Virtual Environments/

3D WEB

Kathleen Ruiz, Assistant Professor of Electronic Art & Information Technology

email: ruiz@rpi.edu phone: 518-276-2539

office: DCC 122 office hours: Tuesday 10:00-12:00 PM and by appointment

Course Meetings: Thurs 10 AM to 1:50 PM,

(Sage Intel Studio Lab 4711 10-12PM, & Sage 2112 12-2PM)

Rich Czyzewski, Teaching Assistant email: czyzer@rpi.edu

Fall and spring terms annually, 4 credit hours

Please keep all your files well organized and streamlined. All files including images, scans, and animations must be under 1 MB each for studies #1-4 and under 3 MB each for studies #5-7. Please plan, model, place, edit & polish your work, always remembering to optimize. Preview & test at each step, before publishing to the web. All worlds should always be under 10,000 polygons.

#2: Create & post your 3D Portrait or "Avatar"

#3: Visualize a dream or fantasy or a datascape by creating a spatial environment that uses JavaScript

#4: Create an interactive 3D Map of a real place, embed a trigger to activate a viewer action

#5: Create a collection of objects and embed sound into 2 of them - do any new meanings emerge?

#6: Create 3DWEB on line instructions for a product, service, or other E-commerce exchange

#7: Create a collaborative world with a fellow student (gaming prototypes will be accepted)

It is required for you to articulate your final project in an artist statement of one to two paragraphs whereby your concept, methodology and references are stated.

It will be required for you to print one dynamic view of most your favorite short study world and one print of the final project world.

• 35% Short studies (5% each x 7)

• 15% Midterm Project

• 50% Final Project with artist statement & digital prints

Letter grade equivalents for the course are as follows:

90 - 100 A

80 - 89.99 B

70 - 79.99 C

60 - 69.99 D

0 - 59.99 F

If you are concerned about your grade at any point during the semester, please do not hesitate to contact me or schedule an appointment during office hours.

An active RCS account. Extra storage space (approximately 20 MB of disk space will be provided for you) and three PC formatted 100MB ZIP disks.

General: Please keep in mind that manuals are for your use in class and lab. You will sign out & be responsible for them. They are very useful as reference guides. Try not to batter or deface the equipment in any way or lose files and folders belonging to our class or other classes. Please report lab problems to me in class or lab staff during lab times immediately. Please follow the guidelines for working in each studio very carefully, as you will be held personally responsible for problems you incur.

• Always save onto your zip, Jazz or into your account as files left on the hard drive will be removed.

• Also, please keep in mind the highly addictive aspects of working with computers. Many people lose track of time and later wonder why they have severe back, neck and eye problems. It is a good idea to take a rest every 15 to 20 minutes. Look up or beyond your computer or, better still, at a long distance to relax your eyes. Take a walk or stretch. Fatigue can lead to frustration. Stay in touch with your body's needs. Working with computers can at times be frustrating. Before having a breakdown, take a break.

Spalter, Ann Morgan. The Computer in the Visual Arts. Addison Wesley Longman, Inc., 1999.

Kelly, Kevin & Adam Heilbrun. "Virtual Reality: An Interview with Jaron Lanier", The Whole Earth Catalog. Cali.: 1993. Reality Check with Jaron Lanier, 1995.

Hollands, Robin. The Virtual Reality Homebrewer’s Handbook. West Suxxex, England:1996.

Postman, Neil. Technolopy: The Surrender of Culture to Technology. New York:

Vintage Books, 1993.

Baudrillard, Jean. Simulations, New York, Semiotext(e), Inc., Columbia University, 1983.

Stone, Allucquere, Rosanne. The War of Desire and Technology at the Close of the

Mechanical Age. Cambridge, Mass.: The MIT Press, 1995.

Laurel, Brenda. The Art of Human Computer Interface Design. New York: Addison Wesley,

1990.

Malraux, André. "Museum Without Walls". In The Voices of Silence.New Jersey: Princeton

University Press, 1978.

Dodsworth, Clark Jr., Digital Illusion: Entertaining the Future with High Technology,

Chapter 11 PLACEHOLDER: Landscape and Narrative in Virtual Environments, by Brenda Laurel, Rachel Strickland & RobTow, pgs. 181-208

Chapter 12 Beyond Shoot your Friends: A Call to Arms in the Battle Against Violence, by Celia Pearce, pgs, 209-228

Moser, Mary Anne and MacLeod, Douglas. Immersed in Technology: Art and Virtual Environments. Cambridge: The MIT Press, 1996.

Bender, Gretchen & Druckery, Timothy. Culture on the Brink. "Making Sense Out of Nonsense" by Gary Chapman

Virilio, Paul. The Lost Dimension. New York, Semiotext(e), Inc., New York: Columbia University, 1991.

0-07-001632-1 Copyright 1998.

Casey, Steven. Set Phasers on Stun : And Other True Tales of Design,

Technology, and Human Error, 1998 Aegean Pub Co; ISBN: 0963617885

Benedict, Michael. Cyberspace: First Steps.Cambridge: The MIT Press, 1994.

Morse, Margret. Virtualities : Television, Media Art, and Cyberculture

(Theories of Contemporary Culture) Indiana Univ Pr; ISBN: 0253211778

Damer, Bruce. Avatars!: Exploring and Building Virtual Worlds on the Internet. Peachpit Press, 1998.

Graham, IanS. HTML Sourcebook, A Complete Guide to HTML 3.0, end ed. John Wiley & Sons, 1996.

Ritchin, Fred. In Our Own Image. New York: Aperture, 1990.

Gombrich, E.H. Art & Illusion: A Study in the Psychology of Pictorial

Representation. New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1960.

Boyer, Christine, Cybercities, Labrynths of the Mind and the City –

Real and Virtual pgs 45-71

Gibson, William. Neuromancer. New York: Ace Book, 1984.

Stephenson, Neal. Snow Crash, New York, Bantam Spectra, 1996.

Pimentel, Ken & Teixeira, Kevin. Virtual Reality: through the new looking glass. New

York: Intel/Sindcrest/McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1993.

Kandinsky, Wassily. Concerning the Spiritual in Art. New York: Dover Publications, Inc.,

1977.

Penley, Constance, Ross, Andrew eds., Technoculture. Minneapolis: University of

Minnesota Press, 1991.

Lemay, Laura. Teach Yourself Web Publishing with HTML in a Week, 3^rd ed.

Dams.net Publishing, 1998.

Weiman, Lynda. Deconstructing Web Graphics, 2. New Riders, 1997.

Ames, Andrea L.; Nadeau, David R.; and Moreland, John L.. VRML 2.0 Sourcebook.

New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1997.

Hartman, Jed; Wernecke, Josie; and Carrie, Rikk. The VRML Handbook : Building

Moving Worlds on the Web. New York: Addison-Wesley Pub Co, 1996.

Roehl, Bernie; Couch, Justin; Reed-Ballreich, Cindy; Rohaly, Tim; and Brown, Geoff.

Late Night VRML with Java. New York: Ziff-Davis Press, 1997.

Lyotard, Jean-Francois. "Can thought exist without a body?". In The Inhuman. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press, 1991.

Jacobs, Karrie. "Robobabes: Why Girls Don’t Play Video Games", in I.D. May/June, 1994.

Kantrowitz, Barbara. "Men, Women & Computers" in Newsweek, May 16, 1994, pp. 48-52. Tannen, Deborah. "Gender Gap in Cyberspace" in Newsweek, May 16, 1994, p. 52-53.

Heidegger, Martin. "The Age of the World Picture". In: M. Heidegger, The Question

Concerning Technology and Other Essays. New York: Harper & Row, 1977.

Kitchens, Susan A. The QuickTime VR Book : Creating Immersive Imaging on Your Desktop Peachpit Pr; ISBN: 0201696843

De Goes, John,& Lampton, Christopher F.. Cutting-Edge 3d Game Programming

With C++ , The Coriolis Group; ISBN: 1883577705

Class Websites:

Perry Hoberman's BarCode Hotel:

http://www.portola.com.people/perry/Barcodehotel

Ghostcatching

VRML Consortium

http://www.web3d.org/

VRML Art

http://www.vrml-art.org/

Victoria Vesna’s Bodies Inc.

Web3D Roundup

VRML Repository

http://www.sdsc.edu/vrml/

@Art Gallery

Blaxxun

http://www.blaxxun.com/vrml/avatarden/

ColonyCity

Blaxxun specifications

VRML Humanoid Animation Working Group

Spazz3D

VRML97 Specification

http://www.vrml.org/Specifications/VRML97/

Cosmo

http://www.cosmosoftware.com/

Lunatic - best of

http://www.lunatic.de/index.htm

VRMLSite

http://www.vrmlsite.com/

MetaStream

http://www.metastream.com/

WEEK 1.

* Explore 3D web sites of previous classes, & others

Discussion about the possibilities of art that is dematerialized.

The Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) is a file format for describing interactive 3D objects and worlds. VRML is designed to be used on the Internet, intranets, and local client systems. VRML is also intended to be a universal interchange format for integrated 3D graphics and multimedia. VRML is used in a variety of application areas such as engineering and scientific visualization, multimedia presentations, entertainment and education, web pages, and shared virtual worlds. As always, there are new formats emerging such as X3D & others. We will try to stay abreast of these changes.

• Students show one of their best works next class meeting as an entry way to further work in the class

Study #1 Create an object within an object and set 4 different viewpoints what, if any, context or narrative emerges? (turn off collision detection)

Read: Spalter, Ann Morgan. The Computer in the Visual Arts. Addison Wesley Longman,

Inc., 1999.

WEEK 2.

• Overview: Manipulating Objects, Property Inspector, Viewer controls, Accelerator controls

Look at avatars on line View & discuss portraits & avatars

Discuss: Spalter, Lanier

Assignment: Study #2: Create & post your 3D Portrait or "Avatar".

Read: Hollands, Robin. The Virtual Reality Homebrewer’s Handbook. West Suxxex, England:1996.

WEEK 3.

Discuss: Hollands, Robin. The Virtual Reality Homebrewer’s Handbook. West Suxxex, England:1996.

Assignment: prep for Study #3 Visualize a dream or fantasy or a datascape by creating a spatial environment using JavaScript

Read: Postman, Neil. Technolopy: The Surrender of Culture to Technology. New York: Vintage Books, 1993.& Baudrillard, Jean. Simulations,New York, Semiotext(e), Inc., Columbia University, 1983

WEEK 4.

Troubleshooting Studio

Discuss: Postman & Baudrillard

Assignment: prep for Study #4: Create an interactive 3D Map of a real place, embed a trigger to activate a viewer action

Read: Stone, Allucquere, Rosanne. The War of Desire and Technology at the Close of the Mechanical Age. Cambridge, Mass.: The MIT Press, 1995.

WEEK 5.

Sept 3 Shift in Crits now stressing user interaction

• Present Study #4 : Create an interactive 3D Map of a real place, embed a trigger to activate a viewer action

Discuss: Stone

Troubleshooting Studio

Visiting Artist

Assignment: prep for Study #5: Create a collection of objects and embed sound into 2 of them - do any new meanings emerge?

Read: Laurel, Brenda. The Art of Human Computer Interface Design. New York: Addison Wesley, 1990.

& Malraux, André. "Museum Without Walls". In The Voices of Silence.New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1978.

WEEK 6.

Present Study #5: Create a collection of objects and embed sound into 2 of them - do any new meanings emerge?

Discuss: Laurel & Malraux

WEEK 7.

Oct 14 STUDIO prep for midterm

WEEK 8.

Assignment: prep for Study #6: Create 3DWEB on line instructions for a product, service, or other E-commerce exchange

& Chapter 12 Beyond Shoot your Friends: A Call to Arms in the Battle Against Violence, by Celia Pearce, pgs, 209-228

WEEK 9.

*Students present study #6: Create 3DWEB on line instructions for a product, service, or other E-commerce exchange

Discuss: PLACEHOLDER: Landscape and Narrative in Virtual Environments & Beyond Shoot your Friends: A Call to Arms in the Battle Against Violence

Assignment: prep for Study #7: Create a collaborative world with a fellow student

Read: Moser, Mary Anne and MacLeod, Douglas. Immersed in Technology: Art and Virtual Environments. Cambridge: The MIT Press, 1996.

Check out Perry Hoberman's BarCode Hotel work at:

http://www.portola.com.people/perry/Barcodehotel\

& Bender, Gretchen & Druckery, Timothy. Culture on the Brink. "Making Sense Out of Nonsense" by Gary Chapman

WEEK 10.

Present Study #7 Create a collaborative world with a fellow student

Discuss: Immersed in Technology: Art and Virtual Environments

Culture on the Brink. "Making Sense Out of Nonsense" by Gary Chapman

WEEK 11.

Discuss: Moser, Mary Anne and MacLeod, Douglas. Immersed in Technology: Art and Virtual Environments. Cambridge: The MIT Press, 1996. Perry Hoberman's Bar Code Hotel

& Culture on the Brink "Making Sense Out of Nonsense" by Gary Chapman

Assignment: prep for Final Project Review & create artist statement

Read: Virilio, Paul. The Lost Dimension. New York, Semiotext (e), Inc., New York: Columbia University, 1991.

WEEK 12. Nov 18

WEEK 13.

Nov 2 OFF Thanksgiving

Assignment: prep for Final Project

WEEK 14.

EMAC Event 5-8PM

WEEK 15.

Discuss: Virilio, Paul. The Lost Dimension

least twice a week for class information. Some essential class information is communicated by email only.

Collaboration and discussion about class projects is actively encouraged, and is in no way considered cheating. This is a studio course, and personal ownership of information is not deemed to be appropriate. Projects are expected to reflect personal endeavor, but may also be collaborative in nature.

Class attendance is mandatory. As an enrolled student, you have made a commitment to this class, and your attendance is a significant part of that commitment. Attendance will be taken at every class. Two (2) unexcused absences will result in a reduction of one entire letter grade. An absence is considered excused if the student has informed the course instructor by phone, email or in person before the beginning of the class and the excuse is considered reasonable by the instructor.

Generally we will meet Tuesdays in Sage 4711 for studies review and demos of techniques and Thursdays in Sage 2112 for readings