MATH 396F/L
Mathematics for 3D Graphics

Fall 2008

announcements

• final project, due 12/16/2008 at 5.00 pm: project description: math396_final.pdf

• The midterm exam will take place on Oct. 23rd during regular class time at our usual location, JR254. You are allowed to bring one page (one side of an 8.5 x 11 in. sheet of paper) with notes. No calculators. Here is a review sheet with practice problems.

• open lab hours

  Monday	9.00 - 10.50 and 3.30 - 7.00
  Tuesday	9.00 - 1.45 and 5.00 - 7.00
  Wednesday	9.00 - 10.50 and 12.15 - 7.00
  Thursday	9.00 - 1.45
  Friday	9.00 - 10.50 and 12.15 - 3.00

• class starts on Tues., Aug. 26th

• reading assignment: chapter 0 - the rendering pipeline

staff

• instructor: Jorge Balbás, Santa Susana (SN) 125, (818) 677 4772, jorge.balbas -at- csun.edu

meeting times and office hours

• lecture: Tu 5.30 - 7.20 at JR 202

• computer lab: Th 5.30 - 7.20 at JR 254

• office hours: TuTh 11.00 - 12.30 at SN 125

• course overview. This course explores some of the fundamental mathematical concepts and algorithms for computer animation and scientific data visualization. It is intended to provide students with a solid background on techniques from scientific computation, signal processing, linear algebra, and geometry that are commonly employed for character modeling and rendering, and to introduce them to software applications for digital animation that are built upon these concepts. Topics covered include: vectors, matrices, transformations, 3D engine geometry, curves and surfaces, ray tracing, illumination, and visibility determination.

  read more ...
  

  Computer Animation is an eclectic science that uniquely combines fields of knowledge as diverse as mathematics, computer science, fine art, classical animation, physics, or anatomy. Its applications are diverse, ranging from motion pictures and games to medicine and scientific simulation.

  -close-

  
  

• pre-requisites: MATH250 or MATH262 and COMP106/L or COMP110/L

• textbooks

  required text:

  • Mathematics For 3D Game Programming And Computer Graphics, 2nd Ed., by Eric Lengyel, Charles River Media
  
  

  reference texts:

  I have placed the following texts on reserve at the library

  • 3D Math Primer for Graphics and Game Development, 2nd Ed., by Fletcher Dunn, Wordware Publishing, Inc.

  • Computer Animation: Algorithms & Techniques, 2nd Ed., by Richard Parent, Morgan-Kaufman

  • The Art of 3D Computer Animation and Effects, 3rd Ed., by Isaac Kerlow, Wiley

  • Blender 3D: Noob to Pro, by several authors/contributors, wikibooks




• course materials (lecture notes, lab notes, slides, etc.)

• grading policy view
  grading policy hide
  
  

  homework	25%
  lab / programming assignments	20%
  midterm - October 16	20%
  final project - due Dec. 16	35%

  
  

homework

Written homework will be assigned and collected in class (and posted here) each week on Tuesday. Students may work together in groups and discuss the homework problems with each other, but each student should write up and submit their own solutions. The homework should be written neatly. Please staple the sheets together.

• homework 1 (.pdf)

• homework 2 (.pdf)

• homework 3 (.pdf)

• homework 4 (.pdf)

computer labs

Programming assignments will be handed (and posted here) following each computer lab on Thursday and collected the following Thurs. Typically, these assignments will consist of a list of problems -related to the topics discussed in class and lab that week- to be solved using matlab and/or some modeling/rendering tasks to be performed with pixie or blender. While group work is encouraged, each student is expected to write his/her own code and to submit a report with his/her own results and conclusions.

• lab 1 (.pdf)

• lab 2 (.pdf)

• lab 3 (.pdf)

• lab 4 (.pdf)

  • nubs.m

  • blends.m

links

Here are some links to online materials and references relevant to the course. If you know of anything worth posting here, please email it to me.

examples

• directions for problem 3.4, pg. 99 (.pdf)

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