I've bought "3D Computer Graphics" by Alan Watt
a couple of months ago. I've got to admit it has a lot
of nifty information, but it does focus more on
triangle-based rendering, rather than raytracing.
As for algebra, it covers the fundamental stuff very
nicely, and even some advanced stuff is explained.

Still, it's only an overview over what exists and
is possible today, if you want to create new stuff,
you still got to do your own work.

I'm not really sure what you're after though, but
IMHO: I'm using an algebra book which is filled
with formulae, and look up almost anything I don't
know, or search the web. Sure, it only gets you
through one problem at a time, but you learn more
and more as you go along.

-- 
Tim Nikias v2.0
Homepage: http://www.digitaltwilight.de/no_lights
Email: Tim### [at] gmxde

> In a vain attempt to forstall flames, I'm posting here rather than in the
> 'books' newsgroup because I'm not looking for a book about Povray, per se,
> I'm looking for books about 3D Computer Graphics and the mathematics
behind
> them, and it seems to me that the advanced users are the ones most likely
> to do their own advanced math.
>
> My fundamental problem is that I'm spending an inordinate amount of time
> looking at the trigonometry review in my Calculus book (I don't have a
trig
> book - I took it in high school, and they took the books back at the end
of
> the semester. Of course, in college, the books were a horrible expense,
but
> worth it -now-! ;)), and of course my linear algebra book. Basically, I
> enjoy modelling with mathematics and programming techniques, not to
mention
> fooling around with OpenGL programming, but I'm not sufficiently good at
> mathematics to derive everything I need to know from the relevant
> information at hand (two chapters of linear algebra are relevant, the trig
> section of calculus, the math explanations in the back of the OpenGL
> Programming Guide...). I could just beg for help here, but I want to
really
> learn this stuff so that I can solve -many- problems, not just get through
> my current scene or object!
>
> So far, I've identified '3D Computer Graphics' by Alan Watt and
'Mathematics
> for 3D Game Programming and Computer Graphics' by Eric Lengyel as likely
> candidates. This is, however, a fair chunk of coin... I've seen several
> references to the first in the newsgroups and I think in the PovRay
> documentation, so I'm fairly certain it's a good choice, and the amazon
> reviews point me towards the second.
> Still and all, I'm reluctant to spend a fortune on books for this, so if
the
> first $100 doesn't get what I'm looking for, I'm going to be pretty
> unhappy. What do people here think? Are these what I should be looking at?
> Am I missing some 'definitive text' in the field? Am I going to be in deep
> trouble by lacking the more basic math texts, or will the appendices in my
> calculus text suffice?
>
> There's also the possibility that I'm simply insane and should give in and
> use modelling software, but honestly, I don't find that very interesting
> and the beauty of turning a textual scene description into a stunning
image
> is what got me into povray in the first place. ;)
>
> Advise, discuss, set heat to low before flaming... ;)
>
> --Chris
>
>

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