Syllabus

• Time: TTh 12:30-2:00pm
• Place:GDC 4.304
• Unique #: 51795
• Instructor: Don Fussell
  • Email: fussell@cs-utexas-edu
  • Office: GDC 5.510
  • Office hours: TTh 11:30am-12:30pm or by appointment (subject to change)
• Teaching assistant: Xinya Zhang
  • Email: xinyazhang@utexas-edu
  • Office: TBD
  • Office hours: TBD
• Class web page: http://www.cs.utexas.edu/users/fussell/courses/cs384g/

Prerequisites:

• Knowledge of data structures
• A good working knowledge of C++
• Basic linear algebra
• Reasonable mathematical sophistication
• NOTE: No prior knowledge of graphics, or graphics course, is required.

Recommended Text:

• Alan Watt, 3D Computer Graphics, Third Edition, Addison-Wesley, 2000.

Supplemental readings

• CS384g Course Reader.

Supplemental texts (not required):

• Woo, Neider, Davis, and Schreiner, OpenGL Programming Guide, Third Edition, Addison-Wesley, 1999.
• Andrew S. Glassner, An Introduction to Ray Tracing, Academic Press, 1989.
• Foley, van Dam, Feiner, Hughes, Computer Graphics Principles and Practice, Second Edition in C. Addison Wesley, 1996.
• Edward Angel, Interactive Computer Graphics: A top-down approach with OpenGL, Second Edition.Addison Wesley, 2000.

Topics:

• Introduction, displays, sampling theory
• Sampling theory, image processing
• Geometric transformations, shading
• Ray tracing
• Texture mapping, Z-buffers
• Hierarchical modeling, parametric curves
• Procedural models, particle systems
• Subdivision curves, parametric surfaces
• Subdivision surfaces, perception and color
• GPUs and Programmable Shaders

Grading:

• Projects: 100% (unless we decide to add homework, in which case the homework average will comprise 10% of the final grade)

There will be no final exam in this course.

Projects:

Projects can be implemented in the UTCS computer labs or on your own machine.

You will work on five projects (these are subject to adjustment, along with their relative weights):

Project 1: Ray tracer (~20%)

A recursive ray tracer for generating simple images that model reflection and refraction.

Project 2: Menger Sponge (~20%)

An OpenGL program to create and render a fractal object using shaders.

Project 3: Virtual Catwalk (~20%)

A program to create and manipulate an animated character using linear blend skinning.

Project 4: Minecraft (~20%)

A program to create procedural terrain.

Project 5: Final project (~20%)

Choose between a substantial extension to one of the course projects, or other suggested projects.

Projects may be graded in part during in-person sessions with the TA. During the grading session, the TA will run the project to make sure that it conforms to the project guidelines and may quiz the author of the project to determine how well they understand the structure of the code, the design trade-offs, and the implemented algorithms.

For some of the projects, the last component of the grade will involve using your project to create an artifact, hopefully, of some artistic merit. Extra credit will be given for the nicest artifacts, as determined by class vote.

Project Turn-in & Late Policy:

Assignments must be turned in by 11:59pm on the due date to receive full credit. Late assignments are marked down at a rate of 33% per day (not per lecture), meaning that if you fail to turn in an assignment on time it is worth 66% for the first 24 hours after the deadline, 33% for the next 24 hours, and it is worth nothing after that. In addition, no extra credit for bells and whistles will be awarded for any late assignment.

You are given a budget of 3 buffer days that you can spend as you see fit over the course of the semester to mitigate these late penalties. When you turn in your assignment, the due time will be subracted from the turnin time and you will be charged a buffer day for each 24 hour period or fraction thereof in this difference. Once your three buffer days are used up, late penalties will apply. You may choose to apply late penalties to an early project while you still have buffer days in order to save buffer days for a later project, but you must inform us when you turn in your project that you wish to do so.

Exceptions to these policies will be given only in unusual circumstances and only in advance.

Written Assignments:

There may be a small number of homework sets that will test your in-depth understanding of topics covered topics.  You must work on the homework sets individually.

Your Responsibilities:

You are responsible for all material discussed in class, posted on the web site, and sent to the class email list. In particular, you are responsible for insuring that the TA has a valid email address for you, for reading your email daily, and for insuring that your mailbox does not overflow. You are responsible for following the course policies on collaboration and cooperation. You must provide at least two weeks advance notice to the instructor for any forseeable situation requiring special consideration from the instructor (e.g. religious holiday conflicts; disability accomodations, etc.)

Academic Integrity:

As in all classes at UT, you are expected to abide by University standards of academic integrity. Please be sure you are familiar with these standards, and if you have questions about how they apply in this course, please ask the instructor before taking any questionable actions.

Deadlines:

Sept 4, 2018 -- End of add/drop period without approvals. Sept 14, 2018 -- Last day to add a course or to drop a course for a possible refund.
Nov 1, 2018 -- Last day for undergraduate students to change to/from pass/fail.
Nov 1, 2018 -- Last day for drops/withdrawals for undergrads with dean's permission.
Nov 26, 2018 -- Last day for graduate students to change to/from cr/nc.
Dec 10, 2018 (Last class day) -- Last day for drops/withdrawals with permission for graduate students.