Barzel presents the first step in a difficult transition in the computer graphics discipline. The transition is from computer graphics with an emphasis on photo-realism to computer graphics with an emphasis on physically realistic animated behavior. To achieve this realistic behavior, the model must incorporate equations for motion based on the classical dynamics of rigid and flexible bodies.

To be successful, the computer model must include information for simulating both a realistic visual appearance and a realistic Newtonian physical behavior. The key idea is a structured model that organizes the data. This model requires a design methodology that draws from the principles of structured programming and mathematical modeling.

The introductory chapters explore the roles of abstraction, representation, and implementation in a conceptual and mathematical model. The later chapters present a prototype model library and models for two systems: a tennis ball cannon and a swinging chain. The working implementation uses C++, but no code or code fragments are included. The examples are presented by using functional specifications.

The book draws together design techniques from software engineering, computer graphics, numerical methods, and simulation to define a design strategy for Newtonian systems. It presents a strategy for the next step in the evolution of computer graphics, but the strategy and its utility could be better presented if the media were extended beyond the printed page. A CD-ROM would capture the printed word, the computer graphics action, and the details of the model.