D computer animation, 3D graphics editors, 3D rendering, etc. Each of these topics can fill several books.. Jorge Stolfi 23:58, 7 Mar 2004 (UTC)

And so can almost all topics at Wikipedia Gyan

And so is done quite often. Mikkalai 16:11, 21 Mar 2004 (UTC)

But I would leave the finer details in those topics, to their individual pages. In the outline above, the subtopics aren't meant to be comprehensively covered. Just an intro, along with illustrations. Leaving them out altogether would be a disservice. -- Gyan 17:39, 21 Mar 2004 (UTC)-

I agree. An overview article here, with sections dealing with each sub-topic at a superficial/introductory level, each of which the points to a detailed article on that sub-topic, is the usual way of solving these problems. -- Anon.

I second Jorge's proposal and also suggest a history secion. Mikkalai 16:11, 21 Mar 2004 (UTC)

I'm gonna start on some of this tomorrow using Blender_(program). enigmasoldier 12:29, 27 Mar 2004 (UTC)

Planned Structure

I suggest merging the categories "Games" and "Training" (under "Where is it used?") into a category named "Interactive Media". James C. 03:00, 2004 Jul 24 (UTC)