Application programming interface is desirable to develop 3D applications, OpenGL is widely used in video game development visualization, and simulation, CAD, virtual reality, modeling, and computer animation. OpenGL Distilled provides the fundamental information you need to start programming 3D graphics, from setting up an OpenGL development environment to create realistic textures and shadows. You will quickly learn the salient features and the most frequently used of OpenGL 2.0, along with 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 Improved performance graphics rendering Maintain integrity across platforms A companion Web site includes complete source code examples, color versions of special effects described in the book, and additional resources.