Professor Roger Kraft
Office: Classroom Office Building, Room 368
Phone: (219) 989-2255
Office hours: 12:30--2:00 MTWR, and by appointment.
E-mail: rlkraft@pnw.edu
Text: There is no required textbook.
This course is an introduction to the rendering of 3D computer graphics images. The main topics covered will be rendering algorithms and data structures, a software implementation of a basic 3D graphics pipeline, geometric modeling, model & view transformations, projections, color, textures, lighting, shading, and interactive event-driven programming.
The "textbook" for this course is the Java code for a 3D software renderer that we will work with. One of the goals of this course is to familiarize you with reading and comprehending a medium size codebase. We will look at how the code is structured, how it is built and run, and how it is documented. Most of your reading assignments will be the documentation and source code for this renderer.
Your grade for this course will be based on about six programming assignments and two exams in the following manner:
30% programming assignments,
35% 1st exam,
35% 2nd exam.
Tentative dates for the two exams are
Exam 1 Thursday, October 17
Exam 2 Final exam week.
Students are expected to take exams at the scheduled time. Makeup exams will be given only for legitimate and verified emergencies.
Each of the programming assignments will have a due date. To receive full credit for an assignment, it must be turned in by the due date. Programs handed in late will be marked off 10% of the total points for each calendar day late up to a maximum of 50%. If an assignment is more than two weeks late, then I reserve the right not to accept it for credit. When you complete a programming assignment you will turn in the source code for your solution using the university's course management system. In this course web site there are detailed instructions on how assignments are to be turned in. You will be expected to follow the instructions. Also in this web site is information on the criteria used to grade your programming assignments.
You should turn in your own work for each programming assignment. Here is what that means: You may talk with your classmates about the course material and the ideas behind each homework assignment but you should solve each problem on your own and write your own code for the solution. Turning in someone else's solution (or even a modified version of someone else's solution) is a breach of academic integrity. Similarly, giving a copy of your solution to someone else in the class is also a breach of academic integrity. If you need help with a homework assignment, come and ask me. You can ask me as many questions as you want! Please do not hesitate to ask me questions after class, in my office, in an e-mail message, using Zoom, over the phone, etc.
The final grades for this course will use a plus and minus grading system. The possible grades for this course, and a tentative grading scale for the grades, are given in the table below. The final grading scale that I use may not be quite the same as the one given below; the grade cutoffs might be lower, but they will not be higher than what is given in this table.
| A | 93 - 100 |
| A- | 90 - 92 |
| B+ | 88 - 89 |
| B | 83 - 87 |
| B- | 80 - 82 |
| C+ | 78 - 79 |
| C | 73 - 77 |
| C- | 70 - 72 |
| D+ | 68 - 69 |
| D | 63 - 67 |
| D- | 60 - 62 |
| F | 59 or less |
In this web site you will find more information about this course. There are links to online information about computer graphics and information about course reading assignments, and, very importantly, all of your homework assignments and their due dates will be posted in these web pages.
Course Objectives: The objectives for this course are as follows.
Academic Integrity Policy: Ethics are an integral part of being a student and a professional. Academic integrity is the hallmark of this University. Therefore, Purdue University Northwest does not tolerate academic dishonesty. If a student breaches integrity, the student risks sanctions in both the academic and conduct arenas. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, the unauthorized use of other's intellectual property (plagiarism), and lying to an instructor or any University employee. Such actions WILL result in a failing grade on the assignment with the strong possibility of referral to the Office of the Dean of Students for a conduct sanction (see the Purdue University Northwest Student Handbook available from the Dean of Students office).
Students with Disabilities: Students who may need accommodations to address barriers caused by documented disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act need to register with the PNW Accessibility Center (PAC) to receive accommodations. To request and receive accommodations, students schedule an appointment with the PAC to initiate review and approval of supporting documentation showing their disability, the barriers it causes, and the recommended accommodations. If documentation is approved, the PAC will email a letter to the student’s current semester faculty members outlining the accommodations needed to ensure accessibility. Accommodations will be provided from the date the letter originates from the PAC. It is important to register as soon as possible as accommodations are not retroactive. The PAC is located at the Hammond campus in the Student Union & Library Building (SUL) 341 and Westville in the Technology Building (TECH) 101. The PAC can be reached at (219) 989-2455 or emailing: pac@pnw.edu.
Course Engagement: Student engagement in coursework and class activities is essential for learning and student success. Additionally, to comply with federal mandates related to financial aid, the university is required to track attendance and engagement in course activities. Depending on the delivery format of your course, attendance and engagement in the course may be defined and tracked in different ways. Meaningful engagement in a course may include attending live class sessions (in person or remotely), engaging with learning materials, participating in learning activities, completing assessments, and interacting with classmates and/or the instructor. Logging into the course site in Brightspace alone does not constitute meaningful engagement in a course. You are expected to be actively engaged in the course activities as explained in the course syllabus.
Classroom Civility Policies: Students are expected to comply with University regulations regarding civility, attendance, and appropriate classroom behavior.
Emergency Preparedness: An information sheet, with instructions for various types of possible emergencies, is posted in each room on campus. These emergencies include criminal activity, severe weather, fire, medical emergencies, and noises sounding like gunshots. Students are strongly encouraged to review this instruction sheet carefully and acquaint themselves with these important guidelines. PNW will hold annual drills to prepare for emergencies such as severe weather, active shooter and fire. It is strongly encouraged that all students participate in these drills in an effort to strengthen our emergency preparedness efforts.
Student Mental Health and Wellbeing: Purdue University Northwest is committed to supporting and advancing the mental health and well-being of our PNW students. During the course of their academic careers, students often experience personal challenges that contribute to barriers in learning, such as drug/alcohol problems, strained relationships, chronic worrying, persistent sadness or loss of interest in enjoyable activities, family conflict, grief and loss, domestic violence, difficulty concentrating, problems with organization, procrastination and/or lack of motivation. Students also sometimes come to college with a history of learning difficulties (e.g., any form of special education), experience difficulties succeeding in a particular subject (e.g., math, reading), or have experienced some form of trauma be it emotional or physical (e.g., head injury).
These mental health concerns can lead to diminished academic performance and can interfere with daily life activities. If you or someone you know has a history of mental health concerns or if you are unsure and would like a consultation, a variety of confidential services are available. The Counseling Center is located in The Riley Center, 2250 173rd Street, Hammond campus and TECH 101 in Westville. You can also reach us at (219) 989-2366 or at https://pnw.edu/counseling/. The National Suicide Prevention Hotline is (800) 273-TALK or at suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
Non-Discrimination: Purdue University Northwest prohibits discrimination against any member of the University community on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin or ancestry, genetic information, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, or status as a veteran. Any student who believes they have witnessed or experienced discrimination are encouraged to report the incident to the Office of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion in Lawshe 231, Hammond or call (219) 989-2337 or in Schwarz 25, Westville or call (219) 785-5545. Additional information can be found on the Diversity web site.