1. Overview and Introduction to 3D Graphics Programming
CSc 8820: Advanced Graphics Algorithms
Overview and Introduction to 3D Graphics Programming
Lecture 1 and 2
CSC8820: Advanced Graphics Algorithms

2. Contact information
Office
34 Peachtree Street, Suite 1441
Office hour
Fridays 2:30 to 4:30pm or by appointment
When sending to me, please include “csc8820” in the subject line.
CSC8820: Advanced Graphics Algorithms

3. What this course is about
Study selected topics in computer graphics
Focus on essential techniques for real-time graphics application
Real-time rendering
Animation
3D Modeling
Game design and development
This is not an introductory computer graphics course. We will not cover a little about everything. Instead we’ll cover a lot about a few things.
We will focus on real-time graphics techniques.
What is real-time? 30 frame per second or 60 frame per second
Along the way you’ll learn how to do research in computer graphics. For example, how to search literatures, how to read research papers, how to write papers, how to identify important research topics, how to identify open problems and select a subject. All of this is not limited to computer graphics and also can be applied to research in general.
CSC8820: Advanced Graphics Algorithms

4. What you are expected to get from this course
Obtain a general understanding of state of the art in rendering, animation, and modeling.
Obtain a general understanding of various advanced algorithms essential to real-time graphics applications such as 3D games.
Develop research, writing, and presentation skills.
Will also touch on advanced visualization techniques
Study one subject of 3D computer graphics research in depth.
Hands-on experience with 3D graphics tools or API.
You’ll have an idea what are the major research topics in the computer graphics research. What is the cutting edge technology?
What is advanced algorithms? More complex, make use of basic graphics algorithms, better quality visual effects.
CSC8820: Advanced Graphics Algorithms

5. Textbook
No textbook
Lecture notes are the primary source of information
I’ll also provide relevant web links

6. Recommended references
Real-time Rendering, 3rd Edition, by Tomas Akenine-Moller, Eric Haines, and Naty Hoffman, A K Peters, Ltd., 2008

7. Grading plan No Exam Grade Percentage The grading scale is as follows:
Homework and presentations: 50%
Team project: 50%
The grading scale is as follows:
A: 90+ B: C:
D: 60 – 69
F: < 60

8. Project Team project Develop a 3D game or interactive training program
The purpose of the program is for education or training purposes
Use a game engine (e.g. OGRE) or integrated game development tool (e.g. Unity)
Keep detailed documents for the development process

9. Research Project You may also choose to do a research project
Write a survey paper
Develop a new algorithm
Discuss your idea with me

10. Homework Three homework assignments May involve presentations
OpenGL programming
GPU and shader
Modeling and animation
May involve presentations

11. Tentative topics
See

12. What is Computer Graphics?
The word “Computer Graphics” means different things to different people.
3D computer graphics is about generating a 2D image from the definition and interaction of 3D geometry objects.
We will focus on real-time 3D interactive computer graphics
I.e. Techniques for 3D games & visual simulation
Images courtesy Discreet
Lord of the Rings
CSC8820: Advanced Graphics Algorithms

13. Major research areas Modeling Animation Rendering
How to create and store geometry objects
Animation
How to manipulate geometry objects
Rendering
How to generate and display images of geometry objects

14. Major conferences ACM SIGGRAPH (www.siggraph.org) ACM SIGGRAPH-Asia
The single most important conference.
ACM SIGGRAPH-Asia
EUROGRAPH (
Graphics Interface
Computer Animation & Virtual World
Game Developer Conference

15. Journals and magazines
ACM Transaction on Graphics
SIGGRAPH papers will be published here.
IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics
IEEE Computer Graphics & Applications
Computer Graphics Forum

16. Journals and magazines
ACM Journal of Graphics Tools
Computer & Graphics
The Journal of Visualization and Computer Animation
The Visual Computer
Game Developer Magazine

17. How to search and find papers?
A comprehensive database of CG publications
Also see
Most of the recent journal papers are online
Find them through GSU library web page: E-journal Locator
SIGGRAPH papers since 1974 are also online
Go to and search for “computer graphics” and then click on “computer graphics proceedings …”
IEEE Xplore, ACM digital library, SpringerLink

18. How to search and find papers?
Recent graphics papers:
Search by paper title on Google.
Find one of the authors’ homepage. They often have links to their papers.

19. Influential research groups
UNC Chapel Hill (rendering & animation)
Stanford University (modeling & rendering)
Microsoft Research (everything)
CalTech (modeling)

20. Influential research groups
MIRALab – U of Geneva (animation)
U of Toronto (animation)
SUNY Stony Brook (visualization)
UC Davis (visualization)
INRIA - France (everything)

21. Major companies Hardware Software NVIDIA (GeForce card, Cg)
AMD (Radeon card)
Intel
Software
Microsoft (DirectX)
AutoDesk (3D Studio Max, AutoCAD, Maya)
SoftImage (SoftImage)
Renderman (Pixar)

22. Major companies Movie Game Other Pixar Industrial Light & Magic Weta
Electronic Arts
Sony
Microsoft
Other
Adobe (2D graphics)
SUN (Java3D)

23. Computer Graphics: A Brief History
William Fetter of Boeing coins the term “Computer Graphics” (1960)
Basic computer graphics algorithms/concepts are introduced: hidden line detection, homogeneous coordinates, line drawing, back-face culling, parametric curves & surfaces, etc.
Spacewars, first video game, is developed at MIT (1961)
SketchPad: first interactive computer graphics software (1962)
First Head Mounted Display is developed at MIT (1968)
Bell Labs builds first frame buffer (3 bits)
First use of CGI for commercials – MAGI for IBM (1969)
SIGGRAPH is formed (1969)
Spacewars
Image courtesy MIT Media Lab

24. Computer Graphics: A Brief History
Many fundamental computer graphics algorithms/technologies are introduced: visible surface detection, Gouraud shading, Phone shading, Z-buffer, curved surface rendering, texture mapping, reflectance and environment mapping, anti-aliasing, curved shadow, bump mapping, ray tracing, keyframe based animation, etc.
First SIGGRAPH conference (1973)
Microsoft is founded (1974); Special effects powerhouse, Industrial Light & Magic, is founded (1975)
The first flight simulator for Apple II is released (1978) (later purchased by Microsoft)
First flight simulator
Image courtesy simflight.com

25. Computer Graphics: A Brief History
Many major companies in the graphics field are founded: Silicon Graphics Inc., ATI, SUN, Pixar, Adobe, AutoDesk, Alias, Softimage, Side Effects, etc.
More graphics algorithms are introduced: radiosity, motion capture, motion blur, morphing, etc.
The birth of RenderMan (1988)
Wavefront – the first commercially available 3D software package (1984)
AutoCAD 1.0 (1982)
Tron (1982): 1st film to make extensive use of computer graphics
Tron

26. Computer Graphics: A Brief History
The release of major 3D graphics libraries: OpenGL, DirectX, Java3D
Image based rendering attracts attention
The release of major 3D modeling & animation packages: 3D Studio, 3D Studio Max, Maya, etc.
The rise and fall of SGI
NVIDIA releases first Graphics Processing Unit (1999)
Increasing use of 3D special effects in feature films: Terminator 2, Titanic, etc.
First 3D computer animated feature film: Toy Story by Pixar
The release of Doom and Quake
CAVE: immersive virtual environment
Titanic

27. Computer Graphics: A Brief History
2000 – present
Powerful Graphics Processing Units on PC graphics card: NVIDIA Geforce3/4/FX/6800/7800/8800, ATI Radeon 9700/9800/X800/X850/X1950
High level shading languages: Cg, HLSL, GLSL, Sh, etc.
New generation game console: Xbox/360, Playstation2/3
Widespread use of CGI special effects in feature films: War of the Worlds, Lord of the Rings, Spiderman, Matrix, Finding Nemo, Shrek, The Cars, Avatar, etc.

28. Creating 3D Graphics Content
Different ways to create graphics content
If you want to create non-interactive 3D animations
Use graphics modeling/animation tools: 3DS Max, Maya, Blender, etc.
If you want to create interactive 3D applications (game, training & simulation program)
A combination of both modeling/animation tools and programming
C/CPP + scene graph + OpenGL/D3D + Shader

29. Graphics Libraries (APIs)
3D graphics applications are built on top of graphics libraries
A collection of graphics routines that an application program can call
The APIs hide the underlying complexity of graphics hardware and/or lower level APIs
Large scale graphics applications are usually built on top of high level graphics APIs

30. Graphics Libraries (APIs)
High level APIs are implemented on top of low level graphics APIs
Low level APIs control graphics hardware through graphics drivers
Between low level graphics APIs and graphics drivers there are shader libraries

31. High Level Graphics APIs
Also known as Scene Graph APIs
Non-real-time oriented APIs
Java3D
VRML & X3D
Open Inventor
Renderman

32. High Level Graphics APIs
Real-time oriented APIs
3D graphics and game engines
Torque Game Engine
OGRE
OpenGL Performer
Open Scene Graph
OpenSG
Many proprietary high level APIs

33. Game Engines Game engine
Graphics API designed specifically for game development
Contains all non-content related functions/elements

34. Game Engine Game Architecture Gameplay Game engine Tools & Editor
Graphics Hardware

35. Modern Game Engine Features
Scene management
Culling,
Rendering
Bump mapping
Shadow
Collision
Decals AI
Particle systems, etc.
Shader management

36. Game Engines There are hundreds of game engines
Most popular game engines
Torque Game Engine (commercial)
OGRE (open source)
For a comprehensive list, check out

37. Torque Game Engine
A very popular game engine with multi-player network code, indoor/outdoor rendering engines, skeletal animation, drag and drop GUI creation, a built in world editor, and a C-like scripting language.

38. OGRE Object-oriented Graphics Rendering Engine
A scene-oriented, flexible 3D engine written in C++ designed to make it easier and more intuitive for developers to produce games and demos using 3D hardware.

39. OGRE example

40. OGRE example

41. Integrated Game Development Environment
Examples
Unity
3DVIA Virtools
Blender game engine
Torque Game Builder (for 2D games)
Adobe Director (for 2D graphics and games)
Easier for developers to learn
Little programming is required
You can still do scripting

42. Java3D High level object-oriented scene graph API
Platform independent, implemented on top of Direct3D or OpenGL
Try to meet a wide variety of application requirements
Real-time performance
Object modeling
Input devices support
Stereoscopic vision

43. JOGL Java OpenGL (JOGL) https://jogl.dev.java.net/
A wrapper library that allows OpenGL to be used in the Java programming language

44. VRML & X3D VRML = Virtual Reality Modeling Language X3D
HTML like language for describing 3D shapes and interaction
X3D
Next generation open standard for 3D on the web
Officially replaced VRML in July 2004
X3D supports XML for tight integration with Web technologies and tools

45. OpenGL Performer http://www.sgi.com/products/software/performer/
A graphics API developed by SGI for real-time visual simulation and other performance oriented applications
Implemented on top of OpenGL, with performance as the first priority
Performer has great influence on other real-time graphics APIs
E.g. Open Scene Graph (

46. Why so many scene graph APIs & game engines?
Different target applications
Real-time vs. non-real-time applications
Application specific optimizations
Application specific entities
E.g. different game genres require different game engines

47. Why so many scene graph APIs & game engines?
Language and platform considerations
Platform specific optimizations
Open source vs. proprietary APIs
Integration of new technologies
Not necessarily a good thing
Lack of documents & sample code

48. Low Level Graphics APIs
Directly handles 3D rendering
Very efficient implementation
Only two major low level 3D graphics APIs
OpenGL
Direct3D (part of DirectX)
Comparison of Direct3D and OpenGL

49. Direct3D Part of Microsoft’s DirectX libraries
Including Direct3D, DirectInput, DirectSound, etc.
Designed for real-time graphics applications
Computer game
Home entertainment
Primary choice for game development
Latest version is DirectX 10
Only supported on MS Windows platform

50. Using Direct3D Benefits Drawbacks
Supported by most of the graphics hardware
Better game support
Better integration with other MS stuff (e.g. .Net)
Maintained by one single company
Quick to add new features to Direct3D
Drawbacks
Somewhat more difficult to learn than OpenGL
Windows only

51. OpenGL Platform independent graphics API Window system independent
MS Windows, Linux, IRIX, Solaris, Mac, etc.
Window system independent
MS Windows, X Window
Maintained by KHRONOS group (an industry consortium)
Members include 3Dlabs, AMD, NVIDIA, Intel, Google, etc.
Current specification: OpenGL 3.0

52. Using OpenGL Benefits Drawbacks http://www.opengl.org/ Open standard
Supported by all the graphics cards
Supported by all the platforms
Lots of books, tutorials, and samples available
Most of the mainstream 3D graphics textbooks use OpenGL
Drawbacks
Historically, OpenGL is often slow to add new features
Users are often forced to use OpenGL extensions

53. OpenGL Extension
OpenGL extensions provide new rendering features above and beyond the features specified in the official OpenGL standard
To keep the OpenGL API current with the latest innovations in graphics hardware and rendering algorithms
Different kind of extensions:
Extensions ratified by the ARB: GL_ARB_multitexture();
Extensions agreed on by multiple vendors: GL_EXT_abgr();
Vendor specific extensions: GL_NV_register_combiners();

54. OpenGL Extension
To find out what OpenGL extensions your graphics card supports, download and install Glview utility (OpenGL extension viewer)

55. OpenGL Related APIs GLU (OpenGL Utility Library)
Mostly modeling related functions: NURBS, tessellators, etc.
Part of OpenGL
GLX: connecting OpenGL with X Window
WGL: connecting OpenGL with MS Windows

56. OpenGL Related APIs GLUT (OpenGL Utility Toolkit)
implements a simple windowing application programming interface (API) for OpenGL
makes it easier to learn OpenGL programming
designed for constructing small to medium sized OpenGL programs
Binary files:
Reference manual:

57. GPU and Shader
Graphics Processing Units are the microprocessors on the newer graphics cards
Nvidia, AMD, and Intel are the main GPU vendors
You can write programs that runs on GPU using a special programming language
These programs are called shaders
The programming languages are called shading languages

58. Shader Programming Why use shaders? Faster and more flexible
To implement features that are not available on OpenGL or Direct3D
Take advantage of GPU, which is is optimized for graphics applications
Faster and more flexible
High level shading languages
Cg, HLSL, OpenGL SL, Sh
Load, compile, and run shader programs from OpenGL or DirectX programs