05-331 Building Virtual Worlds

Units: 12.0 Department: Human Comp. Interaction Cross-listed: 05-831 , 48-563 , 51-348 , 53-831 , 54-364 , 60-501 Related URLs: http://www.hcii.cs.cmu.edu This is a project course, where interdisciplinary teams build desktop and immersive (helmet-based) interactive virtual worlds. The course will cover world building, environmental design, non-linear storytelling, and related topics. Students will use 3D Studio Max (CAD modeler), paint tools, such as Adobe PhotoShop and DeepPaint, sound processing tools, and the Alice authoring system (www.alice.org/bvw.htm). Each year, we hold an exhibition in McConomy auditorium to show class projects to the Carnegie Mellon community. The goal of the course is to take students with varying talents, backgrounds, and perspectives and put them together to do what they couldn?t do alone. The course is targeted at undergraduates, but grad students may also enroll. To enroll, students must have ONE of the following skills: Modeling with 3D Studio Max Painting using shadow/shape/light in a realistic style Programming, as evidenced by using the Alice system (www.alice.org) Ability to compose and record original music Storyboarding Production tracking Other relevant skills The key thing is that there are no "idea people" in the course; everyone must share in the mechanical creation of the worlds. This is a hands-on course and it takes a lot of time, but most students find it very fulfilling and fun. Note that we don?t try to teach artists to program, or engineers to paint; we form teams where everyone does what they?re already skilled at to attack a joint project. We are scheduled for 2 weekly meetings, 2.5 hours each. These slots are roughly split between regular lectures, display/critique of group projects, and guest lectures.

Popularity index Rank for this semester: #0 Rank in this department: #0   Students also scheduled 18-321 Analysis and Design of Analog Circu... 15-495 Special Topic: Computational Molecu... 69-134 Beginning Golf 60-130 3-D Media Studio I 98-037 Student Taught Courses (StuCo): Int... 82-271 Intermediate Japanese I 15-869 Special Topics in Graphics 15-463 Rendering and Image Processing 85-261 Abnormal Psychology 54-192 Acting for Non-Majors

Spring 2005 times

No sections available for semester Spring 2005.