Throughout this module, students will develop the process to create assets and apply the necessary techniques to get the look of a high-poly model. They will also perform the different processes to create textures and maps. Students will further use the rendering engine to create images and insert different bitmaps, applying lighting techniques to visualise the models with a high level of detail.

Canvas Based Quizzes assessing parameters for a rendering and visualisation project, in a defined media type 25% LO1

Portfolio of work of industry-standard digital lighting and rendering techniques 75% LO 2,3,4

1 Hour Lecture 2 per week
Hour Workshop per week

1. Evaluate a brief to establish the parameters for a rendering and visualisation project, in a defined media type Analysis

2. Develop and manage assets for rendering and visualisation Problem Solving

3. Apply industry-standard digital lighting and rendering techniques, for a defined media type. Application

4. Present final visualisations, and development work, for a defined media type. Communication

Advances.realtimerendering.com- Advances in Real-Time Rendering in 3D Graphics and Games (Research)
Docs.unity3d.com -Unity User Manual All sections (Documentation)
Docs.unrealengine.com -Unreal Engine Documentation All sections (Documentation)
Highend3d.com -HighEnd3D (General Reference/Tutorials/Assets)

AHEARN, L. (2017) 3D Game Environments: Create Professional 3D Game Worlds.2nd ed. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.
BIRN, J. (2014) Digital Lighting and Rendering. 3rd ed. Indianapolis, IN: New Riders.
GALUZIN, A. (2016) Preproduction Blueprint: How to Plan Game Environments and Level Designs. World of Level Design, LLC.GRESS, J. (2015) Visual Effects and Compositing. Indianapolis, IN: New Riders.
KENNEDY, S. (2013). How to Become a Video Game Artist: The Insider's Guide to Landing a Job in the Gaming World. New York: Watson-Guptill Publications.
PHARR, M. & JAKOB, W. (2016) Physically Based Rendering: From Theory to Implementation. Cambridge, MA: Morgan Kaufman.

Whether we are aware of it, computer generated imagery (CGI) is a feature of nearly every form of visual media. This ranges from the overt, as we might see in high-concept science-fiction films, or less apparent, as in the presentation of products in print publications. Similarly, it may be photorealistic, communicating objects and environments that approximate reality, or it may be more stylised, like animated characters for a children’s television programme.

The process of bringing 3D models and animations to life, with some sense of reality or style, requires the application of material, texture, lighting and effects. Whether to create a photorealistic environment for a game, or the stylised characters of an animated film, it is through the processes of rendering and visualisation that 2D and 3D models are brought to life. This module explores this process.