CSS 451: 3D Computer Graphics

Winter 2010

Room UW1-220, M/W 5:45pm-7:50pm
Computing and Software Systems

University of Washington Bothell

 

 

Name

Email

Kelvin Sung

ksung@u.washington.edu

Office Hours:

W 1:00-3:00 pm

Or by appointment

Phone

 

(425)-352-5420

(phone for appointments only please)

Office:

UW1-339

We will be learning:

In this course, we will learn some of the practical and popular three dimensional (3D) graphics algorithms. The foundation mathematics required will be studied. This quarter we will concentrate on studying the fundamentals of rendering algorithms. We will begin with low level foundations by examining the essence of image generation: 3D viewing, sampling, filtering, illumination computation, texture mapping, etc., based on the classical all software ray tracing approach. During the second half of the quarter, we will examine these same concepts based on popular GPUs. For example, we will study how to take advantage of modern graphics hardware in generating: per-pixel illumination computation, transparency, reflection, shadow, etc. in real time.

 

Prerequisites: CSS 343 or equivalent.

Grading:

Programming Assignments (4-5)

~55%

Weekly short quizzes

~20%

Final Project

~25%

In class participation

  ~5%

               

Books

 

Required Text: 

  • Please refer to class web-site, required readings will be posted.

 

Required Readings:

A.     An Introduction to Ray Tracing, ed. Andrew Glassner, Academic Press, 1990.

1.      Chapter 1: An Overview of Ray Tracing by Andrew Glassner

2.      Chapter 2: Essential Ray Tracing Algorithms, by Eric Haines

B.     Practical Ray Tracing in C, Craig Lindley, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1992.

1.      Chapter 2: Introduction to Ray-Tracing Theory

  1. Real-Time Rendering, Third Edition, Tomas Akenine-Moller and Eric Haines, AK Peters, 2008.

1.      Chapter 5: Illumination and Image Reconstruction

2.      Chapter 6: Texturing

3.      Chapter 2 and 3: Rendering Pipeline and GPU

4.      Chapter 9.1: Shadows

D.     Graphics Shaders: Theory and Practice, Mike Bailey and Steve Cunningham, AK Peters, 2009.

1.      Chapter 1 and 2

E.     Interactive Computer Graphics – A Top-Down Approach With OpenGL, fourth edition, Edward Angel, Addison Wesley, Boston, 2006.

1.      Chapter 6 (Shading) (Added: Jan 12)

 

Recommended Reference Texts:

  • Essentials of Interactive Computer Graphics, Kelvin Sung, Peter Shirley, Steven Baer, Wellesley, MA., A K Peters Ltd, 2008.
  • Fundamentals of Computer Graphics, second edition, Peter Shirley, Wellesley, MA, A K Peters Ltd. 2005.
  • Real-Time Rendering, Third Edition, Tomas Akenine-Moller and Eric Haines, AK Peters, 2008.

 

Other Reference Texts:

  • Computer Graphics – with OpenGL, third edition, Donald Hearn and Pauline Baker, Prentice Hall, 2004.
  • Interactive Computer Graphics – A Top-Down Approach With OpenGL, fourth edition, Edward Angel, Addison Wesley, Boston, 2006.
  • Introduction to Computer Graphics, James Foley, Andries Van dam, Steven Feiner, John Hughes, and Richard Phillips, Addison Wesley, 1994.

 

 

Schedule:

 

Week

Topics

Reading

Date

Note:

1

Intro + Vector Math

3D Viewing and Camera

B1 (P65 – 83)

Jan 4, 6

Assign: MP #1

2

Ray Tracing Framework

Sampling

A1

Jan 11, 13

3

MLK Day (no class)

Illumination Equation

B1 (P89 – 105)

C1 (P99 – 116)

E1 (Added: Jan 12)

Jan 18, 20

Due: MP #1

Assign: MP #2

4

Texture Mapping

A2 (Sections on inverse mappings)

C2

Jan 25, 27

Due: MP #2

Assign: MP #3   

5

Filtering and Image Reconstruction

C1 (P116 – 145)

Feb 1, 3

Due: MP #3

Assign: MP #4  

6

Shadows

The Rendering Pipeline

C4 (Added: Feb 4)

C3

Feb 8, 10

Assign:  Final Project

7

President’s Day (no class)

Fragment and Pixel Shading

D1

Feb 15, 17

Due: MP #4

Due: Final project proposal

Assign:  MP #5

8

GLSL + HLSL: Per Shading Computation

Handout

Feb 22, 24

Due: MP #5

9

Hardware Buffers: Stencil/Blending

Final Project: research presentation

Handout

Mar 1, 3

Due: Final project research presentation

10

Final Project: research presentation

SIGCSE Conference:  (no class)

Mar 8, 10

11

Final’s Week: Project Demo & Presentation

Mar 15

Due: Final Project in class

 

 

Submitting Programming Assignments (MPs):

Submitting Source Code: You will submit your source code of each programming assignment (or machine problem, or mp) and I will run/test your submissions. We will be using the web-based catalyst submission facility. There is a folder with the corresponding mp number on the submission site (e.g. mp1, mp2, etc.). Before the due time of the assignment, you should:

 

Create a folder containing all the relevant source files of your mp and no more. Having extra useless/irrelevant files in that folder will results in lost credits. Please clean up Debug, Release folders (or bin/obj folders for C#) before you copy your files over. These folders can be huge and will take up unnecessary time/space. WARNING: 3% of each mp’s grade will be deducted if your submission includes the contents of Debug or Release folders, or any useless files (e.g.,.ncb, etc.) Use your first and last name and mp# as the name of your folder. Please do not include blank space as part of the name for this folder (i.e. do use “KelvinSungMp1” as folder name, and do not use “Kelvin Sung MP1” with blank spaces.) Please zip up our folder into one zip file.  Go to our course submission area and “turn in” you .zip file.

 

Submit as many times as you wish (you may have to use different names), I will only look at the last one received before the deadline. Please do not submit hard copies of your program. Let’s safe some trees, I will look at your source code electronically.

 

There is a “Test Turn-in” assignment for you to try things out. Please do try it before the first MP due date! If I do not see a test submission and you have trouble submitting your first assignment at the last minute, I will not help you. I can only help those who tried.

 

In addition, and very importantly, you should always download your submission, un-zip/compile/run to ensure your submission is correct. Remember, the grader (and/or I) will download your submission, unzip, double-click on the .sln file to compile and run. You will lose credits if anything in your submission should prevent us from automating this process.

 

You are responsible to ensure that the files you submitted are correct. On the due date of the mp, the corresponding directory will be close at precisely the due time. After which, you will not be able to submit your work! I will not accept submissions via emails. You are responsible to ensure that the files you submitted are correct. Minor submission mistakes (e.g. missed a small .h file) will result in 10% deduction from the assignment. Major submission mistakes (e.g. forgot to include a major .cpp file) will be treated as in-complete assignment and you will get 0% for the assignment. On a case-by-case basis, I will decide if a submission mistake is minor or major. There will be no exceptions!

 

If there is an emergency and/or personal difficulty, please talk to me in person. Remember to document your code, and practice the good programming skills you learned in CSS 343.

 

General Policies:

Assignment Deadlines: There will be no late assignments accepted. Let me put this in another way, there will be no late assignments accepted. These apply to both homework assignments and machine problems. Pay attention to the deadline on the assignments (including the time), there will be no late assignments accepted. Let me explain this again, there will be no late assignments accepted. I am actually a reasonable person, come talk to me about exceptional circumstances. You know the deadlines now please plan ahead.

 

Lateness to classes: It does not bother me, just don’t disturb anyone. On the days the homework assignments are due, the due time will be 10 minutes after class time. So you may wish to make sure you are not more than 10 minutes late for those classes. If you want to leave early, it would be very nice if you could give me advance warning. If that’s too much trouble, or if you forgot, don’t worry, just don’t disturb anyone and leave quietly.

 

Commitments and such: I am usually very easy going. I like relaxed classrooms for learning and will try my best to create such an environment. Please do not confuse relax environment with relax requirements. I work very hard, and expect students to work as hard. On average, each percentage of your assignments should represent one-two hours of outside-of-class time. For example, if an MP worth 8%, then on average, you will probably need about 10-15 hours to finish this assignment. Please use this as a reference and let me know if you are spending too much time on the assignments. If most of you are experiencing the same problem, then we will have to adjust the amount of work. Please seriously consider if you have the time this quarter for this class. If you do have the time, please stay in this class, I will work very hard and try my best to make this class a worthwhile learning experience for you.

 

Group Final Project: Only the final project is group assignment. You are encouraged to form groups of 2 persons to work on the final projects. Please talk to me if you wish to form a 3-member-group and you will be responsible for proposing the extra features to justify the third member. If you choose to work alone, you will not receive extra credits.  Policy for forming groups: Depending on your scores from the first few programming assignments and your weekly quiz scores, I will divide all students in class into 2 or 3 sets. You can form groups only with students from the same set. For example, if you are in Set-A and your best friend is in Set-B, then the two of you cannot form a group!

Problems

If you have any problem with this course, please talk to me as soon as possible.  I would like to help in any way I could, but I have to know there is a problem. If you fall behind in this class, it will be difficult to catch up.

 

Special Needs

If you believe that you have a disability and would like academic accommodations, please contact Disability Support Services at 425.352.5307 or at rlundborg@uwb.edu. In most cases, you will need to provide documentation of your disability as part of the review process. I will coordinate with the University to ensure that the appropriate accommodations are made in this class.