Shader Lab is an introduction to shaders for game designers that are artists first, and technicians second. This course attempts to bridge gaps in the necessary knowledge and establish the contextual foundation to allow students to make sense of the disparate sub-disciplines necessary to meaningfully express themselves aesthetically in a rendered environment. Ultimately, Shader Lab is a primer for students seeking to create unique and expressive aesthetics for their digital games. The course empowers designers by providing a conceptual and functional understanding of 3D rendering in order to enable the design and implementation of their personal style.
Tag Archives: Fall 2020
The Visual Music Experience (REMU-UT 1228)
Can you listen to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” without envisioning the zombie transformation? What about Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” without seeing the accompanying choreography? Both of those songs, along with countless others, have benefited from the groundbreaking visuals that have accompanied them. From the Classic Rock films of the 1960’s to the MTV revolution of the 1980’s and 1990’s to the innovations of YouTube and Virtual Reality, this class will examine how the convergence of visual and auditory mediums has created some of the most impactful art. We’ll extract the great lessons from the pieces we study and utilize our production skills to create videos, on-stage visuals, and songs of our own. We’ll also investigate how the creation of videos alongside songs has disrupted the marketing and sales fates for the music industry multiple times. The weekly class structure will alternate between one 90min lecture/discussion course and one 90min production course where we will be collaborating on creating new content for each assignment together.
Recorded Music (Undergraduate)
2 credits – 15 Weeks
Sections (Fall 2020)
REMU-UT 1228-000 (16036)09/02/2020 – 12/13/2020 Thu12:00 AM – 3:00 PM (Early afternoon)at Washington SquareInstructed by
Creative Experiments with Emerging Music Technologies (REMU-UT 9815)
This unique course introduces students to innovative and cutting-edge technologies sound, video, and interfaces that are changing the way music is performed, produced and received. Music and creative technologies have shifted in the last years from preset-focused black-box devices to open and hackable hard- and software. Examples are MaxMSP (Ableton), the Kinect Motion sensor, VR Platforms or open source music instruments like Korg’s Mono series, little bits or bastl. This shift enables artists today to understand the inner workings of instruments better and engage a very different working process: these days, devices can more easily be created and manipulated, forming future tools and creating a rich variety of different media. The course consists of both a theoretical and a hands-on part, and has a workshop component. No special knowledge like programming or electronic skills is presupposed. As this course is intended for students from different disciplines, the content will flexibly be adapted to the level of knowledge of the students, especially for students with little or no technical background.
Recorded Music (Undergraduate)
2 credits – 14 Weeks
Sections (Fall 2020)
REMU-UT 9815-000 (15182)08/31/2020 – 12/10/2020 Thu3:00 PM – 6:00 PM (Late afternoon)at NYU Berlin (Global)Instructed by
Expanding Cinema New Media/The Movies & Bynd (FMTV-UT 1208)
Atari. Computer Generated Imagery. YouTube. What is new media and will it change the world? In this course we will explore diverse examples of ?old? and ?new? media including interactive web work, gaming, installations, and movies. We will use blogs, online forums, and YouTube to discuss new media?s roots in older popular media including film and literature. We will question how new media have impacted traditional narrative forms and the structure of the film industry, as well as the broader contexts of new media in a changing world culture. This course allocates as History & Criticism for Film & TV majors. COURSE SUBJECT TO DEPARTMENTAL FEES. Non-majors must process a “Permission Notice for Non-Majors” form to register for the course (subject to availability).
Undergrad Film & TV (Undergraduate)
3 credits – 15 Weeks
Sections (Fall 2020)
FMTV-UT 1208-000 (15796)09/02/2020 – 12/13/2020 Tue9:00 AM – 12:00 AM (Morning)at Washington SquareInstructed by
Introduction to Animation Techniques (FMTV-UT 41)
A beginning production course in which students learn the basic principles of animation, develop visual language, storytelling, observation, and communication skills. A freshman core production selection, but open to students at all levels. It is the prerequisite for several of the other animation and visual effects courses. Prior drawing experience is not necessary. The first half of the semester consists of weekly exercises in which students explore various styles and methods of animation including optical toys, stop motion, traditional drawn, and 2D digital animation. Students will be introduced to programs including Dragon Stop Motion, After Effects, Avid, Flash, and Photoshop. Various technical topics covered include aspect ratio, frame rates, storyboarding, editing animatics, scanning, working with image sequences, alpha channels, vector vs. raster art, compositing, rendering, using a Cintiq, and shooting stills with DSLR camera. During the second half of the semester students will complete a 15-30 second animated film with sound.
Intro to Visual Communication (OART-UT 1620)
Intro to Visual Communication builds a foundation for visual literacy and visual design thinking. The class focuses on the fundamentals of visual communication – line, color, composition, typography – as well as their application in a variety of contexts. You may or may not end up being a visual designer or artist, but all kinds of game design and development involves visual thinking. The philosophy of the class is learning by doing. Each week, in class and out of class, you will be creating visual projects on and off the computer. Sometimes you will be drawing in a sketchbook or making paper collages. Other times you will be using visual design software, such as Illustrator and Photoshop. The goal of the course is to connect the visual exercises to skills and issues related to directly to games. Sometimes we will be working on fundamental skills. Other times, we will be applying those skills to game-related problems.
Open Arts Curriculum (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks
Sections (Fall 2022)
OART-UT 1620-000 (14479)09/01/2022 – 12/14/2022 Tue2:00 PM – 4:00 PM (Early afternoon)at Brooklyn CampusInstructed by
OART-UT 1620-000 (14480)09/01/2022 – 12/14/2022 Thu11:00 AM – 1:00 PM (Morning)at Brooklyn CampusInstructed by Voshell, Burgess
Intro to Game Design (GAMES-UT 150)
This class is an intensive, hands-on workshop addressing the complex challenges of game design. The premise of the class is that all games, digital and non-digital, share common fundamental principles, and that under- standing these principles is an essential part of designing successful games. Learning how to create successful non-digital games provides a solid foundation for the development of digital games. In this workshop, students will: analyze existing digital and non-digital games, taking them apart to understand how they work as interactive systems; create a number of non-digital games in order to master the basic design principles that apply to all games regardless of format; critique each other’s work, developing communication skills necessary for thriving in a collaborative field; explore the creative possibilities of this emerging field from formal, social, and cultural perspectives; develop techniques for fast-prototyping and iterative design that can be successfully applied to all types of interactive projects.
Intro to Game Studies (GAMES-UT 110)
This class is an overview of the field of games that approaches them from several theoretical and critical perspectives. No special theoretical background or prior training is needed to take the course, but to have had a broad practical experience with and basic knowledge of games is a distinct advantage. Also, an interest in theoretical and analytical issues will help. You are expected to actively participate in the lectures, which are dialogic in form, with ample room for discussion. The course will prepare the student to: Understand and discuss games from a theoretical perspective, as well as the components of a game; Apply new theories and evaluate them critically; Assess and discuss game concepts and the use of games in various contexts; Analyze games, and understand and apply a range of analytical methods.
Marx, Nietzsche, & Freud (GERM-UA 9240)
This interdisciplinary course examines the works of Marx, Nietzsche, and Freud, three German-speaking writers who pioneered radically different and influential interpretations of modern life, which continue to shape our contemporary understanding of society and individuality. The seminar not only delves into the origins of these prominent traditions of modern Western thought, but also underscores their relevance in modern social theories and poetics. Hence, the course will also include references to the writings of their contemporaries, as well as explications of the direct and indirect influences of Marx, Nietzsche, and Freud on other writers.
German (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 14 Weeks
Sections (Spring 2020)
GERM-UA 9240-000 (9424)02/03/2020 – 05/14/2020 Mon5:00 PM – 8:00 PM (Late afternoon)at NYU Berlin (Global)Instructed by Steilen, Felix
Experiments in Augmented Reality (ITPG-GT 2037)
Is augmented reality technology about to enter the mainstream? AR platforms have finally become widely accessible to artists, designers, and technologists thanks to recent advances in mobile performance and a new collection of powerful computer vision techniques. As such, the medium offers rich possibilities for experimentation and a chance to rethink how we experience the intersection of the physical and digital. In this course, students will acquire an understanding of basic concepts and techniques necessary to prototype and build simple AR experiences – with a consideration of not just visual but also aural AR. We’ll supplement practical exercises with an overview of the history of AR, and discuss the ethical, legal, and societal considerations cropping up around this topic. Our tool of choice will be Unity, but we will go over prototyping techniques outside of the platform to speed up the design process. If there is interest, we will cover how to get started building projects in openFrameworks, mobile, or web AR – and discuss why or when you might want to work within other platforms. Even though code samples will be provided, students are highly encouraged to have a basic understanding of Unity or at least have taken an introductory programming course. A working knowledge of Unity can be gained through Unity tutorials (https://unity3d.com/learn/tutorials) or Lynda (https://www.nyu.edu/lynda).
Interactive Telecommunications (Graduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks
Sections (Fall 2021)
ITPG-GT 2037-000 (22657)09/02/2021 – 12/14/2021 Mon6:00 PM – 9:00 PM (Evening)at OnlineInstructed by
Magic Windows and Mixed-Up Realities (ITPG-GT 2122)
Magic windows that allow us to peek into different realities without leaving our physical space, lenses that reveal hidden layers of objects or navigating new universes within the same room. More than ever, mobile devices are getting a human-scale understanding of space and motion allowing us to create more intimate interactions with our surrounding spaces, leveraging them as a canvas to experience other realities. We now have the potential to give life to inanimate objects, tell stories through space, customizing private views of public spaces and recognize places we’ve never been. We’ll question what it means and how can we blend reality exploring themes such as: augmented space and new paradigms in social interaction, public space and privacy; storytelling and navigating the physical space like turning pages in a book; tangible interfaces, mixed objects and animism; Magic windows, x-ray vision, time-machines and impossible universes; Far away so close: telepresence and remote collaboration. The course will survey the past, current and up and coming technologies and experiences in Mixed Reality including environmental augmented reality and interactive projection mapping, handheld devices while fostering a strong user experience perspective on the affordances and constraints of each. We’ll research and discuss the design principles and guidelines for creating mixed reality experiences focusing on the links between real and virtual objects, interaction space and asymmetries between physical and digital worlds, environmental semantics and multimodal and tangible interaction. Technologies explored will be focusing on mobile platforms (phones, tablets) including Vuforia, SLAM, image and object recognition, depth sensing, projection mapping. Unity3D will be the development platform: students must have previous working knowledge of Unity3D and feel comfortable with independently developing using this platform. A working knowledge of Unity3D may be gained by going through the Unity 5 3D Essential Training Lynda Course prior to the course (log in to Lynda for free via https://www.nyu.edu/lynda).
Interactive Telecommunications (Graduate)
2 credits – 6 Weeks
Sections (Spring 2020)
ITPG-GT 2122-000 (23437)01/30/2020 – 03/12/2020 Thu6:00 PM – 9:00 PM (Evening)at Brooklyn CampusInstructed by Pereira, Rui
4D Fundamentals (ART-UE 314)
Course introduces student artists to the 4th dimensional concepts of TIME & MOVEMENT as the necessary building blocks of Art created by Photography, Video, Digital & Performance medias. Students will explore the attributes of TIME & MOVEMENT through project assignments that use the methods of photography, video, digital, & performance art. The course also includes a brief art history of 4D concepts spanning a wide array of subject matter from cave painting to contemporary art.
Studio Art (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks
Sections (Spring 2022)
ART-UE 314-000 (12755)01/24/2022 – 05/09/2022 Mon,Wed1:00 PM – 4:00 PM (Early afternoon)at Washington SquareInstructed by Dasgupta, Priyanka
ART-UE 314-000 (12756)01/24/2022 – 05/09/2022 Tue,Thu9:00 AM – 12:00 AM (Morning)at Washington SquareInstructed by McQuilkin, Alexandra
Video Art I for Non-Majors (ART-UE 305)
Video art has become one of the most widely used media art forms because it allows both the artistic concentration of photography & the free flowing imagery of movement. Students acquire rudimentary skills in shooting & editing while working toward a personal statement in video.
Studio Art (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks
Sections (Spring 2022)
ART-UE 305-000 (12392)01/24/2022 – 05/09/2022 Fri9:00 AM – 12:00 AM (Morning)at Washington SquareInstructed by
ART-UE 305-000 (12860)01/24/2022 – 05/09/2022 Thu1:00 PM – 4:00 PM (Early afternoon)at Washington SquareInstructed by Pryor, Gerald
Art: Practice & Ideas (ARTCR-UE 10)
’Art: Practice and Ideas’ examines key developments in the visual arts from modernity to the present. Focusing on the ways in which representations both create and reflect the values of a society, the course introduces students to the full range of expressive possibilities within the visual arts, covering painting and sculpture, as well as photography, film, video, conceptual art, and computer media. Topics to be covered include classical, modern, and postmodern relationships to politics, vision, the mind, the body, psychology, gender, difference, and technological innovation. Students will see and understand how artists have integrated perceptions of their historical moment, as well as physical and social space, into creative practices that have, in turn, had a significant impact on the culture of the time. Liberal Arts Core/MAP Equivalent – satisfies the requirement for Expressive Cultures
Art Theory & Critical Studies (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks
Sections (Spring 2022)
ARTCR-UE 10-000 (12834)01/24/2022 – 05/09/2022 Mon1:00 PM – 4:00 PM (Early afternoon)at Washington SquareInstructed by Gookin, Kirby
The Code of Music (IMNY-UT 222)
“In this course, students learn how to create musical systems –pieces that incorporate randomness, interact with their listeners, or evolve over time, in the browser. We will start by creating audiovisual instruments and sample-based interactive songs, as students review their p5.js skills and are introduced to the Tone.js music library. Then, we will turn to a structured exploration of the elements of music, focusing on rhythm, melody, timbre, and harmony. For each, we will hold listening sessions, represent and manipulate the element in code, and interact with it via a range of existing interfaces. Students will explore the possibilities that computation and interactivity open up by designing and implementing a series of interactive studies. The last few weeks of the semester will be dedicated to introducing algorithmic composition techniques such as Markov Chains and Neural Networks. During this time, students will also develop their final project: an interactive/generative musical piece that builds on their previous classwork. Throughout the course, students are encouraged to bring in their musical tastes and interests into the classroom. This class is a good fit for students who are interested in: – Creating interactive music pieces and digital instruments. – Deepening their understanding of how music works. All musically-curious students are welcome: previous experience with music and audio will be useful, but is not required. – Continuing to develop coding skills. Creative Coding or equivalent programming experience is required.”Prerequisite: Creative Computing (IMNY-UT 101)
Processing Big Data for Analytics Applications (CSCI-UA 476)
This course introduces platforms, tools, and the architectures that facilitate scalable management and processing of vast quantities of data. We will explore open source tools enabling the efficient acquisition, storage, and processing of Big Data. Students will learn about distributed storage solutions such as the Apache Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS), which supports storage of Big Data. Students will gain hands-on experience with distributed processing Apache solutions such as Hadoop MapReduce, HBase, Hive, Impala, Pig, core Spark, Spark SQL, and Spark Streaming. Other Apache big data tools covered are Sqoop, Oozie, Zookeeper, Flume, and Kafka
Computer Science (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks
Sections (Spring 2021)
CSCI-UA 476-000 (10054)01/28/2021 – 05/10/2021 Tue,Thu12:00 AM – 1:00 PM (Early afternoon)at Washington SquareInstructed by Malavet, Ann
Introduction to Animation (INTM-SHU 243)
Tangible heritage (site, object, and structure) and intangible heritage (motif, icon, character, textile, wardrobe, music, performance, language and ritual) are unseparated parts of the cultural heritage. The narrative and messaging of cultural heritage can be preserved by moving sequences, motion design and animation. The richness of heritage contents can be further disseminated and known by the dynamic media. This course aims to utilize animation and motion media to depict and preserve the richness of cultural heritage contents. 3D animation and motion graphics techniques will be addressed and applied to the storytelling. Students will be guided to research the Asian cultural heritage contents including the tangible and intangible heritage. They will further explore the visual design and production pipeline of animation. Visiting expert of interactive media design and intangible heritage performance will get involved to share the insights to the students. Prerequisite: None. Fulfillment: IMA/IMB elective.
Interactive Media Arts (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks
Sections (Fall 2022)
INTM-SHU 243-000 (17303)09/05/2022 – 12/16/2022 Mon,Wed4:00 PM – 5:00 PM (Late afternoon)at ShanghaiInstructed by Chen, Wu Wei
Application Lab (INTM-SHU 110)
Application Lab is an intensive project-driven course where students explore current challenges and opportunities at the intersections of emerging media and innovation through the lenses of design, prototyping and innovation. The course seeks to help students understand how these high-level concepts intersect with skills to form the basis for new applications of technology and human industrial art. At the end of this course, students will be able to think critically and holistically about not only what makes innovations possible but will also how to utilize emerging media technologies and ideas to bring innovations into the world that respect and acknowledge the values of design, iteration and innovation. Prerequisite: None. Fulfillment: IMA Major Other Foundation/Electives; IMB Major Emerging Media Foundation/ Interactive Media Elective.
Interactive Media Arts (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks
Sections (Fall 2022)
INTM-SHU 110-000 (17280)09/05/2022 – 12/16/2022 Wed9:00 AM – 11:00 AM (Morning)at ShanghaiInstructed by
INTM-SHU 110-000 (17282)09/05/2022 – 12/16/2022 Wed11:00 AM – 12:00 AM (Morning)at ShanghaiInstructed by
Interaction Lab (INTM-SHU 101)
In this foundation course students will be asked to think beyond the conventional forms of human computer interaction (i.e. the keyboard and mouse) to develop interfaces that consider the entire human body, the body’s capacity for gesture, as well as the relationship between the body and its environment. Students will learn the fundamentals of electronics and programming as they build projects using the Arduino microcontroller platform. Arduino is a small computer based on open source hardware and software. When used in conjunction with various sensors and actuators, Arduino is capable of gathering information about and acting upon the physical world. In addition to these physical computing techniques, students will also learn to harness the methods of traditional computation. The fundamentals of programming will be explored using the Processing programming language. Processing has a simplified syntax and an approachable computer graphics programming model, making it an ideal platform for first-time programmers. Students will gain a deeper appreciation of the expressive possibilities of computation as they learn to author their own software and systems and not simply use off-the-shelf solutions. Additional topics will include algorithmic drawing and animation techniques, digital modeling and fabrication, data exchange, manipulation, and presentation, as well as control of images, audio and video, including computer vision techniques. Structured weekly exercises are aimed at building specific skills, however students are free to pursue their own diverse interests in their midterm and final projects. Prerequisite: None. Fulfillment: CORE AT; IMA Major Other Foundation; IMB Major Emerging Media Foundation.
Interactive Media Arts (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks
Sections (Fall 2022)
INTM-SHU 101-000 (17258)09/05/2022 – 12/16/2022 Tue,Thu9:00 AM – 11:00 AM (Morning)at ShanghaiInstructed by
INTM-SHU 101-000 (17259)09/05/2022 – 12/16/2022 Tue,Thu11:00 AM – 12:00 AM (Morning)at ShanghaiInstructed by
INTM-SHU 101-000 (17266)09/05/2022 – 12/16/2022 Tue,Thu1:00 PM – 3:00 PM (Early afternoon)at ShanghaiInstructed by
INTM-SHU 101-000 (17267)09/05/2022 – 12/16/2022 Tue,Thu3:00 PM – 4:00 PM (Late afternoon)at ShanghaiInstructed by
INTM-SHU 101-000 (17269)09/05/2022 – 12/16/2022 Fri11:00 AM – 12:00 AM (Morning)at ShanghaiInstructed by
INTM-SHU 101-000 (17270)09/05/2022 – 12/16/2022 Fri1:00 PM – 3:00 PM (Early afternoon)at ShanghaiInstructed by
VR / AR Fundamentals (INTM-SHU 280C)
Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality represent, respectively, visions of “being” somewhere else or augmenting your present environment. These visions are not new, but new technologies have made it possible to produce experiences unlike anything before, particularly through the use of headsets, spatial audio, touch sensors, and custom location-based installations. These new technologies are becoming small, powerful, and inexpensive, and as a result we are witnessing the birth of a powerful new medium, new art form, and new industry – all very quickly. The speed of VR and AR growth has created both opportunity and confusion. “VR / AR Fundamentals” takes a long, deep perspective. We will overview such basic elements as audiovisual resolution and fidelity; spatiality and immersion; other senses such as touch, smell, taste (and even mind); input and interactivity; and live and social. We’ll look at distinctions such as cinema versus games, movies versus models, public versus personal, real world versus fantasy worlds, linear versus interactive, and narrative versus ambient. These elements and distinctions will be presented partially as technical but in an understandable way for general liberal arts students, and will rely heavily on experiencing content and keeping up with current events. That’s the first half-semester. The second half-semester we’ll concentrate on collectively producing a series of timely and relevant projects, all short, entertaining, and useful to others exploring the world of VR / AR. Prerequisites: None Fulfillment: IMA Major Electives; IMB Major Interactive Media Elective.
Interactive Media Arts (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 16 Weeks