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Monash University

FIT1034 Principles of computer graphics - Semester 2, 2012

This unit will introduce students to the underlying principles of computer graphics in games. Relevant mathematics will be covered, with focus on vectors and matrices. This theory will be placed into the games context and put into practice in a game engine environment. This will provide a foundation for the manipulation of graphics and content in future games programming classes and development.

Mode of Delivery

Caulfield (Day)

Contact Hours

2hrs lectures/wk, 2 hrs tutorials/wk

Workload

Students will be expected to spend a total of 12 hours per week during semester on this unit.

This will include:
Lectures: 2 hours per week
Tutorial/Lab Sessions: 2 hours per week

and up to an additional 8 hours in some weeks for completing lab and project work, private study and revision.

Chief Examiner

Campus Lecturer

Caulfield

Matthew Butler

Consultation hours: See the unit website for consultation details

Tutors

Caulfield

Matthew Butler

Consultation hours: See the unit website for consultation details

Elliott Wilson

Consultation hours: See the unit website for consultation details

Academic Overview

Outcomes

At the completion of this unit students will be able to:
  • understand the need for mathematical foundations in the manipulation of computer graphics and game objects;
  • understand coordinate spaces within computer game worlds;
  • demonstrate an understanding of vectors and their relevant operations;
  • demonstrate an understanding of matrices and their relevant operations and transforms;
  • demonstrate an understanding of how vectors and matrices are used for orientation and angular displacement in 3D spaces;
  • demonstrate an understanding of how these mathematical principles are used in object movement and collision detection;
  • demonstrate the ability to implement these principles practically in game programming.

Graduate Attributes

Monash prepares its graduates to be:
  1. responsible and effective global citizens who:
    1. engage in an internationalised world
    2. exhibit cross-cultural competence
    3. demonstrate ethical values
  2. critical and creative scholars who:
    1. produce innovative solutions to problems
    2. apply research skills to a range of challenges
    3. communicate perceptively and effectively

Assessment Summary

Examination (3 hours): 60%; In-semester assessment: 40%

Assessment Task Value Due Date
Lab Portfolio Submission 1 5% Friday, 17 August 2012, 12pm
Lab Portfolio Submission 2 10% Friday, 7 September 2012, 12pm
Lab Portfolio Submission 3 (inc. Code Portfolio) 15% Friday, 12 October 2012, 12pm
Unit Test 10% Thursday, 13 September 2012, 4pm
Examination 1 60% To be advised

Teaching Approach

Lecture and tutorials or problem classes
This teaching and learning approach provides facilitated learning, practical exploration and peer learning. While classes will be run in Computer Laboratories to facilitate practical application in a game environment, concepts will also be discussed and worked through in a collaborative group context.

Feedback

Our feedback to You

Types of feedback you can expect to receive in this unit are:
  • Informal feedback on progress in labs/tutes
  • Graded assignments with comments
  • Test results and feedback
  • Solutions to tutes, labs and assignments

Your feedback to Us

Monash is committed to excellence in education and regularly seeks feedback from students, employers and staff. One of the key formal ways students have to provide feedback is through SETU, Student Evaluation of Teacher and Unit. The University's student evaluation policy requires that every unit is evaluated each year. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the surveys. The feedback is anonymous and provides the Faculty with evidence of aspects that students are satisfied and areas for improvement.

For more information on Monash's educational strategy, and on student evaluations, see:
http://www.monash.edu.au/about/monash-directions/directions.html
http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/quality/student-evaluation-policy.html

Previous Student Evaluations of this unit

Previous feedback has highlighted that one of the main strengths of the unit is that it is a good blend of theoretical concept and also coding examples. This will be continued and improved through more examples this semester. Students have also indicated that the portfolio nature of the assessment items, as well as the semester test all worked well. As a consequence the nature of assessment will remain the same.

Students feedback also informed some improvements to the unit. More examples were suggested and will be included in the teaching materials. A suggestion to improve wording of some portfolio questions was made so will be taken into account when preparing new assessment items. It was also suggested that all assessment submission be electronic, which will be the case this semester.

If you wish to view how previous students rated this unit, please go to
https://emuapps.monash.edu.au/unitevaluations/index.jsp

Prescribed text(s)

Limited copies of prescribed texts are available for you to borrow in the library.

Dunn and Parberry. (2002). 3D Math Primer for Graphics and Game Development. (1st) Wordware.

Recommended Resources

While the text listed is not mandatory and required resources will be made available on the unit website, this text will prove a valuable resource for your study. The text will be available in print form through the Caulfield Bookshop, and is also available at a reduced price in digital form through Amazon.com

Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 and the Microsoft XNA Game Studio development environments will be used in the laboratory classes to place the theoretical game math principles we cover into their appropriate practical context. While it is not essential that students have these development tools, they can help in unit revision. These tools are available free of charge via the Faculty of IT MSDNAA webpage:  http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/itsupport/msdnaa.html

Examination material or equipment

Please refer to the unit website for more information regarding the final examination.

Unit Schedule

Week Activities Assessment
0   No formal assessment or activities are undertaken in week 0
1 Unit Overview,the Cartesian Coordinate System and Multiple Coordinate Spaces (Ch. 1 - 3)  
2 An Intro to Vectors and Vector Operations (Ch. 4 & 5)  
3 Vectors in Practice (Ch. 6)  
4 An Introduction to Matrices (Ch. 7) Lab Portfolio Submission 1 (Vectors) due Friday, 17 August 2012, 12pm
5 Matrices and Linear Transformations (Ch. 8)  
6 Further Operations on Matrices (Ch. 9)  
7 Orientation and Angular Displacement (Ch. 10) Lab Portfolio Submission 2 (Matrices) due Friday, 7 September 2012, 12pm
8 Unit Test - Vectors and Matrices Unit Test (covering Weeks 1-6) Thursday, 13 September 2012, 4pm
9 Transformations in Practice (Ch. 11)  
10 Movement and Collisions (Ch. 12 & 13)  
11 Cameras and Case Study (Ch. 15) Lab Portfolio Submission 3 (Game Math) and Code Portfolio due Friday, 12 October 2012, 12pm
12 Revision  
  SWOT VAC No formal assessment is undertaken in SWOT VAC
  Examination period LINK to Assessment Policy: http://policy.monash.edu.au/policy-bank/
academic/education/assessment/
assessment-in-coursework-policy.html

*Unit Schedule details will be maintained and communicated to you via your MUSO (Blackboard or Moodle) learning system.

Assessment Requirements

Assessment Policy

Faculty Policy - Unit Assessment Hurdles (http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/resources/staff/edgov/policies/assessment-examinations/unit-assessment-hurdles.html)

Academic Integrity - Please see the Demystifying Citing and Referencing tutorial at http://lib.monash.edu/tutorials/citing/

Assessment Tasks

Participation

  • Assessment task 1
    Title:
    Lab Portfolio Submission 1
    Description:
    This task comprises the first submission of your laboratory portfolio.

    Students will be required to compile a portfolio of major laboratory tasks for submission for assessment. Details of each portfolio component are clearly indicated in the laboratory tasks for each week.

    This submission contains the weekly folio tasks for weeks 1-3.
    Weighting:
    5%
    Criteria for assessment:

    Specific criteria for assessment will be provided on the unit website. However the portfolio work will be judged on the following broad critera:

    • Being able to recognise when to use particular mathematical functions, and choosing the correct approach
    • Correctness of process through demonstration of workings
    • Correctness of the end result

    Late assignments will incur a 5% penalty per late day (including weekends), and may be submitted up to a maximum of 7 days late. After this time submissions will not be accepted without prior arrangement with the unit leader.

    Due date:
    Friday, 17 August 2012, 12pm
  • Assessment task 2
    Title:
    Lab Portfolio Submission 2
    Description:
    This task comprises the second submission of your laboratory portfolio.

    Students will be required to compile a portfolio of major laboratory tasks for submission for assessment. Details of each portfolio component are clearly indicated in the laboratory tasks for each week.

    This submission contains the weekly folio tasks for weeks 4-6.
    Weighting:
    10%
    Criteria for assessment:

    Specific criteria for assessment will be provided on the unit website. However the portfolio work will be judged on the following broad critera:

    • Being able to recognise when to use particular mathematical functions, and choosing the correct approach
    • Correctness of process through demonstration of workings
    • Correctness of the end result

    Late assignments will incur a 5% penalty per late day (including weekends), and may be submitted up to a maximum of 7 days late. After this time submissions will not be accepted without prior arrangement with the unit leader.

    Due date:
    Friday, 7 September 2012, 12pm
  • Assessment task 3
    Title:
    Lab Portfolio Submission 3 (inc. Code Portfolio)
    Description:
    This Assignment Task comprises two components:

    The first part is your third and final submission of your laboratory portfolio. Students will be required to compile a portfolio of major laboratory tasks for submission for assessment. Details of each portfolio component are clearly indicated in the laboratory tasks for each week.

    This submission contains the weekly folio tasks for weeks 7-10.

    The second component of this assessment item is submission of your coding portfolio exercises. These exercises will be detailed on the unit website and apply the math principles covered in a game development environment.
    Weighting:
    15%
    Criteria for assessment:

    Specific criteria for assessment will be provided on the unit website. Feedback will be provided on your progress to facilitate for improvements for your exam preparation. However the portfolio work will be judged on the following broad critera:

    • Being able to recognise when to use particular mathematical functions, and choosing the correct approach
    • Correctness of process through demonstration of workings
    • Correctness of the end result
    • Being able to correctly apply the mathematical concepts to game code scenarios
    • Creating functionally correct code 

    Late assignments will incur a 5% penalty per late day (including weekends), and may be submitted up to a maximum of 7 days late. After this time submissions will not be accepted without prior arrangement with the unit leader.

    Due date:
    Friday, 12 October 2012, 12pm
  • Assessment task 4
    Title:
    Unit Test
    Description:
    An in-class unit test will be held covering content from weeks 1-6. This test will only be of 1 hour duration however will be essential in gauging your understanding of fundamental vectors and matrices concepts.
    Weighting:
    10%
    Criteria for assessment:

    Specific detail will be provided on the unit website. Feedback will be provided on your progress to facilitate for improvements for your exam preparation.

    The test will be conducted in class. Students will not be permitted to sit the test at another time without formal Special Consideration forms submitted and approved by the chief examiner.

    Due date:
    Thursday, 13 September 2012, 4pm

Examinations

  • Examination 1
    Weighting:
    60%
    Length:
    3 hours
    Type (open/closed book):
    Closed book
    Electronic devices allowed in the exam:
    A calculator will be allowed for this examination.
    Remarks:
    A sample exam will be made available a month before the examination. Previous exam is also available through the Library Exams Database. Full exam revision will be covered in Week 12.

Assignment submission

It is a University requirement (http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/conduct/plagiarism-procedures.html) for students to submit an assignment coversheet for each assessment item. Faculty Assignment coversheets can be found at http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/resources/student/forms/. Please check with your Lecturer on the submission method for your assignment coversheet (e.g. attach a file to the online assignment submission, hand-in a hard copy, or use an online quiz).

Online submission

If Electronic Submission has been approved for your unit, please submit your work via the VLE site for this unit, which you can access via links in the my.monash portal.

Extensions and penalties

Returning assignments

Resubmission of assignments

Students may not resubmit assignments after the due date has passed.

Other Information

Policies

Student services

The University provides many different kinds of support services for you. Contact your tutor if you need advice and see the range of services available at www.monash.edu.au/students. For Sunway see http://www.monash.edu.my/Student-services, and for South Africa see http://www.monash.ac.za/current/

The Monash University Library provides a range of services and resources that enable you to save time and be more effective in your learning and research. Go to http://www.lib.monash.edu.au or the library tab in my.monash portal for more information. At Sunway, visit the Library and Learning Commons at http://www.lib.monash.edu.my/. At South Africa visit http://www.lib.monash.ac.za/.

Academic support services may be available for students who have a disability or medical condition. Registration with the Disability Liaison Unit is required. Further information is available as follows:

  • Website: http://monash.edu/equity-diversity/disability/index.html;
  • Email: dlu@monash.edu
  • Drop In: Equity and Diversity Centre, Level 1 Gallery Building (Building 55), Monash University, Clayton Campus, or Student Community Services Department, Level 2, Building 2, Monash University, Sunway Campus
  • Telephone: 03 9905 5704, or contact the Student Advisor, Student Commuity Services at 03 55146018 at Sunway
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