camera position

OpenGL OpenGL: Basic Coding
1

I have my display function which displays my skymap and car.

void display(void) {

	glClear(GL_COLOR_BUFFER_BIT | GL_DEPTH_BUFFER_BIT);
	glLoadIdentity();
    glTranslatef(0.0,0.0,-3.0); 


	aSkyBox.draw();	

	glPushMatrix();
	glScalef(0.1,0.1,0.1); // too make it fit in my skybox, calculated by finding the models co ordinates and comparing to skymaps
	glTranslatef(0.0,0.0,-300.0);
	glTranslatef(0.0,-100.0,0.0);
	glTranslatef(-100.0,0.0,0.0);
	glRotatef(270.0f,1.0f,0.0f,0.0f);

	aSkyBox.draw_car();
	glPopMatrix();
	glFlush(); 
    glutSwapBuffers(); 
}

At the moment, the view is a bit too high up in the skybox, i want the camera to be more at ground level. How would i do this? Is it with glTranslate?

2

theory: the model matrix and camera matrix are concatenated in OpenGL (GL_MODELVIEW). you can imagine that the camera is always at the origin and never moving. only the objects are moving to or away from the camera which actually makes no difference and looks like the camera is moving instead. if you need to move your camera down by some amount modify your matrix by the opposite amout (up) so the geometry you render will be transformed up and will look like the camera has been moved down. hope you can follow.

3

Sorry, tottaly lost, have no idea about all these matrixes and everything. How can i increase the number on GL_MODELVIEW?
I have this where i draw my car and skybox

 
#include "stdafx.h"
#include <windows.h>
#include <stdio.h>  //for file access	
#include <GL/glut.h>						
#include <gl\gl.h>													
#include "skybox.h"
#include "glbmp.h"
#include "coursework2.h"
#include "3dsloader.h"
#include "texture.h"

obj_type object;

bool skybox::LoadTexture(unsigned int & aTexture, const char * bitmap_file)
{
   glbmp_t bitmap;     //object to fill with data from glbmp
 

   if(!glbmp_LoadBitmap(bitmap_file, 0, &bitmap))
   {
      fprintf(stderr, "Error loading bitmap file: %s
", bitmap_file);
   }
 
   //generate and bind the OpenGL texture
   glGenTextures(1, &aTexture);
   glBindTexture(GL_TEXTURE_2D, aTexture);
 
   //copy data from bitmap into texture
   glTexImage2D(GL_TEXTURE_2D, 0, 3, bitmap.width, bitmap.height,
                0, GL_RGB, GL_UNSIGNED_BYTE, bitmap.rgb_data);
 
   //set up texture filtering
   glTexParameteri(GL_TEXTURE_2D, GL_TEXTURE_MIN_FILTER, GL_LINEAR);
   glTexParameteri(GL_TEXTURE_2D, GL_TEXTURE_MAG_FILTER, GL_LINEAR);
 
   //free the bitmap
   glbmp_FreeBitmap(&bitmap);
 
   return true;
}
 


void skybox::Init() {

	OFFSET = 1/512.0; //set offset value for skybox

	LoadTexture(texture[0], "images/1.bmp");
	LoadTexture(texture[1], "images/2.bmp");
	LoadTexture(texture[2], "images/3.bmp");
	LoadTexture(texture[3], "images/4.bmp");
	LoadTexture(texture[4], "images/5.bmp");
	LoadTexture(texture[5], "images/6.bmp");

}

void skybox::Init2(){

    glClearColor(0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0); // This clear the background color to black
    glShadeModel(GL_SMOOTH); // Type of shading for the polygons
   	
    // Viewport transformation
    glViewport(0,0,800,600);  

    // Projection transformation
    glMatrixMode(GL_PROJECTION); // Specifies which matrix stack is the target for matrix operations 
 
   
    glEnable(GL_DEPTH_TEST); // enable the depth test (also called z buffer)
    glPolygonMode (GL_FRONT_AND_BACK, GL_FILL); // Polygon rasterization mode (polygon filled)
    
    glEnable(GL_TEXTURE_2D); // This Enable the Texture mapping

    Load3DS (&object,"GTR.3ds");

    object.id_texture=LoadBitmap("images/body.bmp");
  

}

void skybox::draw() {

	glPushMatrix();

	glColor3f(1.0f,1.0f,1.0f);			//Set colour to White
	glEnable(GL_TEXTURE_2D);			//Enable texture mapping
	glDisable (GL_DEPTH_TEST);			//Disable depth testing

		//before you can use a texture you have to bind it
		glBindTexture(GL_TEXTURE_2D, texture[0 + text_offset]);

		glBegin (GL_QUADS);	
		
				glNormal3d (0.0,0.0,1.0); glTexCoord2d (0.0 + OFFSET,0.0 + OFFSET);	glVertex3d (-10.0,-10.0,10.0);
				glNormal3d (0.0,0.0,1.0); glTexCoord2d (1.0 - OFFSET,0.0 + OFFSET);	glVertex3d (-10.0,-10.0,-10.0);
				glNormal3d (0.0,0.0,1.0); glTexCoord2d (1.0 - OFFSET,1.0 - OFFSET);	glVertex3d (-10.0,10.0,-10.0);
				glNormal3d (0.0,0.0,1.0); glTexCoord2d (0.0 + OFFSET,1.0 - OFFSET);	glVertex3d (-10.0,10.0,10.0);

		glEnd ();				

		glBindTexture(GL_TEXTURE_2D, texture[1 + text_offset]);
		glBegin (GL_QUADS);
		
				glNormal3d (0.0,0.0,1.0); glTexCoord2d (0.0 + OFFSET,0.0 + OFFSET);	glVertex3d (-10.0,-10.0,-10.0);
				glNormal3d (0.0,0.0,1.0); glTexCoord2d (1.0 - OFFSET,0.0 + OFFSET);	glVertex3d (10.0,-10.0,-10.0);
				glNormal3d (0.0,0.0,1.0); glTexCoord2d (1.0 - OFFSET,1.0 - OFFSET);	glVertex3d (10.0,10.0,-10.0);
				glNormal3d (0.0,0.0,1.0); glTexCoord2d (0.0 + OFFSET,1.0 - OFFSET);	glVertex3d (-10.0,10.0,-10.0);
		glEnd ();

		glBindTexture(GL_TEXTURE_2D, texture[2 + text_offset]);
		glBegin (GL_QUADS);
		
				glNormal3d (0.0,0.0,1.0); glTexCoord2d (0.0 + OFFSET ,0.0 + OFFSET); glVertex3d (10.0,-10.0,-10.0);
				glNormal3d (0.0,0.0,1.0); glTexCoord2d (1.0 - OFFSET ,0.0 + OFFSET); glVertex3d (10.0,-10.0,10.0);
				glNormal3d (0.0,0.0,1.0); glTexCoord2d (1.0 - OFFSET ,1.0 - OFFSET); glVertex3d (10.0,10.0,10.0);
				glNormal3d (0.0,0.0,10.0); glTexCoord2d (0.0 + OFFSET ,1.0 - OFFSET); glVertex3d (10.0,10.0,-10.0);

		glEnd ();

		glBindTexture(GL_TEXTURE_2D, texture[3 + text_offset]);	
		glBegin (GL_QUADS);
			
			glNormal3d (0.0,0.0,1.0); glTexCoord2d (0.0 + OFFSET ,0.0 + OFFSET); glVertex3d (10.0,-10.0,10.0);
			glNormal3d (0.0,0.0,1.0); glTexCoord2d (1.0 - OFFSET ,0.0 + OFFSET); glVertex3d (-10.0,-10.0,10.0);
			glNormal3d (0.0,0.0,1.0); glTexCoord2d (1.0 - OFFSET ,1.0 - OFFSET); glVertex3d (-10.0,10.0,10.0);
			glNormal3d (0.0,0.0,1.0); glTexCoord2d (0.0 + OFFSET ,1.0 - OFFSET); glVertex3d (10.0,10.0,10.0);
		
		glEnd ();

		glBindTexture(GL_TEXTURE_2D, texture[4 + text_offset]);	
		glBegin (GL_QUADS);
			
			glNormal3d (0.0,0.0,1.0); glTexCoord2d (0.0 + OFFSET ,0.0 + OFFSET); glVertex3d (-10.0,-10.0,10.0);
			glNormal3d (0.0,0.0,1.0); glTexCoord2d (1.0 - OFFSET ,0.0 + OFFSET); glVertex3d (10.0,-10.0,10.0);
			glNormal3d (0.0,0.0,1.0); glTexCoord2d (1.0 - OFFSET ,1.0 - OFFSET); glVertex3d (10.0,-10.0,-10.0);
			glNormal3d (0.0,0.0,1.0); glTexCoord2d (0.0 + OFFSET ,1.0 - OFFSET); glVertex3d (-10.0,-10.0,-10.0);
		
		glEnd ();

		glBindTexture(GL_TEXTURE_2D, texture[5 + text_offset]);
		glBegin (GL_QUADS);
		
				glNormal3d (0.0,0.0,1.0); glTexCoord2d (0.0 + OFFSET ,0.0 + OFFSET); glVertex3d (-10.0,10.0,-10.0);
				glNormal3d (0.0,0.0,1.0); glTexCoord2d (1.0 - OFFSET ,0.0 + OFFSET); glVertex3d (10.0,10.0,-10.0);
				glNormal3d (0.0,0.0,1.0); glTexCoord2d (1.0 - OFFSET ,1.0 - OFFSET); glVertex3d (10.0,10.0,10.0);
				glNormal3d (0.0,0.0,1.0); glTexCoord2d (0.0 + OFFSET ,1.0 - OFFSET); glVertex3d (-10.0,10.0,10.0);
				
		glEnd ();

	//Re-Enable the depth test
	glEnable(GL_DEPTH_TEST);
	//disable texture mapping
	glDisable(GL_TEXTURE_2D);
	glPopMatrix();
	

}

void skybox::draw_car(){

	int l_index;

    glMatrixMode(GL_MODELVIEW); // Modeling transformation
    glEnable(GL_TEXTURE_2D);
    glBindTexture(GL_TEXTURE_2D, object.id_texture); // set the active texture 

    glBegin(GL_TRIANGLES);
    for (l_index=0;l_index<object.polygons_qty;l_index++)
    {
        //----------------- FIRST VERTEX -----------------
        // Texture coordinates of the first vertex
        glTexCoord2f( object.mapcoord[ object.polygon[l_index].a ].u,
                      object.mapcoord[ object.polygon[l_index].a ].v);
        // Coordinates of the first vertex
        glVertex3f( object.vertex[ object.polygon[l_index].a ].x,
                    object.vertex[ object.polygon[l_index].a ].y,
                    object.vertex[ object.polygon[l_index].a ].z); //Vertex definition

        //----------------- SECOND VERTEX -----------------
        // Texture coordinates of the second vertex
        glTexCoord2f( object.mapcoord[ object.polygon[l_index].b ].u,
                      object.mapcoord[ object.polygon[l_index].b ].v);
        // Coordinates of the second vertex
        glVertex3f( object.vertex[ object.polygon[l_index].b ].x,
                    object.vertex[ object.polygon[l_index].b ].y,
                    object.vertex[ object.polygon[l_index].b ].z);
        
        //----------------- THIRD VERTEX -----------------
        // Texture coordinates of the third vertex
        glTexCoord2f( object.mapcoord[ object.polygon[l_index].c ].u,
                      object.mapcoord[ object.polygon[l_index].c ].v);
        // Coordinates of the Third vertex
        glVertex3f( object.vertex[ object.polygon[l_index].c ].x,
                    object.vertex[ object.polygon[l_index].c ].y,
                    object.vertex[ object.polygon[l_index].c ].z);
    }
    glEnd();
 
}

I take it that the GL_ModelView in my drawCar method is where the camera is first located. So how can i move it down? What function do i need to use?
cheers and sorry for the lack of knowledge

4

IMO, you need to read a little about math related to 3D, matrices, homogeneous coordinates, etc… Then read the OpenGL specification at the paragraph named “Coordinates transformation” It tells a lot about matrices (modelview, projection and texture ones) and how coordinates are handled and transformed throw these matrices and homogenous coordinates.
After that, I am sure you will think it easy to move objects in the scene space.

For now, to move down your camera, you just need to change the translation along the Y axis (vertical one) as follows:

void display(void) {
// change the yt value to translate the camera along
// the vertical axis.
float yt = -0.5;
glClear(GL_COLOR_BUFFER_BIT | GL_DEPTH_BUFFER_BIT);
glLoadIdentity();
glTranslatef(0.0,yt,-3.0);
…