Understanding the Importance of Matrices
Matrices are an advanced mathematical concept that you will find everywhere throughout computer games and graphics. Their power comes from their ability to store affine transformations and apply them through multiplication. An understanding of their inherent structure and mathematical operations will provide you with a deep appreciation of the methods underpinning all graphics and game engines.
In this chapter, we will cover the following topics:
- Defining matrices
- Performing Operations on matrices
- Creating matrix representations of affine transformations
- Combining transformation matrices for complex maneuvers
We will begin by defining matrices and working through all the mathematical operations that can be performed on them. Then, we will examine how the affine transformations presented in Chapter 12, Mastering Affine Transformations, can be achieved through matrix operations. This will involve clarifying the benefits...
