Lessons from scene graphs: using scene graphs to teach hierarchical modeling

The scene graph, as defined in VRML and Java3D, is a powerful toot for mode ling a scene. The ideas contained in the scene graph are fundamental princi ples in modeling. They give beginning computer graphics students the tools to understand and apply the techniques of hierarchical modeling in scene de sign and can be directly applied to graphics programming in several graphic s APIs, including OpenGL. This note outlines the approach to modeling with scene graphs and describes how students in a first computer graphics course can build their modeling designs with this approach. (C) 2001 Elsevier Sci ence Ltd. All rights reserved.