Teaching Computer Graphics with a Top-Down Approach

Edward AngelProfessor of Computer Science,

Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Media Arts

University of New Mexico

angel@cs.unm.eduwww.cs.unm.edu/~angel

Kemeny’s Analogy

Why learn to program?

You don't have to know what's under the hood to be literate, but unless you know how to program, you'll be sitting in the back seat instead of driving.

Computer Graphics and Cars

• algorithmic approach: teach everything about what makes a car function: the engine, the transmission, the combustion process

• survey approach: hire a chauffeur, sit back, and see the world as a spectator

• programming approach: learn how to drive and take yourself wherever you want to go

Evolution of Hardware/Software

Year Hardware Software Book

1982VAX + GIGI Terminals

DEC Newman

and Sproul

1984 SUN 2 Core Foley 1

1986VAX, Sun,

SGIPHIGS/SGP Foley 2

1988 Sun, SGI GKS Angel 1

1990 everything OpenGL Angel 2

Observations

• Most CG instructors are not experts in CG• Most schools have only one graphics class• Most students who work in graphics area will not work on low-level algorithms (1/50)

• Look at CG as capstone course• Students look forward to class in CS because of what they have seen Movies, games, CAD

What is Fundamental?

• Graphics Pipeline• Viewing• Transformations• Interaction• Discrete Methods (texture mapping)• Modeling• Algorithms (Rasterization)

Examples

• The following are examples of what students turn in just past mid semester

• Project illustrate interaction, use of transformations in 3D, algorithms

Rubik’s Cube

Maze

• Follow with term project

Challenges

• Programmable Hardware Must rethink what goes in the first course

Methods such as bump mapping are now real time

• Game Technology Dominates hardware development

Being adopted by scientific and research communities

• Can we fit this material into first course without giving up something?