The course provides a short introduction to creative programming and will focus on the design and development of short experiences to demonstrate the many different ways to use computers to creating interactive multimedia experiences.

At the end, students will achieve a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities that emerge when using new technologies for expressive purposes.

Programming plays a major role in our world and although its applications are often purely functional, programming can become a method for self-expression in many wonderful ways. Since 1960s, a growing community of artists has been using code as their medium to create computer generated art, to elaborate interactive installations, and more generally to expand our sense of what is possible with digital tools.

Creative programming is not about solving problems, it is about expressing oneself through code. It emphasizes the goal of expression, rather than function, combining computer skill with creative acumen.

The course will be based on Unity3D and thus on C# computer language. Unity engine is possibly the most widely used real-time development platform and has been applied a wide range of media – from simple 2D computer games, AAA titles, architecture, virtual and augmented reality, real-time filmmaking, etc. We begin the course with a short introduction to C# language and to the basics of Unity engine. Next, we will discuss the most relevant features of the engine such as, 3D Interaction and Navigation, the art and sound pipeline, lighting, materials, shaders, particle effects and VFX, cutscene creations, VFX, the timeline, etc. At the same time, we will introduce the basics of creative programming so that students will be able to experiment with the engine features to create interactive multimedia experiences.

Some videos of the projects developed during the previous edition of the course are available at: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4QF7lP4PZkDdcV36TktSrqW5Pygjkder

·         Highschool calculus (vectors, trigonometry, etc.)

·         A basic knowledge of any 3D modeling tool

·         A basic knowledge of any programming language (e.g., javascript, python, C) to get rapidly acquainted with the Unity development environment

The evaluation is based on the interactive experiences created during the course by teams of students using Unity (http://www.unity.com). Each week will focus on a specific aspect of creative programming like for instance a specific development tool (e.g., lighting and materials, shaders, particle systems) or a specific technology (e.g., sound and gesture interactions, augmented reality) that will be discussed in the morning session. During the afternoon laboratory students will work on an experience based on what discussed during the morning lecture that will have to be submitted before the next lecture. These are short experiences (around 5-10 minutes) to let students try as many technologies and as many solutions as possible in a very short time. There will be also a final project to be submitted for the final exam. Each student team will have to propose their experience that ideally should reuse much of the material developed during the course. All the final projects developed during the course will be demoed in a public event and published online on itch.io