Course information

Time and location: MWF 2:55 - 3:45 in ZACH 350 and via Zoom
Office hours: MW 4:00 - 5:00 via Zoom
Office location: 527B HRBB
Email: nimak@tamu.edu
Piazza: link

NOTE: Even if you physically go to the class, you can only see the lectures through Zoom. So, it is important that you bring your laptop with yourself. You can also instead stay home and do the same.


TA: Avinash Paliwal
Email: avinashpaliwal@tamu.edu
Office hours: TTh 3:30 - 5:30 via Zoom

Overview

This course is an introduction to the foundations of 3-dimensional computer graphics. Topics covered include 2D and 3D transformations, hidden surface removal and rasterization, shading, lighting models, and texture mapping. We also discuss geometric modeling and curves, as well as ray tracing.

Prerequisites

The main prerequisite listed in the course description is CSCE 221. However, the students are expected to be comfortable with C/C++ as there will be significant amount of programming in this class. The students should also be familiar with linear algebra. A prior course in linear algebra (e.g., MATH 304) is more than sufficient.

Textbook

The following books are recommended:

The OpenGL® Programming Guide, by John Kessenich, Graham Sellers, and Dave Shreiner, 9th Edition
Fundamentals of Computer Graphics, by Steve Marschner, Peter Shirley, 4th Edition

The readings from Fundamentals of Computer Graphics are referred to as MS (Marschner and Shirley) and the ones from The OpenGL® Programming Guide are referred to as GL.

Grading

• Linear Algebra Review: Every student needs to complete this online test by a certain date. Students may take the exam as many times as they wish until it is passed. Failure to pass the test by the deadline will result in an automatic F for the class.
• Programming assignments (60%): There will be 6 programming assignments.
• Midterm (15%): The midterm will be given on Oct. 12th during the class.
• Final (25%): The exam will be given during the scheduled final exam time, Dec. 4th (11:00 - 1:30)

Late Submissions

You will lose 20% from each assignment for each day that it is late. However, there will be 5 granted late days for the entire course. You are free to use it for any of the assignments (note that, you CANNOT use it for the linear algebra test!). All the assignments are due at 11:59 pm on ecampus. Note that, one minute over and 23 hours over both count as one full day.

Schedule*

*Schedule is subject to small changes.