CSc4820/6820 Computer Graphics Algorithms Lecture 28 Graphics Systems Careers in Graphics Final Exam Review

What you have learned in this class 3D graphics pipeline OpenGL programming Real-time graphics algorithms Non-realtime rendering: ray tracing & radiosity An introduction to 3D modeling & animation

3D Graphics Pipeline Graphics pipeline stages Scene database Culling (optional) Transformation and lighting Clipping and viewport mapping Rasterization Video out OpenGL/Direct3D is designed around this model. Most graphics hardware systems also follow the pipeline model. 3

Pipeline Model SGI pioneered the pipelined design model Other hardware vendors (nVidia, ATI, Matrox, 3dfx, etc.) follow suit Break down graphics computations into stages Frame Buffer Graphics Processor CPU 4

SGI’s RealityEngine (1993) 5

GeForce 8800 (2006)

What’s next GPU Multi-core CPU and GPU (e.g. Intel’s Larabee) Real-time ray tracing Real-time physics processing 7

What’s next New input devices For example: Nintendo’s Wii remote control

What’s next Large 3D displays For example, Philips 3D TV http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HF- PMN3aK8g&feature=related

Large 3D display Philips 42” 3D 42-3D6W01 WOW display system http://www.business- sites.philips.com/3dsolutions/news/article- 15169.html Allow multiple users to view 3D content at the same time within a large comfort zone, without the need for special viewing glasses

Virtual Reality CAVE http://cave.ncsa.uiuc.edu/about.html

What is virtual reality? A hypothetical three-dimensional visual world created by a computer; user wears special goggles and fiber optic gloves etc., and can enter and move about in this world and interact with objects as if inside it Source: WordNet (http://wordnet.princeton.edu/)

What is virtual reality? A human-computer interface in which the computer creates a sensory-immersing environment that interactively responds to and is controlled by the behavior of the user. Source: http://www.hitl.washington.edu/scivw/EVE/IV. Definitions.html

Examples of VR Blue-c http://www.virtuallybetter.com http://blue-c.ethz.ch/ http://www.virtuallybetter.com http://www.defense- update.com/products/v/VR-PTSD.htm

Augmented reality The use of transparent HMDs to overlay computer generated images onto the physical environment. Precisely calibrated, rapid head tracking is required to sustain the illusion. Source: http://www.hitl.washington.edu/scivw/EVE/IV. Definitions.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augmented_re ality

Augmented reality Mix real and virtual objects Examples http://www.hitlabnz.org http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=652 3761027552517909 http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=- 1922747073003090226

Careers in Computer Graphics What level of education is needed? What should I concentrate? What kind of jobs are there? Should I be a specialist or a generalist? What level of experience do they look for? What kind of jobs can a CS major get in this industry?

Sources of Information SIGGRAPH 2006 panel “Is a career in computer graphics possible?” Videos online at http://portal.acm.org/toc.cfm?id=SERIES382& type=series&coll=portal&dl=ACM SIGGRAPH 2004 panel “Careers in Computer Graphics” On DVD

Education Background What level of education is needed? What should I concentrate? A broad education is essential Should be a good problem solver Your major is not that important, your passion, your skill, and your demo reel are

Education Background What level of education is needed? What should I concentrate? The tools that you use are not that important. Tools are constantly changing. Lots of in- house tools. The company will train you. Should know how the computer graphics works – the theory behind the tools, not just this button does what.

The Job Two types of industries: A broad range of jobs Stay current Film production, special effects, and TV commercial Game industry (more programming jobs) A broad range of jobs Modeler, 2D/3D animator, lighting specialist, rigging specialist, compositor, level designer, R & D developer, shader programmers, etc. Stay current Harder to stay current in technical jobs because technologies constantly change

Specialist or Generalist Should I be a specialist or a generalist? Solid fundamental skills are important Specialization will get you hired, but general skill will help you keep the job There is no true generalist Small companies tend to prefer generalists, while large companies tend to prefer specialists Specialists come from generalists Better love what you are doing

Experience and Skill What level of experience do they look for? For junior level jobs, 3 to 5 years of experience preferred Get an internship Important to have an artistic eye Combination of artistic and technical background is helpful A lot of mentoring and training in the industry Right now, animators are in high demand

CS Majors What kind of jobs can a CS major get in this industry? Game programmers, game AI, physics engine R & D developers (e.g. tool developers) Often need advanced degrees IT professionals Data management Character rigging Special effects (e.g. fire, crowd, weather) Lighting tools Take some artistic classes will help

Final Words Be adaptive, keep current, the industry is constantly changing Have a passion, have a goal Get into the industry is hard, prepare to start from the bottom Be a team player Make sure you love what you are doing

Final Exam Review December 4, 2008 1pm to 2:30pm Open book, open notes No computer No mobile devices

What’s NOT in the exam No Blender questions Clipping

Final Exam Review The 3D graphics pipeline Transformations What are the major stages? Why is it efficient? Transformations Translation Scale Rotate -- important

Final Exam Review View Projection Camera setup Orthographical projection Perspective projection

Final Exam Review Lighting Shading The lighting equation Can figure out the lighting equation from OpenGL program Shading Smooth shading Phong shading

Final Exam Review Texture mapping The process of texture mapping Texture filtering Mip-mapping

Final Exam Review Per-fragment processing Fog Transparency Z-buffer test Stencil test What can accumulation buffer do?

Final Exam Review GPU Shaders What is GPU? Why GPU? What is a shader? High level shading languages

Final Exam Review Ray tracing Radiosity The basic ray tracing algorithm Benefits and drawbacks Radiosity The radiosity algorithm Comparison with ray tracing

Final Exam Review 3D modeling 3D animation Polygon mesh models Surface subdivision 3D animation Key frame based animation

The next step Read the 3D pipeline tutorial again: http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,9722,00. asp “Real-time Rendering” 2nd Ed. by T. Akenine- Moller and E. Haines, A K Peters A very good survey of real-time graphics algorithms Learn shader programming: DirectX 10, OpenGL 3.0 Graphics tools Blender, Maya, 3DS Max, Softimage, Lightwave, etc. 36

Spring 2008 courses CSC8820 “Advanced Graphics Algorithms” CSC4840 “Computer Graphics Imaging” 3D modeling and animation

Thank you!