C++ Game Animation Programming: Learn modern animation techniques from theory to implementation using C++, OpenGL

Build your own OpenGL or Vulkan application in C++ and use it as a playground to explore the path from basic features to advanced techniques of character animation in modern games with the help of this illustrated guide
Key Features

Learn how to create a game skeleton with keyboard and mouse controls along with modern graphics
Gain insights into model loading, character animations, inverse kinematics, and debugging techniques
Master the art of creating animated characters and controlling their various aspects
Purchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free PDF eBook

Book Description

If you‘re fascinated by the complexities of animating video game characters and are curious about the transformation of model files into 3D avatars and NPCs that can explore virtual worlds, then this book is for you.

In this new edition, you’ll learn everything you need to know about game animation, from a simple graphical window to a large crowd of smoothly animated characters. First, you’ll learn how to use modern high-performance graphics, dig into the details of how virtual characters are stored, and load the models and animations into a minimalistic game-like application. Then, you’ll get an overview of the components of an animation system, how to play the animations and combine them, and how to blend from one animation into another. You’ll also get an introduction to topics that will make your programming life easier, such as debugging your code or stripping down the graphical output.

By the end of this book, you’ll have gained deep insights into all the parts of game animation programming and how they work together, revealing the magic that brings life to the virtual worlds on your screen.
What you will learn

Create simple OpenGL and Vulkan applications and work with shaders
Explore the glTF file format, including its design and data structures
Design an animation system with poses, clips, and skinned meshes
Find out how vectors, matrices, quaternions, and splines are used in game development
Discover and implement ways to seamlessly blend character animations
Implement inverse kinematics for your characters using CCD and FABRIK solvers
Understand how to render large, animated crowds efficiently
Identify and resolve performance issues

Who this book is for

This book is for curious C++ developers, game programmers, game designers, and character animators, either pursuing this as a hobby or profession, who have always wanted to look behind the curtain and see how character animation in games works. The book assumes basic C++ and math knowledge, and you should be able to read code and math formulas to get the most out of this book.
Table of Contents

Creating the Game Window
Building an OpenGL 4 Renderer
Building a Vulkan Renderer
Working with Shaders
Adding Dear ImGui to show valuable information
Understanding Vector and Matrix
A Primer on Quaternions and Splines
Loading Models in the glTF format
The Model Skeleton and Skin
About Poses, Frames, and Clips
Blending between Animations
Cleaning up the User Interface
Implementing Inverse Kinematics
Creating Instanced Crowds
Measuring Performance and Optimizing the Code