Programming in OpenGL 2.1 where to start

[Deleted User]

I would like to to start programming basic 3D graphics with C++ OpenGL 2.1 but i am unsure of where i should start and was hoping someone on the Temp had some suggestions thanks

 

[FAST6191]

All sorts of questions and possibilities here based upon what you have done in the past, what you know now (both the underlying maths, which if you are 14 and in the US you likely have not studied in school and won't until either high level stuff when you are maybe 17-18 or doing something maths based at university, and computing in general). Don't let the bracketed part in the previous thing scare you though as it is actually easy enough to learn what you need off your own back so you can get stuff done, and while being able to do a full technical explanation is a good skill to have you can do a lot of it by instinct in the end.

You have two broad approaches though
1) You do some texture mods, item modelling and whatever else to familiarise yourself with that, and preferably something that uses opengl 2.1 or whatever you choose here. There should be a few games, even some open source ones, to have a look at here.
2) You make a basic scene, then a basic animation (hopefully you know about things like gimbal lock and how to change reference points/origins/parent-child relationships depending upon the action), maybe a truly basic game (push the box in the hole, might also get some gravity here) and go from there.
2) will be what any number of tutorials attempt to get you to do, though 1) is also good stuff and will get you having results sooner.

I don't know what I will do about a guide as again I am wary about throwing you in at the deep end and hoping whatever discussion of matrix maths it gives you is enough for you (quite a few will be more of a refresher course for those that already did it). You also have the slight problem that we are now decades into 3d and there are all sorts of fun things that you can do these days that would not have existed before (some of the textures having 3d characteristics for instance) but at the same time it should be fairly ironed out (get some people to tangle with the likes of the DS' 3d offerings or PS1's, never mind the Saturn's, and it gets people very lost, very quickly) and you can ignore the crazy stuff while you get to grips with things.

 

[Deleted User]

All sorts of questions and possibilities here based upon what you have done in the past, what you know now (both the underlying maths, which if you are 14 and in the US you likely have not studied in school and won't until either high level stuff when you are maybe 17-18 or doing something maths based at university, and computing in general). Don't let the bracketed part in the previous thing scare you though as it is actually easy enough to learn what you need off your own back so you can get stuff done, and while being able to do a full technical explanation is a good skill to have you can do a lot of it by instinct in the end.

You have two broad approaches though
1) You do some texture mods, item modelling and whatever else to familiarise yourself with that, and preferably something that uses opengl 2.1 or whatever you choose here. There should be a few games, even some open source ones, to have a look at here.
2) You make a basic scene, then a basic animation (hopefully you know about things like gimbal lock and how to change reference points/origins/parent-child relationships depending upon the action), maybe a truly basic game (push the box in the hole, might also get some gravity here) and go from there.
2) will be what any number of tutorials attempt to get you to do, though 1) is also good stuff and will get you having results sooner.

I don't know what I will do about a guide as again I am wary about throwing you in at the deep end and hoping whatever discussion of matrix maths it gives you is enough for you (quite a few will be more of a refresher course for those that already did it). You also have the slight problem that we are now decades into 3d and there are all sorts of fun things that you can do these days that would not have existed before (some of the textures having 3d characteristics for instance) but at the same time it should be fairly ironed out (get some people to tangle with the likes of the DS' 3d offerings or PS1's, never mind the Saturn's, and it gets people very lost, very quickly) and you can ignore the crazy stuff while you get to grips with things.

Thank you very much for your reply that was very inspiring I have a opensource game that has a large moding community so I think I will start there make a few basic mods and work my way up to more advanced projects thanks again