Austin Yarger - Michigan Game DevTeaching Faculty, Computer Science and Engineering - Game Development / XR / Animation
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Austin Yarger
Austin YargerTeaching Faculty, Computer Science and Engineering - Game Development / XR / AnimationComputer Science and Engineering
3611 Beyster Bldg.2260 Hayward St.Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2122

EECS 298 : 3D Technical Art and Animation

Learn how to create 3D characters, objects, environments, materials, armatures, animations, and more in Blender. Then, explore how to integrate these assets into technical ecosystems such as the Unity game engine, bringing them to life (dynamic hair, flowing lava, characters that respond interactively to look at nearby objects, etc).

Learn more at eecs298.com.

From animated Hollywood blockbusters and beloved game franchises to laboratory visualizations, educational / training simulations, medical 3D printing and historical preservation – the fields of 3D art and animation have achieved impact far beyond their traditional and treasured roles in artistic expression. In time, they have also become extraordinarily technical, to the point where combining the two– 3D art and the technology needed to give it life– has become its very own essential role. That of the Technical Artist.

“EECS 298 : 3D Technical Art and Animation” is an open-to-everyone art and technology course that empowers students with the knowledge and experience to…

  • Create their very own low-poly characters, objects, and environments in 3D authoring software (Blender).
  • Program special effects and animation-control logic to achieve interactivity “beyond the T-pose”.
  • Integrate 3D assets into game engines, bringing them to life in a responsive, interactive manner (Unity).
  • Create animations relevant to the gameplay of typical 3rd-person games (running, jumping, posing, etc).
  • Bring digital objects and prototypes to the real-world via 3D printing services and techniques (UM fab lab)
  • Bring real-world objects to the digital world via photogrammetry scanning services and techniques (3D Lab)
  • Communicate effectively with both artists and programmers in a 3D art and animation context.

Course topics are planned to include (at an introductory level)–

Basic Computational Geometry, 3D asset formats and representations, 3D topology, asset optimization, basic animation techniques, armature design, 3D content authoring, UV mapping and textures, basic materials and lighting / shader logic, asset-to-engine pipelines, open source tools (Blender), 3D printing and photogrammetry, etc.

Students will conclude the course with a portfolio of 30+ low-poly models, along with a functional, shareable, 3D platforming game (think Super Mario 3D World) featuring student-made (and student-integrated) playable characters, environments, NPCs, and objects. The course staff will provide some of the programming– you produce the 3D assets and game engine integration that brings it all together.