This unit is being introduced to allow students doing a post-graduate course to complete a computer graphic unit within the award.The technology of computer graphics has revolutionised the world of visual arts and has introduced visualisation and user interaction into disciplines that previously had little or no access to graphics. Not only can 2D and 3D animations and simulations be found in movies and computer games, but they can also be found in many applications in the domains of science, engineering and so on.This unit is designed to provide the student with not only the basic concepts and knowledge of computer graphics but to also give a practical hands-on experience of the technology.

GCO4817 covers essentially the same material as GCO3817 except for the addition of the representation of curves using techniques like bezier curves and B-splines. Also GCO4817 students will be expected to have a greater depth of understanding of more advanced areas including ray-tracing and shadow generation.

This unit will replace existing unit GCO4817 and GCO4817 will be disestablished.

This unit will be used teach computer graphics in OCL mode.

This unit will replace existing unit GCO4817.

Computer graphic concepts will be taught to OCL students

At the completion of this unit, students will have:

1. knowledge of the fundamental concepts and techniques used in the field of computer graphics
2. knowledge of the history of computer graphics and associated technologies
3. an understanding of modern technologies used in computer graphics
4. an understanding of and ability to apply the principles used in modeling light sources, object materials and light-surface interactions as required to develop realistic, efficient and effective graphics
5. an understanding and ability to apply the mathematical transformations and operations necessary to develop and display views of modeled two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) environments
6. understand the compromises and simplifications necessary to create interactive graphics compared to complex realistic graphics produced off-line under conditions demanding few temporal constraints
7. an understanding of more advanced computer graphics techniques such as ray-tracing, transparency, shadow determination and the representation of curves in 2D lines and 3D surfaces
8. the ability to analyse a visualisation problem, determine appropriate structures and models, evaluate alternative techniques and build an application to solve the problem within the capabilities of the tools available

At the completion of this unit, students will have:

9. the ability to listen to, compare and evaluate the thoughts and opinions of experts and novices in the computer graphics field and determine the strengths and weaknesses of their arguments
10. the confidence to state their opinions and participate in discussions while recognising the limitations of their knowledge and understanding

At the completion of this unit, students will have:

11. the ability to design, develop and debug software applications written in C/C++ and using OpenGL. OpenGL is a very powerful graphics library that is widely used commercially including in the games and entertainment industry.
12. the experience of utilising basic elements within the OpenGL library to create more complex entities and to use texture mapping and other techniques to make these entities appear more realistic and convincing

ASCED : 020115

Introduction to computer graphics: brief history, applications, hardware and software and the fundamental ideas behind modern computer graphics. Development of visualisations of two dimensional and three dimensional objects and environments using device-independent programming, graphics primitives and attributes. Study of mathematical transformations including translation, rotation, scaling and projections. Introduces ray-tracing, texture mapping, transparency and shadows. Investigates the representation of curved 2D lines and 3D surfaces using splines including cubic splines and bezier curves and splines. Utilises the OpenGL graphics library for practical work.

Introduction to computer graphics: brief history, applications, hardware and software and the fundamental ideas behind modern computer graphics. Development of visualisations of two dimensional and three dimensional objects and environments using device-independent programming, graphics primitives and attributes. Study of mathematical transformations including translation, rotation, scaling and projections. Introduces ray-tracing, texture mapping, transparency and shadows. Investigates the representation of curved 2D lines and 3D surfaces using splines including cubic splines and bezier curves and splines. Utilises the OpenGL graphics library for practical work

Angel, Ed Interactive Computer Graphics: A Top-down Approach with OpenGL (3nd Ed), Addison-Wesley, 2003 ISBN 0-201-77343-0

Hill, F.S Jnr Computer Graphics Using OpenGL (2nd Ed), Prentice Hall, 2001 ISBN 0-13-320326-3

Hearn, Donald and Baker, Pauline M. Computer Graphics (2nd Ed) Prentice Hall, 1997, ISBN 0-13-530924-7

On-campus and off-campus learning modes

Computer Graphics uses lectures, tutorials, workshops, study guides, newsgroups and practical assignments to meet the objectives.

Off-campus students will have access to all components that the on-campus students have but not necessarily in the same format. Lecture notes, tutorial questions and answers, workshop exercises will all be made available to off-campus students from the unit website.

All students will be given study guides and access to the unit newsgroups for discussion between unit coordinator and students.

OpenGL is freely available to both on-campus and off-campus students.

Study guides and lectures will introduce CG including a history of significant developments from both the hardware and software aspects (objectives 2 and 3), the fundamental techniques (1), light-surface interactions (4), transformations and projections (5), interactive constraints (6), advanced techniques (7) and analysis and modeling of systems (8). In additional lectures will present the theoretical aspects of OpenGL and its basic elements (11 and 12).

Tutorials will reinforce the students understanding of objectives 1, 2, 5, 7 and 8 through directed discussion of the concepts and theory involved. In addition further practical problems and case studies will ensure the skills required for 5 and 8 are developed.

Workshops will give the students many examples of the use of OpenGL to create a range of displays, in addition follow-on exercises encourage the student to think more deeply about how the graphics library is organised. This practical work directly addresses objectives 11 and 12, it also helps to reinforce the conceptual aspects of objectives 1, 4, 6, 7 and 8.

Assignments require the development of computer software which satisfies a particular set of visual requirements, this aims to reinforce and test the students grasp of objectives 8, 11 and 12.

Newsgroups are used to facilitate discussion between students and when necessary the topic coordinator, the students are encouraged to ask questions and supply answers to or discussion of other students questions. The discussion helping to target objectives 1, 2, 9 and 10.

Assignments: 40% - Examination (3 hours): 60%

Assignments will require the development of OpenGL graphics applications which directly test objectives 8, 11 and 12, but give a significant indication of the understanding of more conceptual aspects of the unit (objectives 1, 4, 5, 6 and 7 especially). The last assignment will incorporate a detailed representation of a 3D environment including complex objects represented by bezier and B-splines.

The closed book examination will test all conceptual aspects of the unit (objectives 1-8) and to some extent objectives 9 and 10.

The unit requires 12 hours per week study time including attending lectures, tutorials/workshops and private study.

On campus: 2 hours of lectures and 2 hours of tutorials/workshops per week.

Off-campus Distributed Learning: 12 hours private study and communicating with the lecturer and fellow students through email, newsgroups and web pages. Tutorial and workshop exercises are available to off-campus students from the unit web pages. No residential component is required.

The lecture theatre requires normal datashow projection from a OpenGL graphics capable laptop or PC. One 2 hour lecture per week.

The tutorial session is combined with the workshop/laboratory session

Requires a PC laboratory with OpenGL loaded and a suitable C/C++ compiler, for example Borland C/C++, Microsoft Visual C/C++ or Unix/Linux equivalents. Any reasonable PC graphics card with 32 Mb (or better) of graphics memory is satisfactory

Approximately 0.75 EAS (Effective Academic Staff) for one semester including marking

Current unit coordinator : Raymond Smith

• Software Title:
• Vendor:
• Version:
• OS: MS Windows XP ( ) and/or LINUX ( )
• License Details: (A valid software license certificate/s or Vendor permission must be available upon request if the software is to be installed for teaching)
• Are we currently licensed: Yes ( ) or No ( ) (If unsure, please check with your local IT support )
• If (Yes), who is the contact person for this software?:
• If (No), will the software license be arranged by: Staff member requesting the software ( ) or Technical Services* ( ) ? *If the latter is selected, please discuss your requirement/s with myself ASAP, prior to finalising your request, as there could be financial or resourcing implications.
• Is the software to be installed and accessed from a: Client/Workstation ( ), or Server ( ) ?
• Type of license: Site License ( ), Freeware ( ), FOSS (Free and Open Source Software) ( ), Shareware ( ), Lab based ( ) # of Licenses needed ____
• In what week will you commence using the software in class? Semester 1 (Week ___ ) and/or Semester 2 (Week ___ ):
• Nominated Staff For Acceptance Testing Software: (Name) (Phone) (Email)
• Additional Information: Special Requirements, Software Configuration/Installation Requirements, etc:

Resource requirements are the same as for existing unit GCO4817 so no change to current library requirements.

100% from Gippsland School of Computing & IT

None

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Off-campus students are required to have access to a PC with a minimum specified configuration and to the Internet. This is a requirement for all off-campus students enrolled in GSCIT courses. There is no residential requirement.

MIT Students: Entry to the MIT

MAIT Students: FIT9008, FIT9010.