Notes for Thursday April 23 class -- Starting to make a 3D modeler

Overview

We started to implement a 3D modeler. The only features we added were:
  • Adding a sphere by clicking on the background
  • A slider to rotate the view about the vertical axis
  • Moving objects by dragging them with the cursor
  • Choice menu of color swatches:
    • Creating the choice menu
    • Clicking on a color swatch to select it
    • While a color is selected, click on an object to set its color
    • Deselecting all color swatches when any object is moved or created
All of the code, and the working example it enables, is in the code that I've included below as a zip file.

hw9, due before start of class on Thursday April 30
Starting with the code we implemented in class, add other features of an interactive modeler.

There are many directions you can go into for this assignment. Here are just a few ideas for interactive features you can add:

  • Delete objects
  • Rotate and scale objects
  • Specify shape for any new object
  • Change the shape of an existing object
  • Set a procedural texture for an object
  • Create a spline shape by clicking to place key points
  • Create a spline path of motion by clicking to place key points
  • Modify light directions
  • Modify light colors
  • Add or remove lights
I am sure you can think of many other things to add. The important thing is to have fun with it, be creative, make something that you and your friends would enjoy playing with.

The code we implemented in class is at hw9.zip.