The following 12 chapters are about fixed pipeline 3D graphics rendering. In recent years, hardware on the PC platform has become quite mature, and sophisticated real-time graphics have become commonplace. The basic approach has not changed. We are still playing connect the dots and using triangles to make solid geometry. Performance now can be overwhelming, but by using the techniques in Part I of this book, you can create high-performance and stunning 3D graphics effects.

Although many advanced, sophisticated effects are built on the more flexible capabilities explored in Part III, “OpenGL: The Next Generation,” the fixed pipeline capabilities of OpenGL remain the bedrock on which all else is built. We know that dedicated hardware is usually faster than flexible programmable hardware, and we can expect that for basic rendering needs the fixed pipeline functionality of OpenGL will remain with us for some time.