Introducing Computer Graphics: A Top-Down Approach

1. Welcome to CSC 341/CSC 630Introduction to Computer Graphics • Instructor • Susanna Wei • Office: BL 214 • Phone: (610) 660-1563 • Email: swei@sju.edu • Office hours: • Tuesday 2:00 - 4:00 • Thursday 2:00 - 4:00 • Or, by appointment

2. About the course • Logistics • Room: B/L 225 • Meeting time: Tuesday, Thursday 4:00 – 5:15pm • Course Web page: www.sju.edu/~swei/CSC341 • Use your SJU username/password • Announcements will be made through the web page, make sure you check it often. • Required Text (Strongly recommended that you buy it) • Interactive Computer Graphics: A Top-Down Approach Using OpenGL Edward Angel, Addison Wesley • Which edition: 5th • Recommended Text • OpenGL: A Primer, Edward Angel • Beginners guide to OpenGL

3. About the course • Reference Texts (good source of advanced information) • OpenGL Programming Guide: The official Guide to Learning OpenGL (Fourth Edition) • aka “The Redbook” • Available online at www.opengl.org • OpenGL Reference Manual • aka “The Bluebook” • Available online at www.opengl.org • PLUS • Take notes in class!!! • Material outside of the book

4. Course Goals • Introduce you to an exciting field in CS • Teach you • Fundamentals of computer graphics • How various elements that underlie computer graphics (algebra, geometry, algorithms, data structures, optics) interact in the design of graphics software systems • OpenGL API and GLUT • …so that you can design and implement your own graphics applications • Gain good insight into how complex computer graphics applications, such as games and movies, are produced. • “How did they do that??” • And, hopefully have some fun.

5. What do you need to know ? • Programming! • We will use C/C++ (OpenGL is not OO) • You also need to be comfortable with some math • Linear algebra (We will review it) • Basic trigonometry (cosines, etc.)

6. Course Work • Programming projects • due midnight on the due date, electronic submission. • Zip everything into a single directory. (Detailed instructions will be provided.) • late penalty • 10% up to 24 hours late, 20% for every additional day • I will ask for a demo if need be.

7. Programming • C/C++ and OpenGL • OpenGL: • most widely used graphics library standard. • GL (basic OpenGL) • GLU (OpenGL Utilities): higher level operations, such as drawing curved surfaces • We also need GLUT (OpenGL Utility Toolkit) (for C/C++ only) • To handle windows and user interaction • Microsoft Visual C++ • installed in BL 225 and the labs • Check the course web page for instructions of setting up OpenGL on your own PC’s • And other links related to OpenGL • Your programs must compile on department lab machines. • But you are free to develop on any platform if you prefer to do so.

8. Exams • Two exams • midterm • comprehensive final • Tentative weights • Homeworks and projects: 35 % • Midterm: 30 % • Final : 35 %

9. Academic Honesty • Okay to “discuss” general solution strategies • BUT, you should work independently when it comes to • Formulating/writing/programming solutions • You cannot share code or any written material • ALSO, you have to acknowledge any assistance you have received (book, internet, person)

10. About you • Name • Programming language: C/C++/Java/other? • Windows/Unix/Linux/Mac? • Programming experience • 2, >2, >5? • Calc III (undergrads)? Any course in Linear algebra (grads)? • What do you expect from this course?

11. What is Computer Graphics? • Computer graphics: concerned with all aspects of generating images and animations using a computer. • Hardware and software systems • Main tasks: • modeling: creating and representing the geometry of objects in the 3D world • rendering: generating 2D images of the 3D scenes • animation: describing how objects change in time

12. Computer Graphics • Producing photorealistic images is a complex task • A field that is in great demand • Grown enormously over the past 20 years. • Dates back to 1960’s with Ivan Sutherland • Development of very simple software to produce line drawings of 2- and 3-dimensional scenes • Today, possible to produce images that are indistinguishable from photographs

13. Rendering Realism

14. Graphics Applications • Used in diverse areas • Science • Engineering • Medicine • Industry • Art • Entertainment • Advertising • Education and Training • Four major groups

15. Graphics Applications • Display of Information • a medium to convey information • gain insight into data • Maps • Statistical plots • Data analysis in medicine: 3D visualization of CT (computed tomography)/ MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) data • Scientific visualization • Conversion of data to geometric entities • Gives researchers means to interpret vast amounts of data (fluid flow, molecular biology, math)

16. Graphics Applications • Computer Aided Design (CAD) • Engineering, architecture • Mechanical parts (e.g. car industry), buildings • Iterative process

17. Graphics Applications 3. Simulation and Animation • Flight simulators ( virtual worlds for training pilots) • Games and educational software • Movies • Virtual Reality • Person can act as a part of a computer generated scene using special devices • e.g. training a surgical intern

18. Graphics ApplicationsMovies

19. Graphics ApplicationsGames

20. Graphics Applications • User interfaces • They are everywhere! • Windows, icons, menus • Graphical network browsers (IE, Netscape, Firefox)

21. For next class • Read Chapter 1 of Angel.