Before we start Boeing night at RIT Welcome to Virtual Theatre - PDF document

Before we start � Boeing night at RIT Welcome to Virtual Theatre � March 28th � 6-8pm � Xerox Auditorium (Building 9 -- 2nd floor) � Co-ops + full time � S. California, Virginia, Washington, Florida QuickTime™ and a TIFF (LZW) decompressor are needed to see this picture. First Things First Plan for this afternoon � Logistics � This is 4003-590-09 / 4005-769-09 � Answer the questions � (Virtual Theatre) � What is this course about? � I am Joe Geigel…your host! � How will the course will run � What exactly is Virtual Theatre…in general & specifics � How do I fit in � More logistics -- software licensing � But first… � attendance Logistics Logistics � Course Web Site: � mycourses � http://www.cs.rit.edu/~ jmg/vtheatre � Announcements � Contact: � Dropboxes � office hours: T 9-11 / R 10-12 or by appt. � Grades… � Office: 70 (GCCIS) Rm 3527 � Discussions(?) � e-mail: jmg@cs.rit.edu � phone: 475-2051 � E-mail � Be sure that your e-mail is being forwarded � Slides: correct. � Will be available (in B&W – PDF) on Web site. 1

Logistics More Logistics � Official Prerequisite – one of the following: � Computing Environment � Computer Graphics 1(CS 570/761) � ICL6 � Foundations of 3D Graphics Programming (IT 502) � Windows Machines � 3D Graphics Programming (IT 735) � Maya � However… � RenderWare � Need expertise in � Rakknett � Graphics Progamming � Need SAMBA account � Basic programming � Breakout Room 2 � Audio � MoCap development � Networking � Logistics � Need access � … Virtual Theatre VR and Theatre � Virtual Theatre � A distributed computer system whereby performers, stage crew, and audience can be in physically separate places yet share in the same live theatrical performance. Logistics Logistics � This is a project based course � Collaboration � Teams will be assembled � Within teams � Each team will build a VT software component � Components will be connected via a common networking � Between teams infrastructure. � With artists in School of Design � Team Web site! � Grad students as team leaders! � Questions so far? � Collective goal: � To build the framework for a virtual theatre system � Test the framework out on short virtual performance. � Have the system fully documented for next time. 2

How will the course be run? How will the course be run � Schedule will be aggressive � Checkpoints � Weeks 1 � Periodic Status checks � Intro material � Team formation / definition � Weeks 3,5,7 � Weeks 2 – 8 � At least 1 intermediate deliverable � Group work � Demo � Lectures: status meetings / updates / working sessions � Checkpoint deliverables vary by team � 3 checkpoints � Week 8 -- 10 � Will be established in Week 2 � Rehearsal � Finals Week � Performance How will the course be run Important dates � Checkpoint 1 � Status meetings � Demo: March 30 th � Announcements / new developments � Checkpoint 2 � News from the artistic side � Demo: April 13 th � Updates � Checkpoint 3 � Demo: April 27 th � Mini-deliverables � Rehearsal and Performance Schedule � TBD � Weeks 8 -- 10 + Finals � Guaranteed team working time. � Actual dates TBA Assessment – Team Grade Grad Students � Team grade � In addition, Grad Students will be � Each checkpoint (20 points) assessed: � Deliverable + demos � Leadership Role -- Leader evals � Working with final performance (20 points) � Peer review -- Evaluation of teams from those not in � Documentation -- Team documentation is teams responsibility of leader. � Teammate Evaluation (20 points) � Evaluation of students from teammates � Other deliverables -- as agreed upon with � All members on team start with same grade… instructor. 3

Assessment Plan for today � Answer the questions Graduate Undergrad � What is this course about? Team Grade 60% 80% � How will the course will run � What exactly is Virtual Theatre…in general Final Exam 15% 20% & specifics � How do I fit in Grad 25% � Any questions? Deliverables Virtual Theatre Virtual Theatre Integration of distributed virtual � Art and Technology Collaboration reality / gaming technologies into the theatrical storytelling process. � Our experiments in theatrical storytelling � Live…action takes place in a distributed virtual space � Performers / crew control from a physical space � Active Audience Participation � Visuals � Technology � Lighting / Staging Spring 2004 - present Motivation Motivation � Machinimation (Fountainhead Entertainment) � Machinima a new form of filmmaking that uses computer games technology to shoot films in the virtual reality of a game engine. Anna (2003) -- Fountainhead Entertainment http://www.fountainheadent.com 4

Cinema vs. Theatre Why Start From Scratch? � Gaming Engines � Cinema � Theatre � Provide object oriented graphical abstraction � Recorded � Live � Performs real time rendering � Editted � Real time � Provides networking infrastructure � Requirements for theatrical use � Passive Audience � Active Audience � Adapt to use theatrical metaphor / language � POV of filmmaker � POV of audience � Physical control of virtual characters and staging � Theatrical components designed by artisans. Gaming Engines System Architecture � API � Set of programming libraries used to create 3D games participant � Implies use of low level language (C, C+ + , Java) � Scripting Systems � Extending of existing games (Mods) ฀VIRTUAL THEATRE LAYER � Game specific language � Constrained by capabilities of game / script ฀ Gaming Engine � Examples � Quake II Graphics API Sound API Networking API � Unreal Tournament � Second Life Graphics Sound Network To display Hardware Hardware Hardware To network ฀฀ ฀฀ ฀฀ To speaker Network Layout The Virtual Theatre Layer ฀ � Objects to be defined � Components of a ฀ on virtual stage theatrical production � Actors � Action ฀ ฀ � Stage Manager � Staging ฀ ฀ � Audience Member Virtual � Audience stage � Orchestra � Sound / Music ฀ ฀ 5

Actor Objects Local device control Local device control component � Controls characters on stage Local control object � Actors have associated avatar(s) on ฀ Shared control object virtual stage. ฀ � Specific control of avatar behavior defined by subclasses of Actor Shared Virtual stage ฀ ฀ Actor Objects Actor Objects � Example 2 � Example 1 � Flock of bees ( What’s the Buzz? Spring 2004) � Emiline ( Getting By -- Spring 2005) setLeadBee() Dataglove Device Control gesture Device Control Emiline object Flock object moCap moCap signals signals setJoints() setEmotion() Staging Staging � Set and Lighting Design � What’s the Buzz? � Created by artistic team � Imported into Virtual Stage � Controllable Components � Triggering of Cues � Continuous Events � Puppets 6

Staging Stage Manager Object � Controls dynamic staging, lighting, and � Getting By sound effects � Triggering of predefined cues. � Stage manager object manages cues and allows for manual (or automatic) triggering of these cues. � Object in virtual space Stage Manager Audience � Each audience member is also an object in the virtual space Lights � May (or may not) have a physical avatar Stage Mgr object Device Control � Human audience member connected via Props audience device control control � Interactivity Sound signals � Control of what the audience sees control() Playing Games with the audience Playing Games with the audience � Interactivity ( What’s the Buzz?) � Perspective ( What’s the Buzz?) 7

Playing Games with the audience Playing Games with the audience � Special Effects � Critters (Spring 2006) � Rose colored glasses � Audience decides to see visions or not. Questions? This year’s production � Let’s take a break… � CRITTERS � Story � After break: Critters! � Audience Participation Critters Critters � Preliminary list of critters � Models from Design Team (CIAS) � Critter in refrigerator � Modeled using Maya � Critter cat on chair � Models � Synchronized swimming critters in soup pot � Skeletons � ‘hand’ critter in flower pot � Skins � Bird critters with head lights outside LR window � Predefined animations � Critter in living in TV? � To be exported in BVH format. � Dancing broom critter 8