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POV Break D. Reusable objects

This page contains links to all resources mentioned in POV Break D of the textbook.

Three Keys scene file

Click to download the POV source code for the three keys scene.

Tinker Toys files

Click to download the INC file for the Tinker Toys example project, or download the POV file for the example Tinker Toys scene.

Project Information for Instructors

When my students do this project, I create a wiki page in our course management system (Blackboard) that contains instructions for how they can post their work to that wiki.  I create one central page that is empty, and students claim a category and a set of objects within it by editing the central page and creating a section for their category, and putting a few objects within that section, attached to their name.  It might look like the example shown below.  They make their name and object list a link to a new wiki page, and place all their writing there.

Furniture

Coffee table, sofa, and bookcase – John Doe

Lamp, dining room table, and ottoman – Jane Doe

Toys

A variety of Lego bricks – Juan Doe

(etc.)

Everyone is required to make different objects. Although more than one person can work within a category, they cannot make the same objects.

Having the whole class share their material in a central location like this makes it possible, in later projects, for students to use not only the few objects they created in this project, but the many objects created by the entire class.  In my experience, many final projects take advantage of this repository of objects.  It's nice for a student to see their work picked up by someone else and used in a new context; they can see that their work was appreciated and useful.

Here are example categories I provide to give people ideas and guide them into categories that are rather reusable.

  • Furniture (chair, desk, lamp, bookshelf, etc.)

    Reusable because: Lots of indoor scenes can be made to look more realistic by adding some furniture.

  • Houses (ranch, cape, mansion, high-rise apartment complex, castle, etc.)

    Reusable because:Lots of outdoor scenes can be made to look more realistic by putting several common outdoor objects like houses together in the background (or the foreground).

  • Signs (road signs, billboards, green interstate direction signs, rest room signs, etc.)

    Reusable because:These can be used to decorate any scene in which they could realistically appear, and therefore add realism and detail.

  • Tableware (plates, cups, spoons, bowls, glasses, napkins, etc.)

    Reusable because:Any still life scene could reasonably include objects like these.

  • Food (fruit, bread, cookies, etc.)

    Reusable because:Same reason as previous

  • Office supplies (book, stapler, phone, pen, picture frame, coffee cup, etc.)

    Reusable because:Same reason as previous

  • Any particular brand of toys (e.g., one category is LegoTM blocks, another is Tinker ToysTM, another is Lincoln LogsTM, etc.)

    Reusable because: One could make an entire POV scene out of just one type of toy.  The example I do for this project (which is already on the wiki) is done using Tinker Toys.

  • Any other category you come up with, as longs as its objects are likely to be usable in future scenes. E.g., bad ideas include "electric guitars" and "bunny slippers." Build something that you and/or your classmates may find useful in future projects.

I use the following grading criteria.

Appropriately staking your claim to three useful objects, thereby ensuring that you do not duplicate someone else's work 15%
Creating three objects, and somewhere in your work using one of the concepts documented in the POV tutorials our class created in the project from POV Break C
(You must state in your wiki post which tutorial concept you used.) 		15%
Including an image for each object you created 15% (5% each)
Including all the necessary specifications for each object you created 15% (5% each)
Including an example scene that uses your three objects together 10%
Ensuring your submission is clear so that others can easily use your objects 10%
Posting an .inc file that fits the requirements given in the text, and named after the pattern from the project in POV Break B
(That is, Project-D-Nathan-Carter.INC, but with your name instead.) 		10%
Creativity and/or artistry, or simply going beyond the call of duty
There is clearly room for creativity/artistry in this project, the first where you create original objects! 		10%