Calculating Surface Normal

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3 comments, last by X Abstract X 14 years, 1 month ago
I'm trying to calculate the surface normal for a simple triangle but, embarassingly enough I can't seem to get it right. Thanks for looking.

vertex1 = (100, 100, 0)
vertex2 = (150, 200, 0)
vertex3 = (200, 100, 0)


vectorA = vertex2 - vertex1
	= (50, 100, 0)

vectorB = vertex3 - vertex1
	= (100, 0, 0)


normal.x = A.y * B.z - A.z * B.y
	= 100 * 0 - 0 * 0
	= 0
normal.y = A.z * B.x - A.x * B.z
	= 0 * 100 - 50 * 0
	= 0
normal.z = A.x * B.y - A.y * B.x
	= 50 * 0 - 0 * 50
	= 0

normal = (0, 0, 0)

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Take two sides of the triangle as vectors (say, vertex1-vertex2 and vertex1-vertex3), compute the cross product and normalize the result. If you don't like the sign of the normal vector you get, reverse the order of the two sides.
Yes, copying numbers is a hard task :P
Check the values again.
A.y = 100
B.x = 100

Normal.z = A.x * B.y - A.y * B.x
= 50 * 0 - 100 * 100
= -10000

normal = (0, 0, -10000)

(i think :)

Edit...ooops got sign wrong :)
Thanks everyone. Apparently I have trouble copying numbers lol.

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