NAME

       polygon_z_normal, polygon_z_normal_f - Finds the Z component of the normal vector to three
       vertices. Allegro game programming library.

SYNOPSIS

       #include <allegro.h>

       fixed polygon_z_normal(const V3D *v1, const V3D *v2, const V3D *v3);

       float polygon_z_normal_f(const V3D_f *v1, const V3D_f *v2, const V3D_f *v3);

DESCRIPTION

       Finds the Z component of the normal vector to the specified three vertices (which must  be
       part  of  a  convex  polygon). This is used mainly in back-face culling. The back-faces of
       closed polyhedra are never visible to the viewer, therefore they never need to  be  drawn.
       This  can  cull  on  average half the polygons from a scene. If the normal is negative the
       polygon can safely be culled. If it is zero, the polygon is perpendicular to the screen.

       However, this method of culling back-faces must only be used once the X and Y  coordinates
       have  been  projected  into  screen  space  using  persp_project()  (or if an orthographic
       (isometric) projection is being used). Note that this function  will  fail  if  the  three
       vertices are co-linear (they lie on the same line) in 3D space.

SEE ALSO

       cross_product(3alleg4), ex3d(3alleg4)