COSC422-25S2 (C) Semester Two 2025

Advanced Computer Graphics

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 14 July 2025
End Date: Sunday, 9 November 2025
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 27 July 2025
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 28 September 2025

Description

This course focusses on concepts and algorithms in three application domains in the field of Computer Graphics: OpenGL-4 shader development, three-dimensional mesh processing, and character animation. The topics covered in the course include real-time rendering using tessellation and geometry shaders, image-based rendering using frame buffer objects, non-photorealistic rendering, advanced illumination models, mesh processing algorithms, quaternions, scene graphs, skeletal and keyframe animations, and motion kinematics

Covid-19 Update: Please refer to the course page on AKO | Learn for all information about your course, including lectures, labs, tutorials and assessments.

A list of topics covered in the course is given below:

• OpenGL-4 Shader Programming
Terrain programming
Sprites and particle systems
Non-photorealistic rendering
Image based rendering

• Mesh Processing
Half-edge data structure
Mesh simplification algorithms
Mesh subdivision algorithms

• Character Animation
Quaternions
Motion capture data
Scene graphs
Skeletal animation
Inverse kinematics

Learning Outcomes

1. Implement and analyse real-time rendering algorithms [WA1, WA2, WA5, WA12]
2. Develop graphics applications for terrain modelling and particle system rendering [WA1, WA2, WA3, WA4, WA5]
3. Understand and analyse complex mathematical structures used in advanced graphics applications [WA1, WA2, WA4]
4. Design and implement methods for mesh processing and character animation [WA1, WA2, WA3, WA4]
5. Develop, analyse and improve advanced GPU-based algorithms for a wide range of applications [WA1, WA2, WA4, WA5, WA12]

University Graduate Attributes

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attributes specified below:

Employable, innovative and enterprising

Students will develop key skills and attributes sought by employers that can be used in a range of applications.

Prerequisites

1) COSC363 2) Subject to Approval of the Head of Department

Timetable 2025

Students must attend one activity from each section.

Lecture A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Wednesday 10:00 - 11:00 Meremere 105 Lecture Theatre
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct
Lecture B
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Tuesday 12:00 - 13:00 A9 Lecture Theatre
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct

Timetable Note

Please note that the course activity times advertised here are currently in draft form, to be finalised at the end of January for S1 and whole year courses, and at the end of June for S2 courses.

Please hold off enquiries about these times until those finalisation dates.

Course Coordinator

Ramakrishnan Mukundan

Assessment

Covid-19 Update: Please refer to the course page on AKO | Learn for all information about your course, including lectures, labs, tutorials and assessments.

Additional Course Outline Information

Grade moderation

The Computer Science department's grading policy states that in order to pass a course you must meet two requirements:
1. You must achieve an average grade of at least 50% over all assessment items.
2. You must achieve an average mark of at least 45% on invigilated assessment items.

If you satisfy both these criteria, your grade will be determined by the following University-wide scale for converting marks to grades: an average mark of 50% is sufficient for a C- grade, an average mark of 55% earns a C grade, 60% earns a C+ grade and so forth. However if you do not satisfy both the passing criteria you will be given either a D or E grade depending on marks. Marks are sometimes scaled to achieve consistency between courses from year to year.

Students may apply for special consideration if their performance in an assessment is affected by extenuating circumstances beyond their control.

Applications for special consideration should be submitted via the Examinations Office website within five days of the assessment.

Where an extension may be granted for an assessment, this will be decided by direct application to the Department and an application to the Examinations Office may not be required.

Special consideration is not available for items worth less than 10% of the course.

Students prevented by extenuating circumstances from completing the course after the final date for withdrawing, may apply for special consideration for late discontinuation of the course. Applications must be submitted to the Examinations Office within five days of the end of the main examination period for the semester.

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $1,176.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see Computer Science and Software Engineering .

All COSC422 Occurrences

  • COSC422-25S2 (C) Semester Two 2025