instructor information

Professor Kim Heintz

textbook, readings and materials

The following things are required for the course.

• there will be reading assignments of web articles and online tutorials
• 2 gig or more (4 gig is very handy) flash memory (As a last resort, you can use Dropbox)
• vimeo account
• Sketchbook or notebook (something to draw/sketch on)

important rit deadlines

Last day of add/drop is March 13, 2011.

Last day to withdraw with a grade of “W” is April 29 (the deadline for withdrawing from a course with a W grade is the end of the 6th week of the quarter). Forms may be obtained from your department office and need your instructor’s signature.

NOTE: Department policy states that a student has one quarter to challenge any grade. After that, grades cannot be challenged.

course description

This course provides a theoretical framework covering principles of animation and its use in gaming to affect user experience. Emphasis will be upon principles that support character development and animation that show cause and effect. Students will apply these principles to create animations that reflect movement and character appropriate for different uses and environments.

course goals and objectives

Upon completion of the course, students will have a working definition of animation systems and techniques for digital media. Students will be able to create rudimentary animation cycles with an understanding of effective visual communication of physical attributes of inertia, momentum and transformation. Emphasis will be upon rendering movement.

prerequisites

2nd year standing in the BS in Game Design and Development or New Media

grading

assignment	% value	due date
experimental animation	15%	Week 3
rotoscope	10%	Week 4
Character I – Motion Cycle	15%	Week 6
Character II – Animation	15%	Week 7
animatic of the final project	5%	Week 8
exquisite corpse	10%	Week 9
final project	30%	scheduled exam time

Grading scale:
A: 90-100
B: 80 – 89
C: 70 – 79
D: 60 – 69
F: Anything below 60

Projects submitted after the due date/time will lose 5 points for each day that they are late. If you know that a situation will prevent you from turning something in, contact me in advance of the deadline to make alternate arrangements.  Late projects are accepted up till the day of the final exam.

If you wish to dispute your final course grade, you must do so before the end of the quarter following this one; otherwise documentation of your work may be discarded.

academic honesty policy

Please review the IT department and RIT policies academic dishonesty.

final notes/disclaimer

Any or all of the previous information is subject to change or adjustment during the quarter.