Graphics Card: You will need a fast graphics card (one with sufficient 3D power) for the 3D part of this class. If you don't know what kind of graphics card you have, here's how to find out.

Graphics Drivers: If your computer was purchased new since 2000 but seems too slow to keep up with the 3D graphics in this course you may be able to speed it up by updating your "graphics drivers" as described in the "Graphics Card Drivers.html " file located in the FILES area of our Yahoo Group.

Geocities Users: Running out of Web space or files too large to upload? Read these solutions so that you can submit your Final exercises on time.

Review: Putting the "discovery" in Discovering Computer Graphics. From this class forward students explore and discover the subject matter for each class personally as the instructor provides direction. HELP menus and documentation for products used in these classes now becomes much more critical than in past classes, as students must now discover features and capabilities on their own computers (work or home) instead of in the classroom.

Review: Forms of software distribution and availability (commercial, shareware, freeware, trial, limited edition, open source, demo, etc.).

Next Class: If you'd like to learn more about video games, virtual reality and 3D graphics, and have fun doing it, take MT35801 Video Games and Virtual Reality next semester. Note that this course was originally named "MT35801 Discovering 3D and Virtual Reality" but now has a larger focus on video games than the original course.

Three-dimensional (3D) Graphics, Part I

Jargon/Terminology

• Depth and the depth axis (typically the "z" axis)
• Coordinate systems and 3D coordinates (x,y,z)
• Vertex, vertices, vertex point = "points" in 3D space
• Polygons and triangles
• Mesh
• Surface normal
• Objects, Scenes and Worlds
• Primitives (such as Box, Cone, Cylinder and Sphere)
• Materials
• Texture mapping
• Texture maps, bump maps, and light maps
• Viewpoint
• Camera
• Animation (keyframe, motion capture, morphing, interpolators, etc.)
• Scene graphs, nodes and fields
• Lights
• Navigation modes (Walk, Fly, Examine, Jump, etc.)
• Rendering modes (wireframe, flat, smooth, etc.)
• Gravity
• Physics
• Virtual Reality (VR)
• Avatar
• Transforms
• Inlining
• Realtime 3D
• Framerate
• Acceleration (acceleration boards/chips)

3D Graphics Overview

• Based on 3 dimensions, not 2 (height and width): DEPTH is the new dimension
• Off the Web 3D is commonly used for:
• Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computer Aided Modeling (CAM)
• Architecture
• Television and movies  (virtual sets, characters, news enhancement, etc)
• Games
• Simulations
• On the Web 3D is commonly used for:
• Web page enhancement (static artwork/imagery, image buttons, image maps, etc.)
• Product and data visualization
• Entertainment
• Web page enhancement
• News and advertisement enhancement
• Real estate visualization (typically using 360 degree panoramic 3D, such as the IPIX or QuickTime's "Cubic VR" feature [previously known as "QuickTime VR"] plug-ins)
• Multiuser spaces ("shared interactive chat spaces")


Note: Some 3D graphics technologies for the Web require only Java (such as Shout3D and blaxxun3D), which is built into almost all browsers. More sophisticated technologies, such as Apple QuickTime and blaxxun Contact, are plug-ins that must be installed by the end user.

Tip: Once this course is over consider uninstalling (removing) browser plug-ins and software that you've previously installed for this class but may no longer use. Here's how to uninstall software if you're using a Windows-based computer.

[Examples] View Apple's QuickTime Cubic VR  gallery to see various examples of panoramic 3D for the Web in action. Requires QuickTime plug-in.

[Examples] View the Faneuil Hall Marketplace VIRTUAL TOUR to see various examples of panoramic 3D for the Web in action. Note that these full screen tour scenes are very large and use the Media Grid to be delivered to end users. Requires QuickTime plug-in.

[Examples] View IPIX gallery to see various examples of panoramic 3D for the Web in action. Requires IPIX plug-in. Also see the 360 degree panoramic tours of the White House: Take the White House Virtual Tour at http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/life/ 

[Examples] Visit Realtor.com to see various examples of panoramic 3D for the Web in action. Note that a few different 3D technologies are used by this site, such as the IPIX plug-in and/or a pure Java applet (no plug-in required).

[Examples] View Pulse3D gallery to see various examples of  entertainment-oriented 3D for the Web in action. Requires Pulse3D or Veepers plug-in.

[Examples] Search Macromedia's ShockWave site for "3D" to see various examples of entertainment-oriented 3D for the Web in action. Requires ShockWave plug-in.

[Examples] Visit TheEducationGrid.org for an example of Project Wonderland (a new and upcoming Immersive Education virtual worlds platform)
 

• Static (not changing or interactive) vs. Dynamic (moving or interactive) 3D graphics
• Static 3D graphics are the most popular form of 3D graphics for the Web today:
• Visit Apple's homepage to see various static "3Dish" looking button images (http://www.apple.com/)
• Visit the Immersive Education Initiative (ImmersiveEducation.org) to see a "3Dish" looking button (ImmersiveEducation.org)


[15 minute Exercise] Use Adobe Photoshop to create a text drop shadow to give your text a "3Dish" look
 

• Dynamic 3D is making inroads and is expected to sweep the Web in the coming years. Requires:
• Fast computers (or 3D accelerators) with ample RAM
• Ubiquitous 3D plug-ins (such as the new 3D-enabled Macromedia ShockWave, and various Java-based applets)
• 3D artists and developers
• Time and money! (some estimates peg 3D content development at more than 5x that of 2D content)

Note: As of 2000 almost all new desktop computers are "3D Ready" (nearly all have some form of 3D acceleration, in addition to plenty of raw horsepower and RAM). 

Tip: At the turn of the millenium the minimum system requirements to enjoy a decent 3D experience on the Web was: 500MHz Pentium class CPU (or equivalent), 64MB RAM, 16 bit color display (thousands of colors, or "high color"), MIDI and WAV sound playback, Internet Explorer or Navigator 4.x or higher. However, a MUCH BETTER 3D experience begins with a 1GHz Pentium 4 (or equivalent) system, at least 128MB RAM, 24 or 32 bit color (full color), and a 3D hardware accelerator (either built onto the CPU chip, or as a separate computer board such as those offered by nVidia, 3DLabs, ATI, etc.). When it comes to 3D, you can never have too much power!
 

How dynamic 3D Graphics "work"

• 3D computer graphics is an optical illusion based on the following monocular (one-eye) depth cues perfected by Leonardo da Vinci and other artists of the  Renaissance period:
• Size differences
• Occlusion
• Lighting and shading
• Texture density
• Linear perspective
• Atmospheric perspective
• When viewed on a typical computer screen 3D data is rendered ("projected") onto a 2D device (the screen)
• When viewed using stereoscopic glasses 3D data is rendered to each eyepiece for "stereo vision" (binocular vision)
• Depth usually corresponds to the "z" axis in a 3D coordinate system
• 2D coordinate system has 2 axes: x,y
• For example, the 2D coordinate (40,100) describes a point 40 units on the x axis and 100 on the y axis
• 3D coordinate system has 3 axes: x,y,z
• For example, the 3D coordinate (40,100,63) describes a point 40 units on the x axis, 100 on the y axis, and 63 on the z axis
• 3D shapes (objects) are defined as a series of points (vertices), from which polygonal meshes are constructed ("connect the dots"). Polygons in the mesh are then colored and texturized (if texture mapped), taking into account any light sources (if present) and the current viewpoint.

1. FINISH FINAL #1: Complete Final #1 listed in the FINALS file in our Yahoo Group (see the FINALS file in the FILES area of our Yahoo Group).
2. Prepare your roll call screenshots to submit for the final (look in the FINALS file in the FILES area of our Yahoo Group for details).

New course note: If you'd like to learn more about video games, virtual reality and 3D graphics, and have fun doing it, take MT35801 Video Games and Virtual Reality next semester. Note that this course was originally named "MT35801 Discovering 3D and Virtual Reality" but now has a larger focus on video games than the original course.