Table of contents
3D Graphics and Animation (CM3045)
This module will cover advanced methods used in current state-of-the-art graphics and animation systems. It will include the mathematical foundations, computational techniques and their use in creative practice. By taking this module, you will learn how to write programs that generate animated 3D graphics. There are several distinct study areas: 3D modelling and animation, the graphics pipeline, simulation of physics and shader programming. You will study a range of examples, and through these learn how you can program computer graphics in contemporary graphical software for different applications.
Professor(s)
- Dr. Marco Gillies
- Dr. Sylvia Pan
Topics covered
- Overview of 3D Graphics and mathematics for graphics
- 3D Models and Transforms
- Physics simulation
- Keyframe Animation
- Character Animation
- Rendering and the Graphics Pipeline
- Lighting, Materials and Texturing
- Shader Programming
- Vertex Shaders
- Fragment Shaders
Assessment
One two-hour unseen written examination and coursework (Type I)
Module specification
Past exams
Syllabus
Resources
Complementary references
- LEARN UNITY - The Most BASIC TUTORIAL I’ll Ever Make
- Shader Basics, Blending & Textures • Shaders for Game Devs (Part 1)
Notes
References from the course
Books
- Computer Graphics: From Pixels to Programmable Graphics Hardware - Boreskov, A. and E. Shikin (Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2013)
- Computer Graphics - Sinha, S. and A. Paul (Oxford: Alpha Science International LTD, 2018)
Main websites
- Alan Zucconi - Tutorials
- Essential Unity Concepts
- High-level shader language (HLSL)
- Introduction to Particle Systems
- Introduction to ShaderGraph
- Mixamo - “Animate 3D characters for games, film, and more.”
- Setting up Blendshapes in Unity - 2019.3
- Shader Graph
- Shadertoy
- TurboSquid - “3D Models for Professionals”
- Unity documentation
- Visual Effect Graph