Lesson Plan 16

Introduction to Semester II

Lesson Title	Introduction to Semester II
Duration	1 classes (1.5 hours)
Synopsis	The syllabus and requirements for the second semester are discussed. This is followed with an overview of the concepts and technologies to be covered in the second semester and the capabilities which they afford for constructing a virtual environment.
Description of Class	This class is primarily lecture materials using the provided PowerPoint slides. The goal of this class is to introduce the students to the materials that will be covered during the second semester. As the various tools and techniques are introduced, examples are given of how these can be used to create more complex virtual worlds. An emphasis is placed on adding motion, i.e. 2- and 3-D animation. The lecture starts with a review of the concepts and technologies learned during the first semester and how these were used to construct the VR world that was the first semester’s final project. First the principals of 2D (cell) animation are reviewed and expanded upon. An example of how a 2D animation can be used as the texture on a 3D surface is demonstrated. This extends the notion introduced in the first semester of using a still image as a texture in 3D. The second topic is the introduction to Logo programming. The idea that Logo can be used to generated 2D patterns and 2D animation is introduced. We introduce the idea that Logo can be used to manipulated 3D objects in a DAFFIE virtual environment. The next topic introduced is the formal principles underlying computer graphics. These form the basis of the various applications which have been used in the course and provide a foundation for learning 3D animation using Maya. Maya is briefly introduced along with the concepts of geometric modeling and rendering. An example of creating a 3D animation using a sequence of models is given. The class is concluded with summary of the components that go into a virtual world and a discussion of the workflow for building such a world.
Primary Educational Objective	This goal of this class is to introduce the students to the concepts and capabilities that will be covered in the second semester and to stimulate their imagination in conceptualizing the final project for the course. These include 2D animation using Corel, Logo programming, the principles of computer graphics and 3D modeling and animation using Maya.
Additional Concepts and Skills
Assessment
Classroom Activities	This is primarily a lecture class.
Homework Assignments	None
Lecture Materials	Lecture materials are available as a Power Point presentation
Reference Materials
Prerequisites (this course)
Related Topics	Animation and video Computer programming 3D coordinates and geometry
Technology Requirements	None