Recommendations for resources: OpenGL ES 2.0 for Symbian^3

[Karunesh]

Hi

I am trying to create a 3D game for Symbian^3 (N8 and C7), but I find myself in dark due to lack of resources regarding learning OpenGL ES 2.0 for Qt with it.

Almost all examples and videos on OpenGL ES 2.0 that I have encountered are targeted on desktop platform. Secondly, getting examples to build and run is proving to be a very big hurdle, and most of the time I end up fighting petty issues of 'yet_another_header_not_being_found' persuasion.

Instead of the general examples that focus on a single issue at a time (like generating buffers or texturing), I am looking for something that goes through the whole process of using OpenGL in a Symbian app, just like the "Beginning Mobile Phone Programming":http://www.amazon.com/Beginning-Mobile-Phone-Programming-ebook/dp/B001E50WT4 for 2D games in j2me.

I think it would be great if some experienced developers could provide recommendations for dedicated resources in the form of books, videos, blog posts or online tutorials that focus on OpenGL ES 2.0 for Symbian^3. For example, I am looking for books and posts just like "iPhone 3D Programming":http://www.amazon.com/iPhone-Programming-Developing-Graphical-Applications/dp/0596804822 and "this":http://nehe.gamedev.net/tutorial/ios_lesson_01__setting_up_gl_es/44001/ are for iOS development.

Any and all recommendations are welcome.

Thanks and regards.

[leon.anavi]

The article "How to utilise OpenGL ES 2.0 on Symbian^3 and Maemo":http://www.developer.nokia.com/Community/Wiki/How_to_utilise_OpenGL_ES_2.0_on_Symbian^3_and_Maemo from Nokia Developer might be a good starting point.

[deion]

Hi,

I also started about a month ago on this same road, except I am targeting MeeGo. What I found:

1. Most good books on OpenGL are for iPhone, so I suggest reading these iPhone OpenGL books and extract the OpenGL part; the best book is "OpenGL® ES 2.0 Programming Guide":http://opengles-book.com/
   also good books are (as you also discovered) "iPhone 3d Programming" - and
   "Beginning-iPhone-Games-Development":http://www.amazon.com/Beginning-iPhone-Games-Development-Cabrera/dp/1430225998 (this one has only a few chapters on OpenGL 1.x, not 2)
2. the Qt SDK examples that are specific for OpenGL ES 2.0: textures2, cube and hellogl_es2
3. the article posted above by leon.anavi
4. After reading, reading and reading you realize that the best thing is to just start from an existing sample and work your way. Reading the books at least help you demystify all that jargon, so you will proudly be able to say that you've used a fragment shader to draw a pink rectangle :)

Enjoy :),
Ionut

[Karunesh]

Thanks leon.anavi and deion.

[matti-]

Take a look at this example project: http://projects.developer.nokia.com/gles2phys

It should compile for symbian / MeeGo np. Note, though, that it uses the QtGL classes which I wouldn't for the sake of portability to other platforms, but it should serve as a decent example.

• matti

[deion]

"That's gold, Jerry! GOLD!":http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuognicaN04