CMSC 491A / 691A:
Real-time Graphics and Procedural Techniques

Computer Science and Electrical Engineering Department
University of Maryland Baltimore County

Autumn 2000

Time: MW 3:30-4:45pm ECS 022

Instructor:

Dr. David S. Ebert
214 ECS
ebert@umbc.edu
Phone: (410)455-3541
Office Hours: M,W 1:00-1:50pm

Description:

This course will cover state of the art techniques for generating realistic real-time graphics and procedural techniques for real-time graphics, visualization, and modeling. The class will cover topics ranging from realistic rendering techniques for games, next-generation PC graphics hardware, and game consoles ($400 supercomputers!) to non-photorealistic procedural techniques for enhancing visualization and simulating natural phenomena.

The format for the course will be group discussions of papers, some lectures by the instructors, and student presentations of papers. The grading will be based on participation in class and class projects. Class projects may be done individually or in groups of two. Projects have the potential of leading to work that forms the basis of an Undergraduate Research Project, Master's project, or Ph.D. research topic.

Class Topics

A partial list of topics includes the following:

State of the art in graphics hardware (Weeks 1-2)
- Latest hardware architectures for PCs
- Latest hardware architectures for workstations
- Latest hardware architectures for game consoles
Procedural shading techniques for PC graphics hardware(Weeks 3-5)

vertex operations
fragment processing
programming register combiners
multi-pass techniques
Stanford real-time shading language

Procedural visualization techniques (Weeks 6-9)

volume illustration
procedural texturing for visualization
non-photorealistic visualization (npv)

Simulating Natural Phenomena (Weeks 10-12)
- real-time issues and approximations
- clouds, smoke, steam
- fractals
- L-systems
- wave, water and ocean models
Particle system techniques (Week 13)
Real-time Visualization techniques (Week 14)

Tentative Schedule

Week 1 : Introduction to Graphics Hardware and Topics for the Class
Week 2 : Game Consoles (Sony PS 2, Nintendo Dolphin, X-box)
- Papers covered included news articles on chips and boards, and Microprocessor report on Sony PS2
Week 3 : PC Graphics Hardware (CPUs, Nvidia, ATI, )
- Papers covered included news articles on chips and boards, IEEE Computer article on ATI Radeon, plus white papers from Nvidia on their GeForce capabilities.
Week 4 : Introduction to Procedural Shading Techniques and Multi-Pass Shading
- Covered my talk on Procedural shading techniques and hardware features needed in NG boards
- Real Time Shading Language paper from Stanford
Week 5: Programmable Shading Languages
- Peercy & Olano paper, Stanford RTSL paper
- Demos of Real-time effects in graphics lab
Week 6: IEEE Visualization - Students to read about Real-Time shading for presentation in Class
Week 7: Latest Techniques in Real-time Shading (Student Presentations)
- background papers ( Olano98, Lastra95)
- Heidrich. Werstermann, Seidel, Ertl, "Applications of Pixel Textures in Visualization and Realistic Image Synthesis," 1999 I3D symposium.
- Rezk-Salama, et al. "Interactive Volume Rendering on Standard PC Graphics Hardware Using Milt-Textures and Multi-State Rasterization," Eurographics Hardware Rendering Workshop.
Week 7: Overview of Procedural Shading and Visualization
Student Alpha Version Presentations
- Rezk-Salama, et al. "Interactive Volume Rendering on Standard PC Graphics Hardware Using Milt-Textures and Multi-State Rasterization," Eurographics Hardware Rendering Workshop.
Week 8-10: Non-Photorealistic Rendering Techniques for Visualization
Papers convered included:
- Ebert & Rheingans "Volume Illustration", IEEE Visualization 2000.
- Treavett, et al., "Pen and Ink Volume Textures" from IEEE Visualization 2000.
- Kirby and Laidlaw, IEEE Visualization '99 paper.
- Interrante, ??
Week 10-11: Procedural Texturing and Visualization
Papers Covered included
- Survey of Advance Procedural Models, Ebert
Week 10: Overview of Simulating Natural Phenomena
Week 11: Volumetric Phenomena and real-time issues
Week 12: Simulating water waves and mountains
Week 13: Particle Systems and real-time techniques
Week 14: Real-time Visualization techniques
Week 15: Presentation of Student Projects

Class Projects:

Students will work on semester long class projects with several milestones. The projects may be done individually or in groups of 2. More information can be found here.

Readings:

Students will read and discuss seminal and current technical research papers. A list of readings (in progress and subject to frequent update) will be available shortly. .

Textbook:

None Required, but the following are recommended:

Texturing and Modeling: A Procedural Approach, Second Edition, Ebert, et. al., AP Professional, 1998.
Real-Time Rendering by Tomas Moeller and Eric Haines, 1999.

The following books may also be useful as references.

Computer Graphics: Principles and Practice, 2nd Edition, Foley, van Dam, Feiner, Hughes, Addison Wesley, 1993.
Advanced Renderman : Creating Cgi for Motion Pictures (Computer Graphics and Geometric Modeling), Anthony A. Apodaca, Larry Gritz 1999.
Radiosity and Realistic Image Synthesis, Cohen and Wallace, AP Professional 1994.
Principles of Digital Image Synthesis, Andrew Glassner, Morgan Kaufman 1994.

Grades:

Grades will be assigned on the basis of class paper presentations and discussions (20%) and class projects (80%).

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Contact David Ebert, ebert@cs.umbc.edu .

Main Page | Class Notes | Class Project | Links | Reading List

CMSC 491A / 691A: Real-time Graphics and Procedural Techniques

Computer Science and Electrical Engineering Department University of Maryland Baltimore County