Computer Graphics I

4003-570-01 / 4005-761-01 Fall 2007

Instructor: Joe Geigel
Office: 70-3527
Office Hours: MW 2-4 (or by appt)
E-mail: jmg@cs.rit.edu
URL: http://www.cs.rit.edu/~jmg/
Course URL: http://www.cs.rit.edu/~jmg/cgI (course content also available at mycourses)
Class Dates: MW 6-8
Classroom: 70-1620

PREREQUISITE: Third Year Standing or permission of instructor

Please see me as soon as possible if you haven't reached this level. If you aren't at least a third-year student, or you have not come through an equivalent preparatory programming sequence, there is a very good chance that you don't have sufficient programming experience to allow you to succeed in this course.

Description

Computer Graphics I is a study of the hardware and software principles of interactive raster graphics. Topics include an introduction to the basic concepts, 2-D and 3-D modeling and transformations, viewing transformations, projections, rendering techniques, graphical software packages and graphics systems. Students will use computer graphics packages and implement fundamental computer graphics algorithms.

Learning Outcomes

After completion of this course:

Students will be able to describe the history and evolution of computer graphics, both hardware and software.

Students will be able to describe and implement 2D graphics and algorithms including line drawing, polygon filling, clipping, and transformations.

Students will be able to explain the concepts of and techniques used in 3D computer graphics including viewing transformations, hierarchical modeling, color, lighting and texture mapping. Students will be exposed to current computer graphics research areas.

Students will be able to use a current graphics API (OpenGL).

Students will be describe algorithms and techniques fundamental to 3D computer graphics and explain the relationship between the 2D and 3D versions of such algorithms. Students will be able to reason about and apply these algorithms and techniques in new situations.

Texts

Required Text -- Chapters corresponding to weekly lectures will be indicated on the SCHEDULE page.

Donald Hearn and M. Pauline Baker, Computer Graphics with OpenGL (3rd Edition), Prentice-Hall, 2003, ISBN: 0130153907

In addition, the following, though not required, are good references on OpenGL:

OpenGL Architecture Review Board, OpenGL Programming Guide: The Official Guide to Learning OpenGL, Version 1.4, Fourth Edition, Addison-Wesely, 2003, ISBN: 0321173481

OpenGL Architecture Review Board, OpenGL(R) Reference Manual : The Official Reference Document to OpenGL, Version 1.4 (4th Edition), Addison-Wesley, 2004, ISBN: 032117383X

Requirements and Grading

The major deliverables for this course are:

Exams -- Two exams will be scheduled for this course. The first is a two-hour midterm exam; the second, a two-hour exam during finals week. The second exam will not be comprehensive. Both exams will be weighted equally in the calculation of your final grade. As a somewhat deeper understanding of the material is expected of graduate students, the graduate and undergraduate versions of the exams may not be the same. Info on exams, dates, and topics covered will be posted on the EXAMS section of this Web site.

Pipeline implementation (new this year on a trial basis) -- In lieu of exams, students may choose a more programming heavy option where they will be implementing a portion of the 3D graphics pipeline from scratch. This option may be attractive to grad students as well as students with a desire to pursue advanced graphics courses. More info on the assignments for this option will be posted on the ASSIGNMENTS section of this Web site.

Homework -- Homework will be announced in class and posted to the ASSIGNMENTS section of the course home page. Homeworks will be collected and graded. Generally, students will have 1 week to complete homework assignments.

Programming Assignments -- There will be four programming projects this quarter. They will involve the use of the OpenGL graphics libraries. Project descriptions will be posted to the ASSIGNMENTS section of the course home page. Generally, students will have 2 weeks to complete programming assignments.

Problem sets -- Problem sets and their solutions will be posted to the ASSIGNMENTS section of the course home page. Although they will not be collected or graded, I suggest you attempt to work the problems before looking at the answers, to help ensure that you understand the concepts. The material in the problem sets are good fodder for exam questions.

Survey / Report ( grad only ) -- Each graduate student is expected to research a topic relative to computer graphics and prepare a 10-15 page report. If you are unsure about what you would like to present, please see me for some general ideas.

The final grade will be determined using the following weights:

Graduate Undergraduate

Exams 35% 45%

Assignments 35% 45%

Homework 10% 10%

Grad Report
20%

	Graduate	Undergraduate
Exams	35%	45%
Assignments	35%	45%
Homework	10%	10%
Grad Report	20%

Policy on Late Submissions

It is extremely important to continue to make progress as the course progresses. As such, late deliverables will be not be allowed. If you forsee any problems with meeting deliverable deadlines, and see the instructor well in advance of the deadline that might be missed we can attempt to work out alternate arrangements.

Computer Science Department Policy on Academic Dishonesty

Students are expected to maintain the highest standards of ethical behavior.

Any form of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated.

Those who behave in a dishonest or unethical manner in computer science courses, or in their dealings with the Computer Science Department, are subject to disciplinary action. In particular, dishonest or unethical behavior in the execution of assigned work in a computer science course will be treated as follows:

For a first offense the student involved will receive a grade of zero on the assignment. [A stronger penalty may be exacted if, in the judgement of the instructor, the offense involves a flagrant violation of basic ethical standards.]

For a second offense, in the same or a different course, the student will receive a failing grade for that course.

A third offense will be referred to judicial affairs. Furthermore, the following action will be taken for each person involved in the incident, whether currently enrolled in the course or not:

If the student is a computer science major, a letter recording the incident will be placed in the student's departmental file; otherwise, the letter will be forwarded to the student's department chair or program coordinator.

last updated 08/22/07