The
last part of the course takes you back into the physical world with the design
and construction of miniature immersive displays. This gives you the opportunity
to experiment with small screens and displays in order to refine the quality
of the viewer's experience, the feeling of immersion and the suspension of
disbelief from the viewer. No prerequisite required for this class. Please
note that this class covers an introduction to 3D interactive content. One
hour weekly tutorials are also offered during the semester in order to give
you a jump start with 3D tools including Maya, Virtools, Microsoft XNA.
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Class 1. Roadmap presentation: physical sensors, virtual spaces, immersive screens, a multi-sensorial user interface
Lecture: Creating relationships between physical worlds and virtual worlds. Presentation of recent projects, virtual worlds with user generated content, gaming environments and virtual eco-systems. Discussion in class about the roadmap.
Reading assignment online: Compare the “look and feel” of two online virtual worlds, Second Life and Google Earth. See article in Technology Review, July 2007 “Second Earth” by Wade Roush. Post your comments on the class blog.
Assignment: Record a short machinima video capture (duration approx. 4 minutes) of your first encounter with a virtual world; for example Second Life or Google Earth. Format QuickTime or AVI with ambient sound.
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Class 2. Speed-prototyping of virtual worlds for storytelling and games
Lecture: introduction to speed-prototyping and a 3D interactive survival kit for designing virtual spaces
Tutorial: Creating 3D video textures in a virtual world. Download the tutorial
Group assignment: Compare look and
feel of photographic projects attempting to present 2D images in a
3D form. Post you comments about the following projects: http://labs.live.com/photosynth/
...
Assignment: Create a virtual diaorama with photographs and a virtual camera. Tool: Maya
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Class 3. Webcams and textures, loading dynamic images
Lecture: Interactivity + textures: how to display images of the physical world inside a virtual world
Tutorial: Capturing the viewer's gestures and postures: motion detection and Maya paint effects tutorial
Reading assignment: Text from Luc Courchesne
Assignment: Create an virtual world with paint effects objects connected to a video input.
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Class 4. Ways of animating virtual characters
Lecture: Animations by examples: basic transformations (translate, rotate, scale), forward kinematics, inverse kinematics, morphing
Tutorial: How to setup a 3D character with forward kinematics
Reading assignment: Text about gaming from Stephane Natkin. Check his book Video Games and Interactive Media: A Glimpse at New Digital Entertainment
Assignment: Create an animated character Download tutorial
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Class 5. Interacting with sound: dynamic sound inputs and 3D sound
Lecture: Interactive sound design inside a virtual world
Tutorial: How to design a 3D scene with sounds
Reading assignment: Text about sound in games, also sound projects by Antoine Schmitt, http://www.gratin.org/as
Assignment: Design a 3D interactive sound environment with and without visuals
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Class 6. Re-creating motion for interactive animations
Lecture: Introduction to 3D interactive animations
Tutorial: How to animate facial expressions following a human voice Download tutorial
Assignment: Design a simple interactive animation of a talking head controlled with a sound input using volume and pitch. Tools: Maya or Virtools
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Class 7. Interaction with live sound input
Lecture: Live sound input and spatialized sound
Tutorial: How to animate digital 3d puppets following live sound input Download tutorial
Assignment: Design a 3D interactive puppet following live sound input.
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Class 8. Creating interactive environments for storytelling
Review of Mid-term assignments
Tutorial: From maps to 3D terrains. Introduction to designing terrains in Photoshop and Maya Download tutorial
Assignment: Fast prototyping of several interactive terrains. Tool: Maya, Virtools
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Class 9. Interactive characters, viewer
Lecture: Interactive storytelling: Playfulness and interactivity.
Tutorial: Interactive character inside a scene. Using Nintendo Wii with interactive characters
Assignment: Design a demo of an interactive character walking on a terrain, a multi-sensorial user interface blending several input devices.
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Class 10. Playing with motion capture data
Lecture: Motion capture for interactive characters
Tutorial: Motion capture for cameras and interactive characters
Assignment: Create an interface between a virtual space and the web. Final project pitch. Download tutorial
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Class 11. Mapping the workflow for your final project
Lecture: Designing levels of viewer's experiences for your final project
Tutorial: How to map assets, interactivity and viewer's experience for your final project. Download roadmap
Assignment: Research for Final project presentation.
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Class 12. Designing a miniature spherical projection on a small dome and other small immersive environments
Lecture: Immersive experiences
Tutorial: How to set-up and use an immersive spherical system
Assignment: Final project 50%
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Class 13. Final project reviews |
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| Class 14. Presentation of final projects |