Computer Graphics (WI24)

Some Course Materials: Courtesy of Wojciech Jarosz <wj@dartmouth.edu>

Overview

This course provides a broad introduction to the mathematical and programmatic foundations of computer graphics, including modeling, rendering (drawing), and animating three-dimensional scenes. Topics include digital image representation, two- and three-dimensional shape representations (e.g. parametric curves and surfaces, meshes, subdivision surfaces), geometrical transformations (e.g. rotations, scales, translations, and perspective projection), rigging and skinning, the rasterization pipeline, ray tracing, illumination and shading models, texturing, and light & visual perception. Coursework typically includes a mix of programming assignments, quizzes/hand-written work, assigned readings, and a final project. Knowledge of basic linear algebra and programming skills are assumed.

Prerequisites

• CS 50
• CS 70
• or instructor's permission

Students will need to be comfortable with concepts from linear algebra, algorithms and data structures.

Class Meetings:

Location: Engineering & CS Center (ECSC) Room 116 ; 

Lecture: Tuesday/Thursday, 2:25 – 4:15 pm

X-hour: Wednesday, 5:30 – 6:20 pm

Generally, we will use the x-hours each week to either provide supplemental information on the assignments, additional programming tutorials, or to go over the solutions of past assignments/quizzes.

Format/Attendance

This course will be in-person with some online components.

I expect you to attend class in person unless you have made alternative arrangements due to illness, medical reasons, or the need to isolate due to COVID-19. For the health and safety of our class community, please: do not attend class when you are sick, nor when you have been instructed by Student Health Services to stay home.

Course staff

Instructor: Yu-Wing Tai
Teaching Assistants:

• Juhyeon Kim <juhyeon.kim.gr@dartmouth.edu>
• Emilie N. Hopkinson <emilie.n.hopkinson.gr@dartmouth.edu>
• Matthew She <chun-yi.she.gr@dartmouth.edu>

Office Hours

You can visit the course staff during office hours. We will have extensive office hours throughout the week as outlined below:

• Yu-Wing Tai: Wednesday 4:00-5:30pm ECSC 208
• Juhyeon Kim: Appointment via Email
  • Office Hour Schedule
• Emilie N. Hopkinson: Appointment via Email
  • Google Form Sign Up
• Matthew She: Appointment via Email
  • Office Hour Schedule

If for some reason none of the office hours work, you can make an appointment with the course staff (but keep in mind it may take some time to schedule).

If you find you need additional, individualized help beyond office hours, you can reach out to Dartmouth's Tutor Clearinghouse.

Lectures & Coursework

This is a project-based course, and the majority of your grade will come from programming assignments, which you'll find in the Assignments section of the website. There will also be in-class hand-written quizzes. I will post slides online after lecture by clicking on the corresponding lecture in the course Calendar. Check the weekly schedule below.

Textbook(s)

The required textbook for the class is Fundamentals of Computer Graphics, by Shirley and Marschner, 4th edition. If you prefer a physical book, you can ask the local bookstoreLinks to an external site. to order it for you. You can also access the digital version (from Dartmouth IP addresses) here. There will be required reading from this book each week to supplement the material discussed in lecture.

 

 

In the second half of the term you will write a basic ray tracer. Once you start working on these assignments, the mini "Ray tracing in one weekend" e-book by Peter Shirley forms a great companion to the more formal writing of our class textbook. I highly recommend getting this book and reading it. It is a quick read and will help you complete your assignments. You can download/access this book for free onlineLinks to an external site..

In the reading listings on the calendar, we will refer to these books as the "Tiger book" and the "RTIOW e-book".

Graduate & Extra Credit

The undergraduate (77) and graduate (277) sections of this class will be graded separately and we will generally grade graduate students more strictly. For graduates enrolled in 277, I will convert an A to High Pass (HP) and B- or above to Pass (P). Low Pass (LP) starts at C+, and anything D or below receives No Credit (NC).

Some of the assignments will denote work that is required only for graduates. Sometimes these portions may count as extra credit for undergraduates enrolled in 77. Extra credit in this course will be tallied separately from regular scores and will only be granted if the foundation of the original assignment has been completed correctly (e.g., at least 90% of the original requirements/grade are met). If you end up on a borderline between two grades at the end of the course, extra credit will count in your favor. Failure to do extra credit will never be counted against you. You should do extra credit work if you find it interesting and think that it might teach you something. It never pays to skimp on the regular assignments in order to do extra credit problems.

Submission Deadlines

You will turn in their code through Canvas, and each assignment will have a strict deadline. We will strive to post programming assignment grades on Canvas within roughly a week of the due date. Some assignments will build off of each other, so you do not want to fall behind!

It’s up to you to check that assignments have been successfully submitted to Canvas. Don’t upload seconds before the deadline to avoid accidents. Double-check that you indeed uploaded the correct file.

Late policy

Late is as defined by Canvas.

For quizzes and the final project, late submissions receive a zero.

For other coursework, there is a 4% per (any portion of an) hour deduction for late submissions. This means that if you submit 70 minutes late, the maximum score you can receive is 92%, and submissions more than 24 hours late get a zero.

To encourage you to submit on time, I will award a 1% free credit if you submit your programming assignments before the deadline.

Late days:

You also have 2 free "late days" to use during the term. A late day can be used to waive the late penalty for any portion of a day on regular programming/reading assignments, but not the quizzes or the final project. Late days cannot be used after the last day of class.

To use a late day and avoid incurring the late deduction, you must post a comment in canvas along with your submission stating: "I would like to use a late day for this."

Exceptions & extensions:

I understand that life and health sometimes gets in the way of our academic responsibilities. Generally speaking I am quite understanding if you reach out to me in advance, but not if you reach out to me after the fact. If you believe you may need an extension, then reach out to me in writing well before the deadline (e.g. >1 week, not a couple days). If you reach out to me after the deadline, I will only grant extensions in the case of a medical emergency.

Regrades

Grading is a noisy process, so there may sometimes be errors (in either direction).

If you believe there is an error in the grading, first make sure you understand everything in the assignment. You may then submit a regrade request by emailing the course staff explaining your concern. We will then regrade your entire assignment or quiz, not just the portion you believe is in error. If we find previously missing deductions, your score may actually go down.

I will only consider regrades that change your grade by at least a full letter grade.

We will not consider regrade requests submitted more than 1 week after the grade is posted, or after the last day of class. 

Honor Principle and permissible sources of information

If you are not already, you should familiarize yourself with Dartmouth's policies on the Academic Honor Principle, and Proper Citation of Sources.

In short: You are welcome and encouraged to chat about assignments with other students in general terms, but your solutions must be written and developed on your own.

I assume the work you hand in is your own, and the results you hand in are generated by your program. You’re welcome to read whatever you want to learn what you need to complete the work, but I do expect you to build your own implementations of the methods we are studying.

Using tools like Copilot and ChatGPT to generate (portions) of your solution is a violation of the honor principle.

Properly attributing outside sources (if any)

If you’re ever in doubt, just include a citation in your code and report indicating where some idea came from, whether it be a classmate, a website, another piece of software, or anything. Note that you may still receive a zero for that task if you simply copy the solution from some outside source, but citing it at least maintains your honesty and would not be considered a violation of the academic honor principle.

You should treat proper attribution in code just like you would if you were writing an essay or journal article.

In this class, proper citation format in your code should include two things:

1. At the top of the file include a comment block listing all instances of outside sources used within that file. Think of this like the Works Cite/Bibliography section of a journal article. Number the references so you can refer to them later in the source code. For each item, list the URL, copyright notice any license if applicable, as well as information about how the code/idea is used.
2. Include a comment at a point close to where you adopt some idea/code from somewhere else. Think of this like an in-text parenthetical citation in a journal article. This should include enough information so that it is clear which outside source from the top of your file is being referenced (e.g. the reference number, or the name of author or library). 

Here is an example of what these might look like (taken from an open-source project of Wojciech Jarosz):

//
// Copyright (C) Wojciech Jarosz. All rights reserved.
//
// OUTSIDE SOURCES:
//
// [1]
// The part of the Command::draw function that performs the substring highlighting logic is adapted from
// [ImGui Command Palette](https://github.com/hnOsmium0001/imgui-command-palette), it's license follows.
//
// The MIT License (MIT)
//
// Copyright (c) 2021 hnOsmium0001
//
// Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
// of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
// in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
// to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
// copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
// furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
//
// The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
// copies or substantial portions of the Software.
//
// THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
// IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
// FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
// AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
// LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
// OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
// SOFTWARE.

Then, further down the file I include the following:

//
// CITATION: The logic below is adapted from the ImGui Command Palette. See [1] above.
//

The same basic principle applies to your presentations. Any material you reuse from outside sources must be properly attributed both on the slide it is used, and in a Bibliography/References slide.

Attendance

You are expected to attend class in person unless you have made alternative arrangements due to illness or other medical reasons. For the health and safety of our class community, please: do not attend class when you are sick, nor when you have been instructed by Student Health Services to stay home.

Consent to recording

Dartmouth has asked that I include the following language describing some bounds on how recording should be used. You do not need to send me any sort of agreement on this – it just makes clear that you shouldn’t record or distribute any recordings without my consent.

The remainder is standard text provided by Dartmouth [here].

1. Consent to recording of course meetings and office hours that are open to multiple students. By enrolling in this course,

   1. I affirm my understanding that the instructor may record meetings of this course and any associated meetings open to multiple students and the instructor, including but not limited to scheduled and ad hoc office hours and other consultations, within any digital platform, including those used to offer remote instruction for this course.

   2. I further affirm that the instructor owns the copyright to their instructional materials, of which these recordings constitute a part, and my distribution of any of these recordings in whole or in part to any person or entity other than other members of the class without prior written consent of the instructor may be subject to discipline by Dartmouth up to and including separation from Dartmouth.

2. Requirement of consent to one-on-one recordings

   By enrolling in this course, I hereby affirm that I will not make a recording in any medium of any one-on-one meeting with the instructor or another member of the class or group of members of the class without obtaining the prior written consent of all those participating, and I understand that if I violate this prohibition, I will be subject to discipline by Dartmouth up to and including separation from Dartmouth, as well as any other civil or criminal penalties under applicable law. I understand that an exception to this consent applies to accommodations approved by SAS for a student's disability, and that one or more students in a class may record class lectures, discussions, lab sessions, and review sessions and take pictures of essential information, and/or be provided class notes for personal study use only.

If you have questions, please contact the Office of the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.

Accommodations

Students with disabilities who may need disability-related academic adjustments and services for this course should see me privately within the first week of class.

The remainder is standard text provided by Dartmouth [here].

Students requesting disability-related accommodations and services for this course are required to register with Student Accessibility Services (SAS; Getting Started with SAS webpage; student.accessibility.services@dartmouth.edu; 1-603-646-9900) and to request that an accommodation email be sent to me in advance of the need for an accommodation. Then, students should schedule a follow-up meeting with me to determine relevant details such as what role SAS or its Testing Center may play in accommodation implementation. This process works best for everyone when completed as early in the quarter as possible. If students have questions about whether they are eligible for accommodations or have concerns about the implementation of their accommodations, they should contact the SAS office. All inquiries and discussions will remain confidential.

Mental Health and Awareness

The following is standard text provided by Dartmouth [here].

The academic environment at Dartmouth is challenging, our terms are intensive, and classes are not the only demanding part of your life. There are a number of resources available to you on campus to support your wellness, including your undergraduate dean, Counseling and Human Development, and the Student Wellness Center. I encourage you to use these resources to take care of yourself throughout the term, and to come speak to me if you experience any difficulties.

Respect, Diversity, and Inclusion

I would like to create a learning environment for my students that supports a diversity of thoughts, perspectives and experiences, and honors your identities (including race, gender, class, sexuality, religion, ability, etc.). To help accomplish this:

If you have a name and/or set of pronouns that differ from those that appear in your official college records, please include them in DartHub or let me know privately.

If at any time you feel uncomfortable about the interactions in our classroom I encourage you to contact me privately so I can better understand how I can manage the course; indeed, I am eager for feedback about how I can maximize everyone’s experience. If you feel like your performance in the class is being impacted by your experiences outside of class, likewise, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I want to be a resource for you. If you prefer to speak with someone outside of the course, the contacts in the Mental Health and Wellness section above can be an excellent resource.

I (like many people) am constantly learning about diverse perspectives and identities. If something was said in class (by anyone) that made you feel uncomfortable, please talk to me about it.

As a participant in course discussions, you should also strive to honor and respect the diversity of your classmates.

Title IX

The following is standard text provided by Dartmouth [here].

At Dartmouth, we value integrity, responsibility, and respect for the rights and interests of others, all central to our Principles of Community. We are dedicated to establishing and maintaining a safe and inclusive campus where all have equal access to the educational and employment opportunities Dartmouth offers. We strive to promote an environment of sexual respect, safety, and well-being. In its policies and standards, Dartmouth demonstrates unequivocally that sexual assault, gender-based harassment, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking are not tolerated in our community.

The Sexual Respect Website at Dartmouth provides a wealth of information on your rights with regard to sexual respect and resources that are available to all in our community.

Please note that, as a faculty member, I am obligated to share disclosures regarding conduct under Title IX with Dartmouth's Title IX Coordinator. Confidential resources are also available, and include licensed medical or counseling professionals (e.g., a licensed psychologist), staff members of organizations recognized as rape crisis centers under state law (such as WISE), and ordained clergy (see https://dartgo.org/titleix_resourcesLinks to an external site.).

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact Dartmouth's Title IX Coordinator or the Deputy Title IX Coordinator for the Guarini School. Their contact information can be found on the sexual respect website.