This past week, we had a look at what it takes to program the graphics pipeline. We look at GLSL code to implement shaders, and JavaScript code using WebGL to send triangles down the pipeline. And hopefully, the loose ends of Programs 3 and 4 are wrapped up.
Next week, you’ll get to try out all that stuff we discussed: you’ll write shaders (for P5) and then use those shaders in a JavaScript WebGL program (P6). We’ll also move on to talk about lighting and texturing – which will give you more interesting things to use shaders for in the future.
The readings we’ll do a little differently this week. For reading 6, we’d like you to go back to review those readings from last week (reading 5) on GLSL and WebGL programming. Your “quiz” is that you’ll need this material to do Programs 5 and 6. The next reading (reading 7) will be due after we discuss it in class – however, we recommend you take a look this week to help you digest what is going on in class.
So the schedule:
- Monday (10/12) – Programming Assignment 5 – write some shaders. They aren’t very big.
- Monday (10/12) – Reading Assignment 6 – is really just reading assignment 5 again. There’s no quiz.
- Tuesday (10/13) – Lecture on Lighting Basics. We’ve talked about it a little, but now you’ll get a lot more. You may wish to skim the readings ahead of time, and then read them more carefully after the lecture (it will be part of reading 7)
- Thursday (10/15) – Lecture on Texturing Basics. This will make fragment shaders make a lot more sense. You may wish to skim the readings ahead of time, and then read them more carefully after the lecture (it will be part of reading 7)
- Thursday (10/15) – Programming Assignment 6 – you’ll actually write a WebGL program. Yes, it will be frustrating at first.
- Monday (10/19) – Reading Assignment 7 is really due – it will be easy, since we’ll have discussed the main points in lecture. There will be a quiz, which will be good practice for the exam.
