CSS 552: Topics in Rendering

Winter 2011

Room UW1-051, M/W 5:45pm-7:45pm
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:

This course studies the algorithms and technologies necessary to synthesize high quality three dimensional images. After this course, students will understand the approaches to model, approximate, and implement real world physical entities (e.g., light sources, materials, reflection models, illumination computation) in the formation of imagery for human vision system. For students in CSS Master's degree program, this course serves two purposes. First, as an example for practical and advanced applications of the software engineering and advanced programming skills they have developed in the core courses. Second, this course serves as an introduction to the important and popular field of computer graphics. Students will be able to understand the technical details behind popular applications including animated movies, and video games. In these ways, this course serves as an springboard for students interested in learning and researching in computer graphics.

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

1. Chapter 2: Introduction to Ray-Tracing Theory

B. 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

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

1. Chapter 6 (Shading)

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

1. Chapter 1 and 2

F. 3D Math Primer for Graphics and Game Development, Fletcher Dunn, and Ian Parberry, Wordware Publishing, Inc., 2002.

1. Chapter 4 and 5

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.

Schedule:

Week	Topics	Reading	Date	Note:
1	Intro + 3D Viewing and Camera Model Ray Tracing Framework	A1 (P65 – 83)	Jan 3, 5	Assign: MP #1
2	Vector Math + Colorimetry Orthonormal Basis + Pixel Location	F1, B1	Jan 10, 12
3	MLK Day (no class) Illumination Model + Light Sources	A1 (P89 – 105) C1 (P99 – 116) D1	Jan 17, 19	Due: MP #1 Assign: MP #2
4	Global Effects	B1 C4	Jan 24, 26	Due: MP #2 Assign: MP #3
5	Shadows and ShadowDepth Map IEEE Computer Editorial Board Meeting (no class)	C2	Jan 31, Feb 2	Due: MP #3 Assign: MP #4 Assign: Final Project
6	Textures: File Texture + Mipmap, Synthesized Textures: Noise and Bump Mapping	B2 (Sections on inverse mapping)	Feb 7, 9	New time: Assign: MP #4 New time: Due: MP #3 Due: Final project proposal
7	Aliasing and Sampling Theorem Super sampling and Image Reconstruction		Feb 14, 16	Assign: MP #5
8	President’s Day (no class) The Rendering Pipeline + Parallel Rendering	D1,C3	Feb 21, 23	Due: MP #4 Due: MP #5
9	GLSL + HLSL: Per Shading Computation Final Project: research presentation	E1	Feb 28, Mar 2	Due: Final project research presentation
10	Final Project: research presentation SIGCSE Conference: (no class)		Mar 7, 9
11	Final’s Week: Project Demo & Presentation		Mar 14	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.

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.