I ham having problems understanding a projection and have attached an image to illustrate.  The point can be found by:      Zfar / (Zfar-Znear)  and subtracting (Zfar * Znear) / (Zfar-Znear)  

The subtracted fraction is what I don't understand.  It is an offset of the transformed point and is a discrepancy.  Apparently it is pretty easily understood, but I don't understand it.  Could somebody please explain?  I  have a feeling that I still won't understand it, so easy does it, please! 

Thank you,

Josheir

The intended result is to transform the coordinate such that the range [Near,Far] maps to [0,1], but after the perspective divide.

Ignoring the divide to start with, we start by translating by -Near, so that Near maps to 0.

Zout = Zin - Near

Now, in the given case, Z values at the near plane become 0, Z values at the far plane become 9. We rescale by 1/(Far-Near) to bring that to the range [0,1]

Zout = (Zin - Near) / (Far - Near)

To make this easier to calculate with a matrix, we want it in the form A * z + D, so we distribute and rearrange things

Zout = Zin * 1/(Far - Near) - Near / (Far - Near)

If it is an orthographic projection, we're done. If it is a perspective projection, we must take into account the divide by Zin that will happen.

Zclip = Zin * 1/(Far - Near) - Near / (Far - Near)

Zout = Zclip / Zin

For Zin = Near, Zclip is 0.0, and nothing would change, but for Zin = Far, we would get a result of:

Zclip = Zfar * 1/(Far - Near) - Near / (Far - Near) = 10 / 9 - 1 / 9 = 9 / 9 = 1

Zout = Zclip / Zin = Zclip / Far = 1 / 10

To get a Zout of 1, we have to scale things by Far, which will give the correct result of Zin = Near -> 0.0, Zin = Far -> 1.0. Distributing it across:

Zclip = Zin * Far / (Far - Near) - (Near * Far) / (Far - Near)

Zout = Zclip / Zin

I'm just wondering in plain English what the subtraction of :  (Zfar * Znear) / (Zfar-Znear)   is about.  I think it can be explained simply!

Thanks,

Josheir

Its the top times Znear if that helps.

Josheir

Okay, maybe I'm not making sense.  I'll explain the first half to demonstrate:

If a far plane is at ten and a near plane is at 1 than to work out where the point is we need to first scale it to a normalized system.  Zfar - Znear equals to nine so we divide our point by nine which gives us a point between zero and one.  But, we need to scale it back up again to ten, so this gives us :

zfar  /  (zfar-znear) 

Simple, plain English, a great skill to have with mathematical expertise; communication so others understand it,

Could you help me please?

Josheir

9 hours ago, fleabay said:

It adjusts the frustum so that the near plane sits on the z-axis at 0.

Be aware that the video isn't showing how to create an OpenGL projection matrix. It is close to a DirectX projection matrix, it might even be a proper DirectX projection matrix.

No, it's from a video that creates a 3d engine from scratch :  

Quite good,  I'm not understanding how a subtraction is doing anything.

Josheir 

P.S.  Description starts at : 21:00.

I'm working on ReaperSMS's solution too.

Taking the example case of Far = 10, Near = 1, just dividing by Far-Near would put points at the far plane at 10/9, and points at the near plane at 1/9. Subtracting Near / (Far-Near) changes that so that points on the far plane become 1, and points on the near plane become 0.

The scale by Far is to counteract the perspective divide