CS 5964/6964: Interactive Machinima

Spring 2009


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Course Objectives

This is a project-oriented class designed to teach you the skills to produce Machinima.


Prerequisites

Successful completion of CS3500.


Communication

Communication in the class is via mailing lists:


Hardware/Software Used to Support Class

The laboratory part of the class will be in our 130/124 EMCB Instructional Lab or on your own computers. 

We will be using Windows in order to run the tools. You can get Microsoft Software from the MSDN Microsoft Academic Alliance.  Simply email opers@eng.utah.edu with your eng.utah.edu login information and they will get you set up.


Textbooks

None


Teams

Much of the work during the semester will be in a team.  Choosing a team wisely is important. 


Assignments

This is a project class, so the assignments will be few.  Our current plan is for you to demonstrate knowledge of using the various tools and then work on a final Machinima.

  1. Enhance a map with sets and props and make a movie of what you created
  2. Add characters to your set
  3. Make a short from start to finish
  4. Final project

Quizzes and Exams

As a project class, we do not anticipate any quizzes or exams.  But things may change as we go along.


Grading Information

Points will be given for the various assignments and the final project.


Re-grading

Should you discover what you think is an error in grading, you have only TWO WEEKS after the grades are posted to request a regrade.  The procedure you should use is to first go and see the TA who did the grading and see if you can get it resolved.  If you are still unsatisfied, then you should go and see Professor Kessler.


Homework Due Time

Unless otherwise stated in the homework assignment, all homework solutions will be due by class time (that is noon) on the homework due date. The time that we use for the hand in of a homework is the creation time of the source file in the submit directories. Be careful not to overwrite a file and wipe out its creation time.


Homework Late Policy

Assignments will not be accepted late—with the following exceptions:

Any late assignment that is not accompanied by a valid late-day usage will not be accepted. There are no exceptions or excuses; the late days are intended to cover unforeseen circumstances.

No late days can be used for the final project.


Individual Work

The purpose of the homework is to improve your skills at solving problems and demonstrating that you have absorbed the class lecture material. Collaboration with other class members is acceptable when discussing the homework problems and how to go about solving them.

However, the code that you write must be your own. Sharing code or using someone else's code is considered plagiarism and will be dealt with using standard College and University procedures. This is a copy of the policy.

During the team phase of the course, collaboration and sharing of code with your team members is of course expected.

Note, here is the student code.


Flake Out

During the team phase, if a team member flakes out and doesn't do the work assigned to them, then we reserve the right to adjust the scores accordingly.  This may mean adjusting the person not doing their job lower and possibly, in rare occurrences, adjusting the rest of the team higher (because they had to cover for the person "flaking out").  If this starts to happen at any point during the semester, please inform Professor Kessler IMMEDIATELY.


Appeals Procedures, Withdrawal Procedures, Repeating Courses, Adding Courses, and Americans with Disabilities Act

The information on these topics is college wide and provided here.