CSE 167 - Introduction to Computer Graphics
Fall 2003, Course Web page
Instructor: Sam Buss,  Univ. of California, San Diego

Overview: This course is an introduction to 3D computer graphics, including both using OpenGL and the theory of computer graphics.   In the fall quarter, we will cover drawing primitives, 3D transformations including affine transformations, projection and perspective, Phong lighting, averaging and interpolation, texture mapping, light and color, and Bezier curves.  The course will cover both the theory of graphics and the practical uses of OpenGL and GLUT.  OpenGL and GLUT is a cross platform API that works on most common computer environments, including Windows, Macintosh, Unix, Linux.
    Prerequisites: Programming experience in C or C++ or Java is acceptable.  Math 20F (Linear Algebra) is also required.

Grading: Grading will be based on both programming assignments and on a midterm and a final exam.  It is expected that your course grade will depend about 50% on your programming projects and 50% on your written exam work.   It is not yet decided whether written homework assignments will be collected and graded.  Grading of projects will be individualized and one-on-one.
    There will be about 5-7 programming assignments, culminating with an individual final project.  You are expected to do your own programming and will not work in teams (except for limited exceptions in the case of the final project). 

Lab Hours for Final Exam Grading:
    Monday, December 8.   11:00-2:30 PM and 5:00-7:00 PM.
    Tuesday, December 9.  9:00-12:00 AM

Instructor:
   
Sam Buss, Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science
    Email: sbuss@ucsd.edu  (this is often the best way to contact me).
    Office: APM 6210.   Office phone: 534-6455.
    Office hours: Tuesday and Wednesday 11:00-11:50, Thursday 9:00-10:00.
            Office hours for final exam prep: Friday, Dec 5, 1:00-2:00 and Monday, Dec 8, 10:00-10:50.
            I have a PC in my office and can help with programming assignments there.

Teaching Assistants:  All office hours held in APM 2444 PC lab.
    Craig Donner: cdonner@graphics.ucsd.edu
        Office hours: Tuesday and Thursday 9:30-11:00.
    Peter Schwer:   pschwer@cs.ucsd.edu   
        Office hours: Wednesday  1:00-4:00 and Friday 2:00-5:00.
    Diem Vu:    d1vu@cs.ucsd.edu
        Office hours: Wednesday and Friday 12:00-2:00. Thursday 4:00-6:00.
 

Rooms and Times:
    Lectures: Tuesday and Thursday at 2:00-3:20, Peterson 110.
    PC lab: APM 2444.   Door code: 0593110 (for use only by students of this class).

Textbook:  (Required) S. Buss, 3D Computer Graphics: A Mathematical Introduction with OpenGL.  Cambridge Univ. Press, 2003.  This book has just appeared and is by your instructor.  So this class will be "breaking it in": in particular, please let me know if you find typographical mistakes or other errors.  Book web site: http://math.ucsd.edu/~sbuss/MathCG.
    (Recommended) M. Woo et al., OpenGL Programming Guide, 3rd Edition. Addison-Wesley, 1999.  The first or especially the second edition is also fine for the purposes of this course.  See also below for the older editions available online for free.   The fourth edition is not yet available.

Programming projects:  Projects must be your own individual work.  Although you are allowed to seek help from others, you should be sure that you design and write your own code.  If you receive substantial outside help, you must disclose this at the time your project is being graded.  Violations of academic integrity will be treated seriously, and may result in referral to a Dean.  There are special guidelines for this CSE 167 about academic integrity.

        Project #0: Due date: Oct 3 (but nothing to hand in). Learn to login and to use the Visual C++ compiler.

        Project #1: Due date: October 17.  Modify an animated solar system, by adding a planet and some moons. Updated instructions clarifying the meaning a geostationary orbit are included in the project description.

        Project #2: Due date: Thursday, October 30.  Modify a program that draws two cubes with quads so that it uses triangle fans and quad strips instead.

        Project #3: Due date: Friday, November 7.  Build a wire-frame scene, with a ellipsoidal mushroom cap, and geometries based on your first initial.

        Project #4: Due date: Friday, November 14.  Light the scene you built in Project #3.

        Final Project: Due date: Thursday, December 4.  Design and implement an individual project.

Homework assignments.  These will not be turned in, but it is highly recommended that you do them.  Selected answers will be distributed after the due dates.
    1. Due Tuesday, October 14.  Problems II.1 (p. 19), II.2 (p. 22), II.4 (p. 24), II.8-10 (pp. 27-28) and II.11 (p. 31).
        Errata in answers handed out: problem II.2, lower right entry in the matrix should be a "-1", not a "1".  Problem II.8, it is not linear since 0 is sent to <1/2,0> (not <1,0>).  In last problem, the y argument to pglTranslatef should be 0, not 1. 
    2. Due Thursday, November 13.  Available in PDF format online.  Answers to first two problems only online in PDF format

    3. Due Thursday, December 4. Available in PDF format online.  Answers to selected problems to be ready December 4.

Lecture Outlines & Readings in the Textbooks:  Cumulative notes in PDF format.

Quizes:  Will be only a small part of the final grade.  About 3-5%.  But a great way to preview problems before the midterm and final.  Quizzes will be held in the last 15 minutes of lecture.  Topics and dates will be pre-announced.
    1. Tuesday, October 21.  Answers available online.  Topics: Things related to the homework #1 problems, and/or on transformations in 2D and 3D.  This does not include perspective transformations!
    2. Tuesday, November 4. Answers available online. Topics: Phong lighting (theoretical aspects only, not OpenGL commands).  First sections of chapter III. (No Phong shading.)

Exams:
    Midterm date and topics.  Answers now available in PDF format.
        Tuesday, November 18.  During regular lecture time, regular lecture hall. Topics below.
        Review session: Monday, November 17, 7:00 pm, Peterson Hall 108 (the big room next door to our regular class room).
        Topics for midterm Pages 1-87 and 99-105 of text book.
        Barycentric coordinates: topics through area interpretation of barycentric coordinates (bottom of page 105).
        OpenGL commands: You will need to know some OpenGL commands, but do not need to memorize the more arcane versions of commands. Most important ones to know are the transformations. You should memorize the syntax of their basic forms (using floating point inputs). Less important OpenGL commands are the lighting/material commands. Example of a fair midterm question could be: "What does the command "glShadeModel(GL_SMOOTH);" do? Example of an unfair question: "What OpenGL command turns on Gouraud shading?" Again you should memorize the syntax of at least glRotatef, glTranslatef, glScalef, glVertex3f, glNormal3f, glLoadIdentity, glMatrixMode.
        Some "study problems" are available for the midterm in PDF format (handwritten).

    Final exam: Finals week.  Monday 3:00-6:00. Topics are Cumulative!  New topics since the midterm listed in a PDF format handout. Hyperbolic interpolation is NOT on the final exam.

Handouts:
   
1. How to start a new Visual C++ Project.

Webboard:  Online class discussion via UCSD's http://webboard.ucsd.edu web page.

Resources:


Advertisements:  Various people ask to address the class with recruitments, job opportunities, etc.  I generally say no, but let them advertise down here.