McMaster University
Computer Graphics
SFWR ENG 3GC3, Term Fall 2009/2010

This page is subject to changes; this is Version 10.8.2009

Instructor

Jan Modersitzki, ITB 247, ex: 24952
Office hours: By appointment (please send e-mail).

Teaching Assistant

Olesya Peshko

Lectures, Tutorials

Monday: 17:30-18:20, Wednesday: 17:30-18:20, Thursday: 17:30-18:20, all ABB/271
Tutorials: EOW, Monday 14:30-16:20 and Tuesday 8:30-10:20, 12:30-14:20, both ITB 237
Note: binding is the registrar.

Course Information on Web

This is the page to go, it can be reached via my homepage. The contents of this page is subject to changes. It is your responsibility to be up to date.

A note from the Associate Dean’s Group

The instructor and university reserve the right to modify elements of the course during the term. The university may change the dates and deadlines for any or all courses in extreme circumstances. If either type of modification becomes necessary, reasonable notice and communication with the students will be given with explanation and the opportunity to comment on changes. It is the responsibility of the student to check their McMaster email and course websites weekly during the term and to note any changes.

Book

Eric Lengyel: Mathematics For 3D Game Programming And Computer Graphics, Charles River Media, Second Edition, 2007, ISBN 1-58450-277-0.

Major Topics

The following outline is approximate.

General Comments on the Rendering Pipeline
Basic Graphical Elements: Vectors, Points, Lines, Angles
Basic Graphical Operations: Matrices
Graphical Transformations, Homogeneous Coordinates
Perspectives and Projections
Ray Tracing
Illumination
Visibility Determination
Collision Detection
Polygonal Techniques
Shadows
Curves and Surfaces

Interesting Web-Pages

Assignment Sheets

These will be posted during term.

Grades, Mid-terms, and Exams

There will be five assignments, one every other week. A 50% success rate is required to obtain credit for the assignment. Assignments can be processed by working groups of no more than three persons.
There will be one midterm and one final.
The final examination will be scheduled by the Registrars office in the usual way. It will be two hours in duration and cover the material of the course, handouts, and lab-assignments. Calculators (the standard McMaster calculator) will be permitted in the mid-term and the final.
Midterm test will be returned during a lecture. The ones not picked up will be placed in a pick up box at my office and destroyed at the end of the term. No responsibility for loss of assignments can be assumed by either instructor or the teaching assistants. Any complains about grading should be done in written and within two weeks of the return date.
Any mid-term written in pencil can not be remarked.
Cell phones are not permitted during midterm and final.
The instructor does not accept late doctors notices; if you write a midterm then the mark is yours. If you do not write a test and do not provide an acceptable doctors notice then it is marked with 0. The instructor reserves the right to conduct any deferred exams orally.
The final grade will be based on the assignments, the midterm, and the two-hour final examination. There is one marking scheme: 40% for the assignments, midterm 20%, final 40%.
Mid-term and final exam are open book.

Calculators

Calculators (the standard McMaster calculator) are used in this course and their use will be permitted during tests and final.

Discrimination

"The Faculty of Engineering is concerned with ensuring an environment that is free of all adverse discrimination. If there is a problem that cannot be resolved by discussion among the persons concerned individuals are reminded that they should contact there Chair, the Sexual Harassment Office or the Human Rights Consultant, as soon as possible."

Academic Dishonesty

You are expected to exhibit honesty and use ethical behaviour in all aspects of the learning process. Academic credentials you earn are rooted in principles of honesty and academic integrity.

Academic dishonesty is to knowingly act or fail to act in a way that results or could result in unearned academic credit or advantage. This behaviour can result in serious consequences, e.g. the grade of zero on an assignment, loss of credit with a notation on the transcript (notation reads: "Grade of F assigned for academic dishonesty?") and/or suspension or expulsion from the university.

It is your responsibility to understand what constitutes academic dishonesty. For information on the various types of academic dishonesty please refer to the Academic Integrity Policy, located at http://www.mcmaster.ca/academicintegrity.

The following illustrates only three forms of academic dishonesty:

Plagiarism, e.g. the submission of work that is not one's own or for which other credit has been obtained.
Improper collaboration in group work.
Copying or using unauthorized aids in tests and examinations.

McMaster University Computer Graphics SFWR ENG 3GC3, Term Fall 2009/2010