1. Francis Palma Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU)
Computer Graphics and Gaming Simulation, Graphics, Gaming, and Other Applications
Francis Palma Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU)

2. Who Is Francis?
Research Scientist
2016-
Postdoc Fellow
PhD in Software Engineering
Research Collaborator
MSc in Computer Science
Database Analyst & MIS Specialist
BSc in Computer Science and Engineering

3. Computer Graphics and Gaming
Goals of this Lecture
Simulation and Model
Types of Simulation
Computer Graphics
Color Models
Computer Aided Design (CAD)
Computer Gaming
Game Engine
Game Design and Development
Ethical Issues
May-23-19
Computer Graphics and Gaming

4. Computer Graphics and Gaming SIMULATION, Graphics, Gaming, and Other Applications

5. Computer Graphics and Gaming
What is Simulation?
A powerful technique to study complex systems
More formally: “Simulation is the development of a model of a complex system and the experimental manipulation of the model to the observe the results”
Computer simulations have been used to help in decision making since the mid s
Building computer models of complex systems allow decision-makers to develop an understanding of the performance of the systems over time. For example:
Number of tellers should a bank have?
What is the weather going to be tomorrow?
What is the optimal place to put a new fire station?
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Computer Graphics and Gaming

6. Computer Graphics and Gaming
(Complex) Systems
The groups (collections) of objects or entities interacting in some way
Examples of systems
A collection of hardware and software form a computer system
A collection of tracks and railway cards form a railroad system
A collection of teachers and students form a school system
Systems that are best suited to simulation should be
Dynamic
Interactive
Complicated
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Computer Graphics and Gaming

7. Computer Graphics and Gaming
What is a Model?
A model is an abstraction of a real world system
A model is representation of objects within a system and the rules that govern the behavior of the objects
The representation can be concrete or abstract
Spaceship or flight simulators are concrete representations
Computer programs are abstract representations
Models are built for simulation purposes and there are two different types of simulation
Discrete Event Simulation: time is a discrete variable
Continuous Simulation: time is a continuous variable
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Computer Graphics and Gaming

8. Discrete Event Simulation
Calculation and analysis are performed for every change of events
Made up of entities, attributes, and events
Entities are objects in the real system
Attributes are characteristics of entities
Events are interactions between entities
The Parteto’s law: In every set of entities, there exists a vital few and a trivial many.
Approximately, 80% of the behavior of a system can be explained by the action of 20% of the components
If we apply object-oriented design while building an abstract model
The classes are the entities
The properties of the classes are the attributes
The responsibilities (or methods) are the interactions
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Computer Graphics and Gaming

9. An Example of Discrete Event Simulation
Queuing system: A first-in first-out structure
To construct a queuing model, we require
The number of events
The number of servers
The distribution of arrival times to determine if an entity enters the system
The expected service time to determine the duration of an event
An example of simulation for a bank system
Entities: a server (teller), objects being served (customers), and a queue
Events: arrivals and departures of customers
Attributes (to be observed): average waiting time for entities (customers)
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Computer Graphics and Gaming

10. Continuous Simulation
Treat time as continuous and express changes in terms of a set of differential equations
Meteorological modeling falls into this category
The characteristics of weather models are wind components, temperature, water vapor, cloud formation, precipitation, and so on
The interaction of these components over time can be modeled by a set of partial differential equations
measure the rate of change of each component
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Computer Graphics and Gaming

11. An Example of Continuous Simulation
Meteorological models
(for weather forecasting)
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12. Computer Graphics and Gaming Simulation, GRAPHICS, Gaming, and Other Applications

13. What is Computer Graphics?
Computer graphics generally is about setting of pixel values on the computer screen
A combination of computers, science, and arts
What is the most common application of computer graphics?
Answer: Graphical User Interface (GUI) of modern operating systems
Other applications of computer graphics:
Word processors and desktop publishing software, graphical Illustrations in user’s manuals, design and manufacturing of products, painting programs and image manipulation software, scientific visualization, medical imaging, and so on
On the fun side, computer graphics include computer games, animated films, or special effects. But, they also include complexity:
The interaction of lights and objects
Modeling the shapes of simple/complex objects
Movements of objects
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Computer Graphics and Gaming

14. Some Definitions to Know
The simulation of light interacting at one point on an object is called an illumination model
The process of using an illumination model to determine the appearance of an entire object is called a shading model or just shading
The process of creating an entire image is called rendering
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Computer Graphics and Gaming

15. Modeling Complex Objects in Computer Graphics
Terrain can be modeled with fractal or erosion models
The fractal model uses a technique called midpoint subdivision where one begins with a triangular patch and each side of the triangle is subdivided at the midpoint and extra edges are added between these points. The process is repeated
Alternatively, the erosion model subdivides triangle edges at a random point
The shape of skin can be modeled using an advanced technique called implicit surfaces
May-23-19
Computer Graphics and Gaming

16. Moving from Images to Videos
Games and animated films are collection of images
An (animated) film uses 24 images per second
Thus, a 60 minute film requires 86,400 images
In general, how many images a video uses per second?
30 images per second
Thus, a 60 minute video requires 108,000 images
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Computer Graphics and Gaming

17. Color Models: RGB vs. CMY
The most common model in computer graphics that specifies red, green, and blue components of a color
An additive color model that creates a range of colors by adding various intensities of red, green, and blue light
Fully intense red, green, and blue added together give white
If none of these colors are present, the result is black
Good for color mixing
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Computer Graphics and Gaming

18. Color Models: RGB vs. CMY
Unlike the RGB, the Cyan-Magenta-Yellow (CMY) model is a subtractive color model
The more that an element is added, the more that it subtracts from white
Good for toners in printers
CMY and RGB are convertible to each other
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Computer Graphics and Gaming

19. Computer-Aided Design (CAD)
Computer-aided design (CAD) refers to a system that uses computers with advanced graphics hardware and software to create precision drawings or technical illustrations
CAD systems can be broadly classified as two-dimensional (2D) and three- dimensional (3D) CAD
2D CAD systems are electronic drawing boards, replacing paper, pencil, and the T-square
3D CAD is also called geometric modeling and most generated using software
There are three methods of modeling in three dimensions:
Wireframe modeling: Represents objects by line elements that provide exact information about edges, corners, and surface discontinuities
Surface modeling: Defines precisely the outside of the object being modeled
Solid modeling: The interior volume and mass of an object can be defined
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Computer Graphics and Gaming

20. Wireframe Model vs. Solid Model
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Computer Graphics and Gaming

21. Computer Graphics and Gaming Simulation, Graphics, GAMING, and Other Applications

22. Classification of Games
Computer Gaming
Computer Gaming
A computer simulation of a virtual world that draws players into the world as participants
Virtual World
An interactive and computer generated world
Also known as a digital or simulated world
Resemble the real-world including applying it rules and laws
The Knowledge and skills that are required to create virtual world
Computer graphics
Artificial intelligence
Human-computer interaction
Simulation
Software engineering, and
Computer security
Fundamentals of mathematics
Classification of Games
Use of Platform: Nintendo 64 or Microsoft Xbox
Genres (based on the gameplay/experience): Action, Fighting, Shooter, Adventure, Life simulation, Role-paying, and Strategy games
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Computer Graphics and Gaming

23. Creating a Virtual World: Game Engine
What is a Game Engine?
A game engine is a software system within which games can be created
A game engine provide tools with the following functionalities:
A rendering engine for graphics
A physics engine to provide a collision detection system and dynamics simulation to solve the problems related to forces affecting the simulated objects
A sound-generating component
A scripting language apart from the code driving the game
The animation
The artificial intelligence algorithms (e.g. path finding algorithms)
A scene graph (e.g. data structure to hold spatial representation in a graphical scene
Collectively, these enable the game developer to create the virtual world of a game
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Computer Graphics and Gaming

24. Creating a Virtual World: Game Engine (cont.)
A renderer visualizes a scene by putting the environment on the screen for the user to view
A physics engine simulates models based on Newtonian physics using mass, velocity, friction, and wind resistance calculations
The collision detection algorithms check the accuracy of collision points or the intersection of two solids
The artificial intelligence provides the illusion of intelligence in the behavior and action of non-player characters, e.g., human thought and decision making
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Computer Graphics and Gaming

25. Computer Graphics and Gaming
QICI Game Engine
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Computer Graphics and Gaming

26. Game Design and Development
Game design document
Story line, characters, environment, and so on
Either 2D or 3D game
3D images are created through the process of rendering
Rendering is using computer programs to generate an image from a model
One relevant question: “What is the difference between rendering and simulation”?
Answer: Simulation is imitating a real-world operation, process, or system
Important: gaming design and development is an evolving process
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Computer Graphics and Gaming

27. Computer Graphics and Gaming
Game Programming
One of the last but most time-consuming steps in game development
Java is the most common language for Android games
Apple mostly use Objective C
Other languages include C#, JavaScript, or Lua
Custom languages: UnrealScript (or UScript) developed by Epic Games in 1998
The coding begins with the creation of game loop, which manages the game world regardless of user input
The game loop, for example, continuously update enemy movement, check for the winning conditions, update game elements, and process provided input
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Computer Graphics and Gaming

28. Computer Graphics and Gaming
Game Development Team
Senior Engine Programmer
Write and maintain the code for game loop
Design in-game engine editors
Take care of file formats for 2D/3D art packages and audio/video files
3D Software Programmer
Design and implement the 3D graphics component
User Interface Programmer
Works on the APIs in the game engine
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Computer Graphics and Gaming

29. Computer Graphics and Gaming
Ethical Issues
An addiction to video gaming
Symptoms of addiction like other disorders:
Problems at school or work
Lying to family and friends
Decreased attention to personal health
Carpel tunnel syndrome
Dry eyes
Failure to stop playing games, and
Sleep disturbance
How the addiction is caused?
Particularly for individuals who need to form human connections
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Computer Graphics and Gaming

30. Ethical Issues: Some Statistics
A study by McLean Hospital in Massachusetts suggests that
40% of World of Warcraft players are addicted
Harris Interactive Poll suggests that teenage males spend on average per week about five hours more than teenage females (2007)
Moreover, 8.5% of the teens surveyed were classified as ‘clinically addicted’ to playing video games
In 2005, China issued a restriction on the length of time that users can play online video games to maximum three hours per day
May-23-19
Computer Graphics and Gaming

31. Other Related Materials
Chapter 14
Chapter 1
Chapters 1 & 2
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Computer Graphics and Gaming

32. A Short Quiz