Assessment Guidance s1

Record of Learner Achievement

Unit: 3D Environments L3 CV10 Ofqual Unit Reference Number: A/600/6599 Unit Review Date: 31/12/2016

LEARNING OUTCOMES ASSESSMENT CRITERIA EVIDENCE LOCATION The learner will: The learner can: 1. Understand theory and 1.1. Summarise accurately theory and applications of 3D applications of 3D with some appropriate use of subject terminology

2. Be able to devise a 3D 2.1. Generate outline ideas for a 3D environment environment working within appropriate conventions and with some assistance

3. Be able to create a 3D 3.1. Create a 3D environment following environment following industry industry practice, working within practice appropriate conventions and with some assistance

Assessment Guidance Learning Outcome 1 Learners will describe the use of 3D within the interactive media industry and how 3D graphics are displayed; including reference to geometric theory and mesh construction, though the evidence will typically not discuss displaying 3D polygon environments. The description will not be related through examples to particular 3D applications. Descriptions of geometric theory and mesh construction will be correct and should cover the main points. A learner might note when discussing geometric theory, ‘Points are the most basic part of every 3D object. The joining of points creates lines, which in turn can then be made into polygons. Points are used to identify a place or location in 3D space. Once you have your points, you can connect them to make a line.’ Evidence will show a basic understanding of technical terminology but learners will generally be unsure about this vocabulary and will make fairly frequent mistakes when they do use it.

Theory and applications: Applications of 3D: uses, e.g. environments, models, product design, TV, film, web, games, education, architectural walk-through.

Displaying 3D polygon environments: Application programming interface: e.g. Direct3D, OpenGL; graphics pipeline, e.g. modelling, lighting, viewing, projection, clipping, scan conversion, texturing and shading, display; rendering techniques (radiosity, ray tracing); rendering engines; distributed rendering techniques; lighting; textures; fogging; shadowing; vertex and pixel shaders; level of detail.

1 | P a g e V1 – October 2014 Record of Learner Achievement

Geometric theory: vertices; lines; curves; edge; polygons; element; face; primitives; meshes, e.g. wireframe; coordinate geometry (two-dimensional, three-dimensional); surfaces.

Mesh construction: box modelling; extrusion modelling; using common primitives, eg cubes, pyramids, cylinders, spheres.

3D development software: software, e.g. 3D Studio Max, Maya, Lightwave, AutoCAD, Cinema 4D, Softimage|XSI; file formats, eg .3ds, .mb, .lwo, .C4d, .dxf, .obj; plug-ins.

Constraints: polygon count; file size; rendering time.

Learning Outcome 2 Learners will indicate some consideration of brief or target audience, though this is likely to be a cursory statement of fact, without discussion of implications. Evidence will show some recording of ideas generation outlining their ideas through brainstorming sheets, sketches, storyboards or otherwise, though they will not justify choice of final ideas for implementation. There will be some imagination behind the ideas and some attempt will have been made to explain intentions but this will be patchy and not always clear. They will have constructed a brief specification which will outline the idea and will give some indication of what will be required to create the 3D environment scene. They will also show that they have taken account to some extent of legal and ethical considerations though this evidence is likely to be minimal and factual only, lacking consideration of implications for the final 3D environment scene.

Devise a 3D environment: Stimulus: e.g. client brief, own brief, from market research.

Ideas: brainstorming; sketches; pre-visualisation (concept drawings, storyboards, level diagrams, 2D/3D architectural drawings).

Legal and ethical considerations: copyright; ethical issues, e.g. confidentiality, representation (race, gender, religion, sexuality), decency.

Specification: target audience; key visual themes; storyboards; constraints, e.g. polygon count, image resolution, output size, file type, file size.

Learning Outcome 3 Learners will have produced a 3D environment scene from ideas generated from their interpretation of the brief. The learner’s use of the 3D application software to produce their 3D environment scene will be basic, typically using ambient, distant, area and spot lighting types, adding a target virtual camera, applying basic textures to objects and basic scene rendering techniques. Learners will provide documentation on their use of the 3D application software tools and features used to produce their 3D environment scene but it will be scanty and lacking in detail. Following industry practice, learners will be able to review their finished 3D environment work in such a way that they move beyond merely describing it. They will make evaluative comments upon what they have done but these comments will be assertions that are not supported by evidence or exemplification. They will discuss both the production process and the finished product, making comments on generation of ideas, planning their 3D environment, its fitness for purpose (considering client brief where

relevant and target audience) and commenting on how they have used 3D development software to create a solution to the brief. Learners will make surface comments that do not address opportunities for future improvement. Some use of suitable and correct terminology must be evidenced. The learner might note, ‘I based my scene on a planet in outer space. I created a basic space station by using some basic primitives, eg boxes, cylinders and stairs to make a landing platform. I found metal textures on the internet and put them onto the buildings I made. I then exported it and began working on the terrain for the planet’s surface. I had a problem when I wanted to put a camera angle behind the spaceships looking down at the surface of the planet; however, you could see the square-shaped plane with the space station sitting on it. It looked really awful.’

Create a 3D environment: Plan: asset management (file storage and retrieval, naming conventions); workflow (scheduling, efficient time management); deadlines (production milestones, deliverables, quality assurance).

Software interface: files, e.g. loading, properties, merging, replacing, importing, saving, backup and auto-saving; viewports, e.g. configuring viewports, viewport controls; command panels; keyboard shortcuts; floating palettes; customising the interface; floating toolbars; drawing units; drawing aids (layers, grids, snap); object naming conventions.

Virtual camera: concepts e.g. lens length, field of vision (FOV), focus and aperture, depth of field, camera movement; cameras, e.g. creating a camera, creating a camera view; camera parameters; camera type, e.g. target, free.

Lighting techniques: light types, e.g. ambient, distant, area, spot, point, linear, photometric, raytraced; lighting controls and effects, e.g. projector, attenuation, colour, shadows; atmospheric, e.g. clouds, smoke, fire; volumetric, e.g. fog, mist.

Texturing techniques: texturing process, e.g. creating, loading textures, applying textures; using materials, e.g. materials editor, mapping materials, material modifiers; material types, e.g. bitmap, procedural, using avi video files as textures.

Rendering: scene rendering, e.g. rendering controls, rendering options, output size and aspect ratio, safe-frame, file type, file size; image resolution, e.g. TV, film, web.

Industry practice: reflect on finished product (compared with original intentions, fitness for purpose, technical qualities, aesthetic qualities); production skills (ideas generation, environment specification, workflow and time management, technical competence, teamwork).

Evidence Requirements Evidence of practical ability must be demonstrated.

Final Tutor Feedback (Strengths and Areas for Improvement):

Learner Submission Disclaimer I declare that this is an original piece of work and that all of the work is my own unless referenced.

Assessor Disclaimer I confirm that this learner’s work fully meets all the assessment criteria listed above at the correct level and that any specified evidence requirements have been addressed.

Assessor Learner Date

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