Game Design + 3D Modeling

SUMMER 2020

CLASS SYLLABUS

DAY/TIME/PLACE

June 2020

Instructor: Bruce Donald Campbell

Faculty, Continuing Education - RISD, Providence, RI
Director, Bruce Donald Consulting, Providence, RI

Email: bcampbel01@risd.edu bcampbel01@risd.edu

Prerequisites: None

DESCRIPTION

Art meets mathematics when you combine visual and technical approaches to create game elements using Blender, a free, open source 3D modeling tool. Through object-making exercises, Blender fundamentals are explained and put to use. The course covers viewport and navigation, interface management, select and transform, vertex, edge and face refinement of model sub-objects, and illustration for object aesthetics for use in a 3D game concept. You'll be able to export your game components to be presented in any web browser, and can then use them for future integration into online games. Join us for this compelling course, where the logical mind and the creative mind converge.

GRADING

Class participation - 20%
Homework exercises - 40%
Class projects - 40%

RESOURCES

- On-line Readings as identified below

CLASS LINKS

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students will learn:

  1. the basics of 3-D Modeling through using the popular open source software called Blender.
  2. the concept of a viewport when exploring 3-D content and the physics associated with navigation.
  3. specific skills for building and modifying 3-D objects appropriate for inclusion in a 3-D video game.
  4. selection and transformation specifics associated with a complex hierarchical object model.
  5. the math behind creating 3-D models via vertices, edges, and faces.
  6. and experience the potential to write computational code to generate objects procedurally.
  7. how to storyboard and prototype a game concept through critique with other modelers.


SYLLABUS

JUNE
22

blender as 3-d modeling tool

For week one, we will focus on considering Blender as a 3-D Object Modeling Tool and get an orientation as to what we can expect to get accomplished in a six-week course

By the end of this week you will: 

  • have been introduced to Blender software and 3-D object modeling in general
  • understand relevant Blender interface components
  • explore a relevant project and discuss 3-D object modeling as a creative, expressive medium

Readings/Materials/Videos:

Explore the three.js home page to get a sense of how 3-D objects are integrated with web games
Get a sense of WebGL as the prominent graphics library for web graphics.
Read about what is 3-D modeling and what is it good for

JUNE
29

web game physics

For week two, we will focus on expanding our Blender knowledge and how game physics are implemented in Web games

By the end of this week you will: 

  • understand Blender's viewport and all its significant manipulation features for navigating around a 3-D model
  • have been introduced to JavaScript as a language for Web game physics
  • understand why three.js is the most popular WebGL-based language for most artists and designers

Readings/Materials/Videos:

Explore the three.js home page to get a sense of how 3-D objects are integrated with web games
Get a sense of WebGL as the prominent graphics library for web graphics.
Read about what is 3-D modeling and what is it good for

JULY
6th

creating 3-d models

For week three, we will focus on creating 3-D objects with Blender and exploring editing features to iterate upon the design of our objects.

By the end of this week you will: 

  • gain comfort in using the Blender interface to build and modify 3-D models
  • participate in our first object building studio and integration activity
  • participate in a design critique and understand the benefits of pursuing critical feedback from others

Readings/Materials/Videos:

Explore the three.js home page to get a sense of how 3-D objects are integrated with web games
Get a sense of WebGL as the prominent graphics library for web graphics.
Read about what is 3-D modeling and what is it good for

JULY 13

3-d web languages

By the end of this week you will: 

  • have been introduced to useful tools for using Blender to iterate upon 3-D model design
  • gained experience with object transformation and integration into a larger context, such as a game concept
  • been introduced to aggregate, complex 3-D objects and the usefulness of a model hierarchy

Readings/Materials/Videos:

Explore the three.js home page to get a sense
Get a sense of WebGL as the prominent graphics library for web graphics.
Read about what is 3-D modeling and what is it good for

JULY 20

vertices, edges, and faces

By the end of this week you will: 

  • have been introduced to a mathematical context for considering 3-D models
  • have played around with a procedural modeling script
  • worked with a pipeline of procedural generation to handcrafted modification
  • learned how to use Blender tools to manipulate and interrogate geometry

Readings/Materials/Videos:

Explore the three.js home page to get a sense of how 3-D objects are integrated with web games
Get a sense of WebGL as the prominent graphics library for web graphics.
Read about what is 3-D modeling and what is it good for

JULY 27

putting it all together

For week six, we will review the whole process of 3-D web game creation, with a focus on 3-D objects and how they integrate into a game engine.

By the end of this week, you will:

  • have created a final 3-D model and exported it as an object to be used in a web game.
  • have participated in the final critique and object integration activity
  • have gained confidence in understanding the Slant game code used throughout the course
  • have gained a roadmap as to where to turn next to build upon the skills learned in this class

Readings/Materials/Videos:

Explore the three.js home page to get a sense of how 3-D objects are integrated with web games
Get a sense of WebGL as the prominent graphics library for web graphics.
Read about what is 3-D modeling and what is it good for