iPhone 3D Programming

Foreword

PhD. Serban Porumbescu

Senior Gameplay Engineer
Tapulous Inc.

I’m sitting at my kitchen table writing this foreword on the eve of yet another momentous occasion for Apple. Today, February 23, 2010, marks the day the 10-billionth song was downloaded from the iTunes Music Store. Take a moment to really think about that number and keep in mind that the iTunes Music Store was launched just shy of seven years ago back in April 2003. That’s right. Ten billion songs downloaded in just under seven years.

The news gets even better. If you’re holding this book, you’re probably interested in iPhone application development, and the next number should really get you excited. On January 5, 2010, Apple announced that 3 billion applications had been downloaded from its App Store in just under 18 months. Phenomenal!

Months before I was asked to review this book, I had started putting together an outline and researching material for my own iPhone graphics book. When I was asked whether I was interested in being a technical reviewer for a book that seemed so similar to what I was planning, I definitely hesitated. But I’ve always been a big fan of O’Reilly books and quickly changed my mind once I realized it was the publisher backing the book.

Philip has done a fantastic job of focusing on the content most crucial to getting you productive with OpenGL ES on the iPhone as quickly as possible. In the pages that follow you’ll learn the basics of using Xcode and Objective-C, move through the fixed function (OpenGL ES 1.1) and programmable (OpenGL ES 2.0) graphics pipelines, experiment with springs and dampeners, and learn advanced lighting techniques. You’ll even learn about distance fields and pick up a bit of Python along the way. By the end of this book, you’ll find yourself resting very comfortably on a solid foundation of OpenGL ES knowledge. You’ll be well-versed in advanced graphics techniques that are applicable to the iPhone and beyond.

I knew from the moment I read the first partial manuscript that this was the book I wish I had written. Now that I’ve read the book in its entirety, I’m certain of it. I’m confident you’ll feel the same way.