OpenGL Tutors

Tutorial programs that demonstrate basic OpenGL functionality by allowing the user to modify the parameters of a function and see the effect on the scene.

Nate Robins

November 04, 1999 26.3k views

GLUT for Win32 SGI's OpenGL for Windows

The fog tutorial program demonstrates how to use depth cueing (or fog) in OpenGL. It includes command panels that allow dynamic update of the parameters for linear, exponential and exponential[sup]2[/sup] fog functions. The fog color can also be dynamically changed.

The lightposition tutorial program demonstrates how lighting position is effected by the viewing transformation. The order in which the light position and the viewing transform are established is configurable, as are the parameters for the position and transform.

The lightmaterial tutorial program demonstrates how OpenGL lighting and material properties interact and effect each other. All material & light properties are tweakable. A second command panel allows spotlight parameters & attenuation factors to be changed.

The projection tutorial program demonstrates how the many types of projection transformations work. A command panel is included for gluPerspective(), glOrtho() and glFrustum(). In addition, the viewing transform can be modified via the gluLookat() function.

The transformation tutorial program demonstrates how the basic transformations of rotate, translate and scale operate in OpenGL. The order of the transforms can be changed to see how that effects rendering.

The texture tutorial program demonstrates how OpenGL texturing works. Specifically, the texture coordinates for a polygon are provided for manipulation as are the polygons coordinates themselves. The texture parameter & environment attributes are tweakable. A separate command panel allows manipulation of the texture matrix.