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Syllabus

UCBUGG (CS 98/198) COURSE OUTLINE

UC Berkeley Undergraduate Graphics Group is a casual bunch of students at Berkeley who think the fusion of technology, art and entertainment increasingly possible today is pretty darn cool, and an area where our university lacks in available coursework.

 LOCATION 200 Sutardja Dai Hall (CITRIS)
 DATE AND TIME Tuesdays, 5:00-7:00pm OR Wednesdays, 4:00-6:00pm
 UNITS 3 units for P/NP
 CLASS SIZE   20 students per class
 QUESTIONS staff@ucbugg.com

REQUIREMENTS

Every semester UCBUGG fills up very quickly, so we have a set of requirements students must meet to be in the class.
  • You must attend the first three classes (exceptions are made if staff is emailed beforehand)
  • You must get your name and email on the class sign-up sheet on the first three days
  • You must do the first homework assignment as detailed in the syllabus below
If we still have too many students after these requirements, we sadly have to drop some students. In this case, students who have been turned away previously get first priority. Secondly, seniors and juniors are given priority over freshmen and sophomores, simply because freshmen and sophomores will have more chances to take UCBUGG in the following semesters.

GRADING

In order to pass the class, you must meet all the following requirements:
  • Complete 3 of the 4 project checkpoints as detailed in the course syllabus
  • Perform all the mandatory homework assignments
  • Not miss more than 3 lectures. If you miss more than 3 lectures, you will need to come talk to us
  • Complete the final project
SEMESTER SCHEDULE

Note: The schedule is subject to change.  Any revisions will be announced in class and posted here.

    Lecture 1: Welcome to UCBUGG - January 19, 2010 / January 20, 2010

    • What is UCBUGG? And why is it so cool?
    • Course and Topic Overview
    • Movies from previous semester
    • Story overviews
      • Sample pitches

    MANDATORY Homework (due Monday, January 25 @ 11:59PM): 

    1. Write up a story pitch.  It should be about 2 to 3 sentences long describing the basic idea of your story.
    2. Send us an email giving your (1) name, (2) major, (3) year in school, (4) if you've tried to get into UCBUGG a previous semester, (5) why you want to be in UCBUGG, and (6) what lecture section you can attend (Tuesday or Wednesday).
    3. Send both of these in an email to homework@ucbugg.com with subject "HW1" no later than 11:59PM on Monday, January 25. 

    Note: Failing to send an email with these two items will very highly diminish your chances of getting into the class.

    Lecture 2: Introduction to Maya - January 26, 2010 / January 27, 2010

    • Introduction to Maya
      • Learn the basics of the Maya interface
        • Menu overview
        • Creating basic shapes
    • Lab: Basic Modeling Part I - Create a robot!
      • Creating models from basic shapes
      • Extrusion

    MANDATORY Homework: 

    1. Get a copy of Maya for your computer.  We do not have any way of checking if you actually do this assignment, but we highly recommend you get a copy early on since there will not be enough time to finish your final project in class and in office hours.

    Note:  The final class roster will be decided before the next class.

    Lecture 3: Form Groups / Story Pitches / Story Boards - February 2, 2010 / February 3, 2010

    • Register computer accounts
    • Once upon a time...
      • Pitch story ideas to class
      • Vote on the best story ideas
    • Form groups
    • Lab: Story Boards

    MANDATORY Homework:     

    1. Create a list of models that will be needed for your animation.  You should have them listed by category such as main characters, sets, props.
    2. Create a storyboard for your group's story.  Scan/photograph your storyboard images and save them in a zip file.
    3. Email both of the above with subject "HW3-groupname" to homework@ucbugg.com.  You only need to send one email per group, but please put all group member's names in the email.

    Lecture 4: Basic Modeling Part II - February 9, 2010 / February 10, 2010

    • Lab: Basic Modeling Part II - Making a toilet
      • Creating complicated objects using simple geometry
      • Subdivision surfaces, split faces - vertices, faces, edges

    Recommended Homework: 

    1. Draw front and side profiles of the main characters in your story.  Here is an example of what it should look like: http://cloud.cs.berkeley.edu/~cnm190/runaway/index.php/image-gallery.  Also, start drawing some of your sets.
    2. Start modeling! You will have enough to get basic set pieces and basic character models at this point. You should have an emphasis on your main characters and anything that will need to be given a skeleton for animation.

    Lecture 5: Advanced Modeling - February 16, 2010 / February 17, 2010

    • Lab: Advanced Modeling - Froggy
      • Creating complicated, organic models
      • Edge loops, topology, advanced mesh topics

    Recommended Homework:

    1. Continue modeling!  You should be about 75% done by next class.  Don't procrastinate or you'll miss the first checkpoint!

    Lecture 6: Project Management / Managing shots - February 23, 2010 / February 24, 2010
     
    • How to successfully collaborate with 3D animation
    • Group email, file sharing
    • File versioning, references, project layout
    • Creating shot files
    • Lab:  Project management
      • Setting up project files into scene/model/rig/animation-shot files
      • Creating references
    • Work on finishing up your models

    CHECKPOINT Homework (due Tuesday, March 2/Wednesday, March 3 @ beginning of class):

    1. The first checkpoint is next week!  Your group must have most (>75%) of your modeling completed at this point to get checked off.

    Lecture 7: First Checkpoint / Basic Rigging - March 2, 2010 / March 3, 2010

    • First checkpoint!
      • Critiquing of models
    • Lab: Basic Rigging - Giving a lamp a skeleton
      • Creating basic rigs for simple characters
      • Importance of good hierarchy
      • Joints and join chains, forward/inverse kinematics
      • Parent constraints, rigid binding, smooth binding

    Homework:

    1. Start rigging any completed characters. If you did not meet the first deadline, have some people in the group start creating basic skeletons for the characters.

    Lecture 8: Advanced Rigging - March 9, 2010 / March 10, 2010

    • Lab: Advanced Rigging
      • Driven Keys
      • Blend Shapes
      • Connection Editing
      • Hypergraph?

    Homework:

    1. Continue rigging your characters.

    Lecture 9: Setting Up a Camera and Set / Basic Animation - March 16, 2010 / March 17, 2010

    • The 12 Principles of Animation - Squash, Stretch
    • Cameras in Maya
      • No shaky crazy animated cameras
    • Process of animation in Maya
      • Blocking
      • Animating the rig
      • Using graph editor to perfect motion
    • Lab: Basic Animation
      • Key framing, deformation lattice, motion curves, graph editor
      • Advanced graph editor
        • Spline tangent, breaking tangent, move/scale keys, dope sheet

    CHECKPOINT Homework (due Tuesday, March 30/Wednesday, March 31 @ beginning of class):

    1. The second checkpoint is next week!  Your group must have most (>75%) of your rigging completed at this point to get checked off.


    SPRING BREAK 2010!! - March 23, 2010 / March 24, 2010


    Lecture 10: Second Checkpoint / Character Animation - March 30, 2010 / March 31, 2010

    • Second Checkpoint!
      • Critique of rigging
    • Lab: Character Animation
      • Blocking
      • Animating the rig
        • Overshoot, anticipation, weight distribution, secondary motion

    Homework:

    • Start animating your characters

    Lecture 11: Expressions/Particles/Dynamics - April 6, 2010 / April 7, 2010

    • Lab: Expressions/Particles/Dynamics
      • Using expressions to program a car's wheels
      • Create smoke/explosions using particles
      • Simulate a catapult attacking a castle

    Homework:

    • Continue animating your characters. Deadline is soon!

    Lecture 12: Shading - April 13, 2010 / April 14, 2010

    • Lab: Shading
      • Materials, bump mapping, textures
      • Setting up basic rendering
      • Hypershade network
      • UV mapping

    CHECKPOINT Homework (due Tuesday, April 20/Wednesday April 21 at beginning of class):

    1. The third checkpoint is next week!  Your group must have most (>75%) of your animation done by the beginning of class next week

    Lecture 13: Third Checkpoint / Lighting and Rendering - April 20, 2010 / April 21, 2010

    • Third Checkpoint!
      • Critique of animation
    • Lab: Lighting and Rendering
      • Lighting
        • Spotlights, area lights, point lights
        • Light intensity, light fog
        • Shadows
      • Rendering
        • Scanline, raytracing, batch rendering
        • Maya software, hardware, Mental Ray
        • Playblasts

    Homework:

    1. Start shading and lighting your scenes.



    Lecture 14: Advanced Lighting/Rendering - April 27, 2010 / April 28, 2010

    • Advanced Lighting/Rendering
      • Motion blur, depth of field
      • Ambient occlusion
      • Reflections, refractions
      • Mental Ray in general
    • Remaining lab session to finish your animation

    CHECKPOINT Homework (due Tuesday, April 27/Wednesday April 28 at beginning of class):

    1. The fourth and final checkpoint is next week!  Your group must have your project done by the beginning of the viewing party.

    Lecture 15:  Viewing Party! - Week of May 3 during RRR week

    • Fourth checkpoint!
      • Final Project Due
    • Kick back, relax, and watch some movies