CS 467 - Project Three: Open Season

Objective

For your final project, I would like you to show me what you have learned. You can produce almost anything you like. I have just a few requirements for you.

Requirements

• The piece should in some way make use of one of the more advanced techniques we have talked about in the later half of the class: simulation, autonomous agents, or other AI technique
• The piece should be sufficiently complex that you feel comfortable that it represents the culmination of what you have learned in this class.
• There should be a clear vision, with an implementation that follows through on it
• Everything should work

Going beyond

You are welcome, and encouraged, to stretch beyond what we have done in class. Maybe you want to add some sound? use the camera? incorporate other libraries? That would be great! As I said a few classes back, the tail of the course will be a bit of a smörgåsbord of random topics of interest. If I know enough in advance what you hope to use, we might be able to spend some time on it in class. So let me know sooner rather than later what you think you would like to do.

Getting Started

1. Click the GitHub classroom link
2. Clone the repository GitHub classroom creates to your local computer (in your shell, type git clone and the name of the repository)

Deadlines

There will be several deadlines for the project.

• 2023-05-02 2:15p - Submit a proposal on Canvas
• 2023-05-08 5:00p - Submit a first draft
• 2023-05-15 5:00p - Everything should be fully submitted

The proposal should be typed into the Canvas text entry field. It should

• clearly describe what you want to do
• list the techniques that you will make use of
• list anything you will need to learn in order to complete it
• list any challenges you forsee in completing it

For the draft, just add a commit to git with a commit message labeling it as the first draft (more advanced git users can use a tag). The README should have a dated section that describes the current state of the draft, including

• what are you current happy with
• what are you not currently happy with
• what questions do you have about it
• what are the biggest challenges going forward

Ideas

I know it can be difficult to be told "Go make art". Some of you may have some ideas of what you want to do, but if you don't, here are some prompts to potentially get you moving.

• Create some digital nature. A Generative landscape, virtual creatures, or both.
• Represent memory
• Create an instrument that can be used to perform images (and maybe sound)
• Rethink the alphabet. Draw your own glyphs maybe even animate them.
• Rethink text. Use text as an input to a generative process.
• Rethink data. Use data as input to a generative process. Perhaps make a data self-portrait using data about you
• Rethink communication.
• Use the camera to react to the viewer

Reflection (Different from previous assignments -- please read)

For the final submission, I would like you to write a brief reflection in the README file.

Start with a description of the piece and what you were trying to accomplish. Describe the skills and techniques you brought to bear on the piece.

In a second section I would like you to answer the following questions:

• Do you think it is complete?
• If not, what would you still like to add or change?
• What part are you most proud of?
• What part are you least proud of?
• What was the hardest part?
• What, if anything, have you gained by completing this project?

Revisions

If you revise your submission, please add a dated addition to your reflection that describes what has been changed.

Submitting

When you are ready to submit,

• commit your changes to your git repository (git add and git commit -- see the guide for details)
• push your changes to GitHub (git push). For 312 alums, don't worry about PRs -- a straight commit is fine

Important: it is tempting to treat all of our deadlines as "loose" -- this is a dangerous path! Get something done by the deadline and submit. You can always go back to it, and you will get the benefit of my feedback. Just make sure that your reflection acknowledges that it isn't complete.