Chapter 3

From 2D to 3D: Adding One Extra Dimension

In the first two chapters, we covered the cool stuff and the math stuff (which could be either cool or boring). Here in Chapter 3 we'll move the bouncing cube example beyond a mere 2D version to a 3D version (4D hypercubes are beyond the scope of this work). And during the process, more 3D theory about projections, rotations, and the like will be slipped in for good measure. However, note that OpenGL is not just for 3D but can easily be used to place 2D controls in front of your 3D visualization.

First, a Little More Theory

Remember that OpenGL ES objects are a collection of points in 3D space; that is, their location is defined by three values. These values are joined together to form faces, ...

Get Pro OpenGL ES for Android now with the O’Reilly learning platform.

O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.