aesthetic computing (cap 4403, cap 6402)

Spring 2008

• CLASS SPECIFICS
  • Grading and Deliverables
    • Project # 1 (Individual): Second Life Model 10%
    • Project # 2 (Individual): Time Series 10% Exhibit: photos
    • Project # 3 (Individual): Equation 15%
    • Project # 4 (Team): Process Flowchart 20%
    • Project # 5 (Team): Machinima 30% YouTube videos
    • Team Talk (on Project # 5): 10%
    • Participation (Team Talk and SL Notecards): 5%
  • Instructor: Dr. Paul Fishwick and Teaching Assistant: Kyle Johnsen
  • Office Hours: Fishwick, 332 CSE (M,W 3PM - 4:30PM); Johnsen, 333 CSE (T4-5:30PM, Th4-5:30PM)
  • News group + list
  • 
  • Aesthetic Computing Main Area
  • Pop culture connections:
    • Tron for its visual rendition of abstract software elements - CPU, networking, data transfer and storage.
    • Myst for its surreal environment, and machines similar to the models of software (that affect the narrative). One needs to understand how a machine operates (i.e. semantics) by understanding its structure (i.e., syntax). Detail on a machine within Exile.
  • Events in Class: SL Exhibits, Lectures, In World Tutorials
  • Related Books (not required for class): Aesthetic Computing Create Your World
  • Material from invited speakers:
    • Douglas: Schemas
    • Taylor: Games/Narrative
    • Lok: Mixed Reality Media Equation Reality Continuum
    • Park: LibSecondLife
  • INTRODUCTION (1 WEEK) Overview of Class Requirements, Aesthetic Computing with examples
  • VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS (2 WEEKS)
    
  • Virtual Environment Introduction - Podcasts
  • Wikis: Main Education
    • Second Life Introduction
      • Overview of the Client-Server Technology
      • Approach to land and projects on Aesthetica
      • Exploring the Client Interface
      • Avatar Construction and Maintenance
      • Communication among avatars
      • Basic Avatar Movement
      • Moving the Camera
      • Geometric primitives and building:
        ** Project 1 assigned around here **
        • What is possible: Suzanne Vega's Guitar
        • Basic Tutorial
        • Building Tips
        • Ivory Tower of Prims
        • Sculpted prims and Tools: Rokuro, Wings3D
        • Trees/Grass: Second Chance Trees
      • Permissions: explanation
      ** Project 2 assigned around here **
    • Scripting with Linden Scripting Language (LSL)
      • LSL portal LSL tutorial Scripts
      • Animation with QAvimator with Tutorial
      • Scripting using PHP and XML-RPC. See: weather (PHP example), factorial (PHP example), factorial (XML-RPC example)
      • Machinima Methods (Filming Path) and Basic Editing 1 2
  • Human Interaction Devices
• SOFTWARE MODELS (2 WEEKS)
  • Representing Information/Data (3 DAYS)
    • Information Interaction Sites: Infosthetics
    • Datum/Number, Vector, Array
    • Tree, Graph overview
    • Semantic Network
    ** Project 3 assigned around here **
  • Representing Process (1.5-2 WEEKS)
    • State Machines
    • Finite State
    • Markov Model
    • Petri net
  • Flow Graphs
    • Control Flow (Flow Chart)
    • Data Flow
    • System Dynamics Method
  • Mining Software in Stories: Approaches, Techniques (1 DAY)
    ** Project 4 assigned around here **
• REPRESENTATION (2 WEEKS)
  • Deciding on a target representation (1 WEEK)
  • First person vs. third person avatar perspective
  • Map for encoding relations in software
    ** Project 5 assigned around here **
  • Creativity Mapping: Analogy Memory Theatre/Palace: 1 2 Bead Game
• PRESENTATIONS (REMAINDER OF SEMESTER)