OpenGL Superbible: Comprehensive Tutorial and Reference

by Graham Sellers, Richard Wright Jr., Nicholas Haemel

OpenGL® SuperBible, Seventh Edition, is the definitive programmer’s guide, tutorial, and reference for OpenGL 4.5, the world’s leading 3D API for real-time computer graphics. The best introduction for any developer, it clearly explains OpenGL’s newest APIs; key extensions; shaders; and essential, related concepts. You’ll find up-to-date, hands-on guidance for all facets of modern OpenGL development―both desktop and mobile. The authors explain what OpenGL does, how it connects to the graphics pipeline, and how it manages huge datasets to deliver compelling experiences. Step by step, they present increasingly sophisticated techniques, illuminating key concepts with worked examples. They introduce OpenGL on several popular platforms, and offer up-to-date best practices and performance advice. This revised and updated edition introduces many new OpenGL 4.5 features, including important ARB and KHR extensions that are now part of the standard. It thoroughly covers the latest Approaching Zero Driver Overhead (AZDO) performance features, and demonstrates key enhancements with new example applications. Coverage includes Bonus material and sample code are available at .

Genres: Reference, Computer Science, Programming, Nonfiction

880 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2013

Reviews

[juanja]

Great book, especially if you're willing to put in some extra effort to get the examples working. My knowledge of OpenGL before reading this book was pretty much up to chapter 3. After implementing some examples (after porting the GLSL from 4.5 to 4.1; I'm on a Mac), I feel like I have a much better idea of how the framework works now from a low and high level.

[Dmitry Guzeev · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is excellent for OpenGL learners. It covers all the basics of the API and also presents some of the techniques for graphics programming in general.

[TheOldWoman&TheSea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a bit late to the OpenGL party ... but I'm glad I started working through this book anyway.
Disclaimer : I have some programming experience (not C or C++), but zero OpenGL knowledge.

I've always heard refer to this book as the 'goto book for OpenGL' ... And, it's good. But, in my opinion, it could have been even better.
The book seems a bit verbose at places, taking lines and lines of text to explain something simple, while at the same time skipping other explanations completely. From time to time, I also find myself confused about what some explanation really means, or how I can apply it.

I'm using a companion book called "Mathematics for 3d game programming and computer graphics" written by Eric Lengyel. I certainly don't understand everything in it, but it is enough to let me continue in the SuperBible.

Anyway, I'm almost done with chapter 5 and I'm looking forward to continuing through the rest of the book. OpenGL is a lot of fun if you like mathematics (and computers, of course).
In case you're wondering : I'm using Java with the LWJGL.

[Maxim Perepelitsyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Covers graphics foundations, API, and rendering techniques using this API in an organized and consistent way. Great read.