1

SE 313 – Computer Graphics

Lecture 1: IntroductionLecturer: Gazihan Alankuş

Please look at the last three slides for assignments (marked with TODO)

16.02.2012

2

Briefly• A class with

– Very little coding (no struggling with OpenGL code)– Some mathematics (linear algebra)– A lot of theoretical information about modern computer graphics techniques – A lot of practice with state-of-the-art graphic tools

• All lectures will be in a lab setting– Many assignments that you will perform during the lecture and get graded

• Preparatory homeworks before most lectures– Quizzes about homeworks

• Term project– Groups of at most 3– Weekly individual updates

16.02.2012

3

Outline

• Me• Class• Logistics of class• You• HOMEWORK 1!!!

16.02.2012

4

Outline

• Me• Class• Logistics of class• You• HOMEWORK 1!!!

16.02.2012

5

Instructor

• Dr. Gazihan Alankuş• METU, BS 2002, MS 2005• WUSTL, PhD 2011• Is now an Assistant Professor• Background– Some industry experience (including Google)– I do research on games– Now I get to teach games– reasonable > idealistic

• Please use gazihan.ieu@gmail.com for class-related e-mail exchange2/10/2012

6

Can you understand me?

• English language is just a tool, not a goal. – The goal is to communicate and learn.

• Stop me when you don’t understand something.

• In general, be active in class.

2/10/2012

7

TA

• Erdem OKUR <erdemokur@hotmail.com>• Will be present in the labs– Grading– Helping with your problems

16.02.2012

8

Outline

• Me• Class• Logistics of class• You• HOMEWORK 1!!!

16.02.2012

9

The Goals of This Class

• Main goal: Equip video game programmers with information related to game visuals– What the mathematical foundations of 3D geometry is– How you can represent models of objects with 3D

geometry– How you can apply modern techniques to create 3D scenes– How you can create 3D assets to be used in video games

• Secondary goal: Provide useful information and experience for programmers that are not game developers.

16.02.2012

10

Class

• What is computer graphics?– Let’s watch some videos

16.02.2012

11

SE 313: Computer Graphics

• What it is– Theoretical basis of 3D graphics– Modern computer graphics techniques– Using modern computer graphics tools– Creating 3D assets for games and interactive

applications• What it is not – Creating user interfaces with forms, etc. – Low-level GPU programming (with OpenGL)

16.02.2012

12

Graphics vs. Vision

• Computer Vision – images -> computer

• Computer Graphics – computer -> images

16.02.2012

13

Computer Graphics

• Using computers to generate, manipulate and store images of virtual scenes

• There are different ways– We will not be focusing on programming GPUs to

render in real-time– We will learn about the theory behind computer

graphics– We will have a practitioner's perspective and will

use modern tools for implementation

16.02.2012

14

How Do Computers Create and Display Images?

• Define and store abstract representation of a scene

• Perform the necessary projection for the output device (2D image, 3D hologram)

• Use the output device (monitor) to display it to the user

16.02.2012

15

Computer Monitors

16.02.2012

16

Computer Monitors

16.02.2012

1716.02.2012

18

Today We Have Better Displays

• Active matrix systems (LCD, Plasma, LED, etc)• 3D displays (with or without glasses)

16.02.2012

1916.02.2012

2016.02.2012

2116.02.2012

22

They All Display Pixels

• The images are stored and displayed as a matrix of colored points

16.02.2012

Mixture of red, green and blue

[adobe.com]

23

The Goal is to Fill the Pixels

• Various mathematical techniques to convert your data to pixel output

• Good news: Computers do this for us, so we don’t have to worry about this anymore

16.02.2012

24

What We Need to Do Instead

• Create a mathematical model that defines a complete scene– Modeling tools

• Get the computer to convert it to an image– Rendering tools

• To use these tools effectively you need to– Learn the theoretical background– Practice with tools to get an intuitive sense

16.02.2012

25

More Specifically

16.02.2012

Blender Unity

26

Class

• Learning about computer graphics techniques and applying them using modern tools

• This is my first time teaching this version of the class. There can be mistakes.

• Syllabus is online in the class home page:– http://ects.ieu.edu.tr/syllabus.php?section=ce.cs.ieu.edu.tr&course_c

ode=SE%20313&cer=0– Book is very useful

• Theory + OpenGL (you can ignore) • Get the book!• Reading assignments

16.02.2012

27

Outline

• Me• Class• Logistics of class• You• HOMEWORK 1!!!

16.02.2012

28

Logistics• Website

– http://homes.ieu.edu.tr/galankus/teaching/12fall/se313/

– Reach from my homepage (Google me if you must)• Slides and extra material

• Google group– http://groups.google.com/group/ieu-se313-graphics-fall-2012

– I will send announcements using the Google group

16.02.2012

29

Logistics• Grades– Attendance (except today)– Lab assignments / homeworks / quizzes– Project– Midterm– Final

16.02.2012

30

• Before you come to class, there will be a homework that will teach you the basic concepts of the subject

• At the beginning of the class there will be a quiz to test whether you did your homework

• The lecture will teach you the subject and give you a chance to practice

• Towards the end of the lecture you will perform an assignment and will be graded right away

• You can bring your own laptops.

Labs/Lectures

16.02.2012

31

Projects

• Various projects related to computer graphics– You choose the topic

• I will supply sample topics that you can choose from• You can merge this with projects from other classes

– Groups of at most three• Expectation will be proportional with group size• Everybody contributes

– Submit a report along with the sources of the actual work – You can use other people’s work (samples, libraries,

models, textures, etc.), but you have to clearly indicate it. I will not tolerate cheating.

16.02.2012

32

Outline

• Me• Logistics of class• You• Class• HOMEWORK 1!!!

16.02.2012

33

Let’s get to know you

• Introduce in detail, from where, etc.• Registered? Why?• What do you expect– from this class?– to see happen by the end of semester?

• What do you know about computer graphics?• Have you used any visual tools?

16.02.2012

34

Questions?

2/10/2012

35

Outline

• Me• Logistics of class• You• Class• HOMEWORK 1!!!

16.02.2012

36

TODO: Google Group

• Do either one of these:– Go to http://

groups.google.com/group/ieu-se313-graphics-fall-2012 and apply for a membership.

– Or, send an e-mail to gazihan.ieu@gmail.com and I will invite your e-mail to the Google group. You will have to accept the invitation.

• I will use this for class announcements• You can also send questions, comments, helpful

tips, or announcements to it but I will moderate your e-mails.

16.02.2012

37

TODO: Homework 1.a (preparation)• Download and install these (or use lab

computers at 609 or 601)– Blender - http://www.blender.org/– Unity - http://www.unity3d.com/– Gimp - http://www.gimp.org/

• Watch the video from the link below to learn how to navigate in the Maya interface by dragging the mouse with the Alt key and the three different mouse buttons. We will use the same kind of navigation in Blender – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLal5VLFcAY16.02.2012

38

TODO: Homework 1.b (Blender intro)• Run Blender, switch to the Maya preset in the

splash screen (or in File->User preferences->Input). This way, you can use the same kind of navigation (Alt+drag) that is in Unity.

16.02.2012

• Watch the 7 short videos from here and practice them in Blender. Note the difference in navigation (Blender default vs Maya presets) and adapt yourself to it. – http://cgcookie.com/blender/get-sta

rted-with-blender/

39

TODO: Homework 1.c (the deliverable)• Run Blender, switch to the Maya preset in

the splash screen (or in File->User preferences->Input). This way, you can use the same kind of navigation (Alt + mouse drag) that is in Unity.

• Using the mesh primitives (Add->Mesh), write down (at least) the first letter of your name (check the example image on the right). Feel free to have fun with it.

• Save the image (after rendering, Image->Save As Image) and the .blend file (File->Save As). Send them to Erdem, who is the assistant for this course.

• Use this kind of a subject (copy-paste this and modify):– SE 313 Homework 1 Ali Veli 201203021030

16.02.2012