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CST 325 - Module 3


This week involved learning about matrix math, how matrices are used in graphics programming, and how matrices are especially important to graphics programming as they are used to represent transformations of 2D and 3D space - which is the very nature of computer graphics.

 Implementing matrix3.js and matrix4.js was more difficult to me relative to vector3 and vector4 due to my little experience working with matrices, but once I figured out the mathematical concepts both APIs came together smoothly. I still need to spend more time wrapping my head around the more abstract concepts of matrices and thinking of them as representations of space transformations other than rows and columns of numbers to be multiplied, but after watching 3blue1brown's videos and reading some resources online I feel as if I have a better understanding and appreciation of them than I did before.

 Out of curiosity, I looked up Unreal Engine's 4x4 matrix API documentation and I was pleased (and surprised) to find that it isn't so different from what I just coded for this week's assignment. Maybe my difficulties now as a beginner will help me out later when I have to work with real graphics engines such as Unreal or Unity. 

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