Animate Arts III
CAT-380/480 sec 21, Fall 2005
TWTh 4:00-6   /    Kresge 1-370

This page is no longer being updated

For the current syllabus, see here.

Overview

This is the third quarter of a 4-quarter curriculum in interactive, computer-based art and entertainment systems. This quarter focuses on three-dimensional modeling and interactive simulation.  As always, pieces will be critiqued both as works of art and as engineering. The interaction between art practice and art theory will be addressed through discussions, critiques and readings, examining issues in the interpretation, understanding and production of art and visual culture.

Tentative curriculum by week

This will be updated throughout the quarter

Week 1

• Overview of Animation
• Review of programming from last year (see last year's slides for AA1 and AA2)
• Event handling and GUI Programming

Week 2

• Building a 2D Game engine
• Introduction to basic 3-D design concepts
• Simple physical simulation in 2D
• Sockets and TCP/IP networking
  
  Readings: http://www.rochester.edu/in_visible_culture/Issue_6/robey/robey.html

Week 3

• Introduction to Maya (with additional 1 hour interactive session to practice by making an object)
• Introduction to Modeling (polygons vs NURBS vs subdiv-srf)
• Discussion/critique of clay compositions.

Week 4

• Introduction to Animation (key frames, timing, etc).
• 12 Principles of Animation
• Critique of Maya modeling assignment

Week 5

• Flash animation
• C-style syntax
• ActionScript and flash programming

Week 6

• MEL Programming
• MEL Animation
• Critique of Flash work

Week 7

• Spatial description via value, contrast (texture), and color.
• Lighting in film 
• Lighting in Maya
• Critique critique of Maya animation

Week 8

• Typed languages
• Java-style class systems
• Java and C#

Week 9

• Lecture/discussion of contemporary sculpture/installation and product design
• Shading and texturing
• HTML

Week 10

• Final assignment out
• Javascript programming

Week 11

• TBD

Grading

Grading will be based on the following components:

• Exercises 50%
  There will be roughly 2 assignments per week, some will involve art, some programming, others a combination.  Art and music assignments will be critiqued in class.  For this reason, it is critical that they be turned in on time (see late penalties, below).
   
• Quiz 15%
  The quiz will be in week 9 and will focus on programming concepts.  However, we reserve the right to add other topics.  If we do so, we will announce it in advance.
   
• Final Project 15%
   
• Critique 10%
  You are required to present completed work at every critique as well as to participate verbally.  This is one of your primary ways of demonstrating mastery of the concepts in the class.
   
• Class discussions 10%
  Discussion will focus on material covered in lectures and the assigned reading.  You are expected to have read the material before the lecture/discussion sections as well as having prepared questions or comments for discussion.   Failure to actively participate or to adequately prepare will result in a lowered grade.

Attendance

This is a studio art course in addition to a programming course.  It involves a process of active apprenticeship that takes place during class.  Moreover, not all of the lecture materials will be covered by readings or will be available on the web.  Therefore, as with other studio art courses, attendance is required.  Unexcused absences, tardiness, or leaving early may lower your grade by a full letter grade.

Late penalties

• Homework extensions for programming projects will be granted for nearly any reason, provided you request one more than 24 hours in advance.  Otherwise, you need to have a really good reason.
• Unless you receive an extension, you should turn in your assignment when it is due.  Assignments turned in late will be given a late penalty:
  • 10% for assignments less than one day late
  • 20% assignment for 1-2 days
  • 30% for 2-4 days
  • 40%for 4-8 days, etc.
• Assignments which are turned in late enough to miss the critique period will also affect your critique grade.

Cheating policy for programming assignments

[Sorry this is so long; it's essentially a catalog of every misunderstanding we've ever had in class, along with what our policy is on it.  So please read this - you will be held responsible for understanding it. ]

You are encouraged to consult with other students, and even to ask them for help. Working with other students is often more enjoyable and allows you to learn ideas faster with less frustration.

For some assignments, you may be allowed, or even required to work with other students on your program. On these assignments, you will all work together on one program that you submit as a group. These assignments will be rare and will be clearly marked as group assignments.

For all other assignments, however, you must write your own code. You are allowed and encouraged to discuss the problem set with other students, but it is not acceptable to:

• Blindly copy someone else's code
• Base your program on someone else's code (unless specifically instructed to do so as part of the problem set)
• Collaborate with other students to write the same program
• Collaborate with other students to write the same program, then have each student modify the basic shared program.

Every term, a couple of groups of students get caught cheating and claim they didn't realize they were cheating. For this reason, we will adopt the "edit contamination policy":

• If someone (ever) edits a piece of code, then no other student can (ever) submit it or any code based on it for an assignment.
• Therefore, if two students edit the same piece of code, it is "contaminated" and neither of them can submit it or any code based on it as part of an assignment.

In other words:

• You can ask each other questions but no one else can (ever) touch your keyboard or mouse.

For those of you who want to grow up to be lawyers:

• You may not copy from any code that another student has edited
• No, you can't dictate code to someone either

That said, we do still want to encourage you to work together. In particular the following are acceptable and encouraged:

• Groups of friends having "hacking parties" where they sit down at separate machines and program in parallel. They can discuss the problem set as much as they want, as long as they don't actually edit one another's code, or copy one another's' code.
• Asking questions about the assignment, or about your program, of friends in the class
• Asking questions on the blackboard system
• Asking questions over IM (instant messenger)
• Asking questions of friends who aren't in the class
• Asking questions of the instructors and TAs
• Getting help with debugging from friends, TAs, etc.

So basically, you can get lots of help from friends, but you have to (at a minimum) do all the typing.

For further information, see Northwestern's policy statement on academic integrity, below.

University policy statements

Students with Disabilities

In compliance with Northwestern University policy and equal access laws, the instructors are available to discuss appropriate academic accommodations that you may require as a student with a disability.  Request for academic accommodations need to be  made during the first week of the quarter, except for unusual circumstances, so arrangements can be made. Students are encouraged to register with Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) for disability verification and for determination of reasonable academic accommodations.  For more information, visit: http://www.northwestern.edu/disability/.

Academic Integrity at Northwestern

[See also the policy on cheating on programs, above]

Students are expected to comply with University regulations regarding academic integrity. If you are in doubt about what constitutes academic dishonesty, speak to one of the instructors before the assignment is due and/or examine the University web site. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to cheating on an exam (e.g., copying others' answers, providing information to others, using a crib sheet) or plagiarism of a paper (e.g., taking material from readings without citation, copying another student's paper). Failure to maintain academic integrity on an assignment will result in a loss of credit for that assignment - at a minimum. Other penalties may also apply. The guidelines for determining academic dishonesty and procedures followed in a suspected incident of academic dishonesty are detailed on the website.  For more information, visit: http://www.communication.northwestern.edu/programs/undergraduate/policies_procedures/academic_integrity/