Computer Game and Animation Techniques a brief history

Computer Game and Animation Techniques – a brief history CSE 3541/5541 Matt Boggus

• Computer – using a computer • Game – a form of play with rules and an objective • Animation – moving things that can’t move themselves • [Motion] Techniques (or Algorithms) – Procedural • Geometry transformations • Physically based • Behaviorally based – Artist or User assisted • Curve following – Data-driven

Motion • Moving Line, 3 different frame rates http: //www. somosnerds. com. br/noticias/ima gens/390/files/fps_1. gif • Camera Video Frame Rate Comparison https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=e 54 Q 1 KX Rm. X 0

Computer Graphics application areas • • • Film/TV/Ads Computer-aided design Visual arts Scientific visualization Computer games – Esports, speedrunning, physical training and rehabilitation, VR

Exemplar of current tools – Maya

Exemplar of current tools – Unity

Heritage of animation • • • Early devices Conventional animation Disney and the 12 basic principles of animation Stop motion animation Computer graphics animation

Early animation devices • Thaumatrop • Flipbook and Zoetrope – Pixar example

Conventional animation • Notable early animated films – Humorous phases of funny faces – Gertie the Dinosaur (@7: 04 ) • Can we quantify how much effort to make this film? • Number of frames * time per frame • Making a Hand Drawn Animated 16 mm film – Layering, cells, etc. – Compare to the use of sprites

12 Principles of Animation • • • Squash and stretch Arcs Secondary action Slow in & slow out Anticipation Exaggeration Solid drawing Appeal In-between v. straight ahead Follow-through Staging Timing To summarize: Simulate physics Make it appealing Effective presentation Enhancing production: Rotoscoping Animation reuse Delegation (keyframing), now partial or full automation

Animation production • • • Production->sequence->shot->frame Storyboard: the proposal Model sheet: consistency Animatic: storyboard with timing Key frames & in-betweens Test shot Pencil tests Inking: drawings onto cells Painting: coloring in Sound: voice, body, special effects, background

Production • Pencil tests – examples – Avoid cost of inking and painting • For computer animation – Possible costs to avoid: shadows, physics, articulation, textures, facial animation, interpolation

Production tasks Story Dept. Art Dept. Modeling Dept. Lighting Dept. Animation Dept. Rendering Dept.

Computer graphics and animation pervade film For another look at the history of animation, check out The Art of Animation and Motion Graphics | Off Book | PBS

Computer game history eras • • • First games, consoles Video game crash 8 and 16 bit eras 32 and 64 bit eras Current era For more on the history of games, check out The Video Game Revolution | PBS

Not enough time to discuss all game types

Game development process • • Concept Design document Prototype Production – Design, Levels – Programming – Art, Audio • Testing • Deployment • Maintenance

Types of game programming • Game engine – Graphics – Animation • • Artificial Intelligence Sound Game logic / scripts User Interfaces Networking Databases Development tools Systems/Parallel programming

http: //www. newgamernation. com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/vgdevcost. jpg Read more at: http: //vgsales. wikia. com/wiki/Video_game_costs http: //www. forbes. com/2006/12/19/ps 3 -xbox 360 -costs-tech-cx_rr_game 06_1219 expensivegames. html

http: //www. newgamernation. com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/game-cost. jpg (Data from Forbes 2006 study)

ADDITIONAL SLIDES

History of computer graphics and rendering • See 5542 Real Time Rendering Coursework and Notes

Principles of Filmmaking • • 180 degree rule of thirds types of shots 3 -point lighting tilt framing focus the viewer’s attention

Storyboard

List of games with now open-source code • id software titles ftp: //ftp. idsoftware. com/idstuff/source/ • Duke Nukem 3 D http: //www. eduke 32. com/ • Serious Sam http: //www. croteam. com/serious -sam-source-code-released/ • Penumbra: Overture http: //frictionalgames. blogspot. com/2010/05 /penumbra-overture-goes-open-source. html