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Description
The video game graphics pipeline has traditionally rendered the scene using a polygonal approach. Advances in modern graphics hardware now allow the rendering of parametric methods. This thesis explores various smooth surface rendering methods that can be integrated into the video game graphics engine. Moving over to parametric or smooth

The video game graphics pipeline has traditionally rendered the scene using a polygonal approach. Advances in modern graphics hardware now allow the rendering of parametric methods. This thesis explores various smooth surface rendering methods that can be integrated into the video game graphics engine. Moving over to parametric or smooth surfaces from the polygonal domain has its share of issues and there is an inherent need to address various rendering bottlenecks that could hamper such a move. The game engine needs to choose an appropriate method based on in-game characteristics of the objects; character and animated objects need more sophisticated methods whereas static objects could use simpler techniques. Scaling the polygon count over various hardware platforms becomes an important factor. Much control is needed over the tessellation levels, either imposed by the hardware limitations or by the application, to be able to adaptively render the mesh without significant loss in performance. This thesis explores several methods that would help game engine developers in making correct design choices by optimally balancing the trade-offs while rendering the scene using smooth surfaces. It proposes a novel technique for adaptive tessellation of triangular meshes that vastly improves speed and tessellation count. It develops an approximate method for rendering Loop subdivision surfaces on tessellation enabled hardware. A taxonomy and evaluation of the methods is provided and a unified rendering system that provides automatic level of detail by switching between the methods is proposed.
ContributorsAmresh, Ashish (Author) / Farin, Gerlad (Thesis advisor) / Razdan, Anshuman (Thesis advisor) / Wonka, Peter (Committee member) / Hansford, Dianne (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2011
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Description
Night vision goggles (NVGs) are widely used by helicopter pilots for flight missions at night, but the equipment can present visually confusing images especially in urban areas. A simulation tool with realistic nighttime urban images would help pilots practice and train for flight with NVGs. However, there is a lack

Night vision goggles (NVGs) are widely used by helicopter pilots for flight missions at night, but the equipment can present visually confusing images especially in urban areas. A simulation tool with realistic nighttime urban images would help pilots practice and train for flight with NVGs. However, there is a lack of tools for visualizing urban areas at night. This is mainly due to difficulties in gathering the light system data, placing the light systems at suitable locations, and rendering millions of lights with complex light intensity distributions (LID). Unlike daytime images, a city can have millions of light sources at night, including street lights, illuminated signs, and light shed from building interiors through windows. In this paper, a Procedural Lighting tool (PL), which predicts the positions and properties of street lights, is presented. The PL tool is used to accomplish three aims: (1) to generate vector data layers for geographic information systems (GIS) with statistically estimated information on lighting designs for streets, as well as the locations, orientations, and models for millions of streetlights; (2) to generate geo-referenced raster data to suitable for use as light maps that cover a large scale urban area so that the effect of millions of street light can be accurately rendered at real time, and (3) to extend existing 3D models by generating detailed light-maps that can be used as UV-mapped textures to render the model. An interactive graphical user interface (GUI) for configuring and previewing lights from a Light System Database (LDB) is also presented. The GUI includes physically accurate information about LID and also the lights' spectral power distributions (SPDs) so that a light-map can be generated for use with any sensor if the sensors luminosity function is known. Finally, for areas where more detail is required, a tool has been developed for editing and visualizing light effects over a 3D building from many light sources including area lights and windows. The above components are integrated in the PL tool to produce a night time urban view for not only a large-scale area but also a detail of a city building.
ContributorsChuang, Chia-Yuan (Author) / Femiani, John (Thesis advisor) / Razdan, Anshuman (Committee member) / Amresh, Ashish (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2011
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Description
The academic study of eSports, or professional competition through the medium of video games, has tended to focus on players' motivations to play and watch eSports as well as marketing concerns of huge eSports corporations. Instead of utilizing marketing or psychology to analyze this phenomenon, I investigate three areas of

The academic study of eSports, or professional competition through the medium of video games, has tended to focus on players' motivations to play and watch eSports as well as marketing concerns of huge eSports corporations. Instead of utilizing marketing or psychology to analyze this phenomenon, I investigate three areas of focus in accordance with available literature: the fans and their characteristics, the design of the game itself, and the relationship between fans and the game's developer. This investigation was conducted by first examining existing literature surrounding eSports fans, then collecting public domain data such as Reddit posts, forum posts, and YouTube videos, and last by studying interviews with developers and players. With this thesis, I apply a fan studies approach to eSports by creating a series of indicators based in each of the three focus areas which can be utilized as a systematic method of evaluating an eSport's popularity and growth.
ContributorsHilliker, Noah Henry (Author) / Ingram-Waters, Mary (Thesis director) / Schmidt, Peter (Committee member) / Anderson, Sky (Committee member) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
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Description
The 2010s have seen video games rise to prominence as platforms for game developers, entertainers and advertisers to broadcast their ideas. This paper looks at the major steps in gaming history that led to games as a global mass communication tool, the way the Internet has created an industry built

The 2010s have seen video games rise to prominence as platforms for game developers, entertainers and advertisers to broadcast their ideas. This paper looks at the major steps in gaming history that led to games as a global mass communication tool, the way the Internet has created an industry built around broadcasting games and the potential future ramifications competitive gaming, emerging technology and intellectual property law hold on the world of video games.
ContributorsChesler, Jayson Daniel (Author) / Hill, Retha (Thesis director) / Amresh, Ashish (Committee member) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
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Description
The current model of revenue generation for some free to play video games is preventing the companies controlling them from growing, but with a few changes in approach these issues could be alleviated. A new style of video games, called a MOBA (Massive Online Battle Arena) has emerged in the

The current model of revenue generation for some free to play video games is preventing the companies controlling them from growing, but with a few changes in approach these issues could be alleviated. A new style of video games, called a MOBA (Massive Online Battle Arena) has emerged in the past few years bringing with it a new style of generating wealth. Contrary to past gaming models, where users must either purchase the game outright, view advertisements, or purchase items to gain a competitive advantage, MOBAs require no payment of any kind. These are free to play computer games that provides users with all the tools necessary to compete with anyone free of charge; no advantages can be purchased in this game. This leaves the only way for users to provide money to the company through optional purchases of purely aesthetic items, only to be purchased if the buyer wishes to see their character in a different set of attire. The genre’s best in show—called League of Legends, or LOL—has spearheaded this method of revenue-generation. Fortunately for LOL, its level of popularity has reached levels never seen in video games: the world championships had more viewers than game 7 of the NBA Finals (Dorsey). The player base alone is enough to keep the company afloat currently, but the fact that they only convert 3.75% of the players into revenue is alarming. Each player brings the company an average of $1.32, or 30% of what some other free to play games earn per user (Comparing MMO). It is this low per player income that has caused Riot Games, the developer of LOL, to state that their e-sports division is not currently profitable. To resolve this issue, LOL must take on a more aggressive marketing plan. Advertisements for the NBA Finals cost $460,000 for 30 seconds, and LOL should aim for ads in this range (Lombardo). With an average of 3 million people logged on at any time, 90% of the players being male and 85% being between the ages of 16 and 30, advertising via this game would appeal to many companies, making a deal easy to strike (LOL infographic 2012). The idea also appeals to players: 81% of players surveyed said that an advertisement on the client that allows for the option to place an order would improve or not impact their experience. Moving forward with this, the gaming client would be updated to contain both an option to order pizza and an advertisement for Mountain Dew. This type of advertising was determined based on community responses through a sequence of survey questions. These small adjustments to the game would allow LOL to generate enough income for Riot Games to expand into other areas of the e-sports industry.
ContributorsSeip, Patrick (Co-author) / Zhao, BoNing (Co-author) / Kashiwagi, Dean (Thesis director) / Kashiwagi, Jacob (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law (Contributor) / Department of Economics (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor)
Created2015-05
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Description
While not officially recognized as an addictive activity by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, video game addiction has well-documented resources pointing to its effects on physiological and mental health for both addict and those close to the addict. With the rise of eSports, treating video game addiction

While not officially recognized as an addictive activity by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, video game addiction has well-documented resources pointing to its effects on physiological and mental health for both addict and those close to the addict. With the rise of eSports, treating video game addiction has become trickier as a passionate and growing fan base begins to act as a culture not unlike traditional sporting. These concerns call for a better understanding of what constitutes a harmful addiction to video games as its heavy practice becomes more financially viable and accepted into mainstream culture.
ContributorsGohil, Abhishek Bhagirathsinh (Author) / Kashiwagi, Dean (Thesis director) / Kashiwagi, Jacob (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Computer Science and Engineering Program (Contributor)
Created2015-05
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Description
This project created a tool for visualizing constructive solid geometry (CSG) using an HTC Vive virtual reality
headset. This tool provides functionality for surface triangulation
of a variety of three-dimensional primitive solids. Then with those
solids it can perform the core CSG operations—intersection,
union and complement—to create more complex objects. This
tool also parses in

This project created a tool for visualizing constructive solid geometry (CSG) using an HTC Vive virtual reality
headset. This tool provides functionality for surface triangulation
of a variety of three-dimensional primitive solids. Then with those
solids it can perform the core CSG operations—intersection,
union and complement—to create more complex objects. This
tool also parses in Silo data files to allow the visualization
of scientific models like the Annular Core Research Reactor.
This project is useful for both education and visualization. This
project will be used by scientists to visualize and understand
their simulation results, and used as a museum exhibit to engage
the next generation of scientists in computer modeling.
ContributorsJones, Derek Matthew (Author) / Kashiwagi, Dean (Thesis director) / O'Brien, Matthew (Committee member) / Computer Science and Engineering Program (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
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Description
For this master's thesis, an open learner model is integrated with Quinn, a teachable robotic agent developed at Arizona State University. This system is represented as a feedback system, which aims to improve a student’s understanding of a subject. It also helps to understand the effect of the learner model

For this master's thesis, an open learner model is integrated with Quinn, a teachable robotic agent developed at Arizona State University. This system is represented as a feedback system, which aims to improve a student’s understanding of a subject. It also helps to understand the effect of the learner model when it is represented by performance of the teachable agent. The feedback system represents performance of the teachable agent, and not of a student. Data in the feedback system is thus updated according to a student's understanding of the subject. This provides students an opportunity to enhance their understanding of a subject by analyzing their performance. To test the effectiveness of the feedback system, student understanding in two different conditions is analyzed. In the first condition a feedback report is not provided to the students, while in the second condition the feedback report is provided in the form of the agent’s performance.
ContributorsUpadhyay, Abha (Author) / Walker, Erin (Thesis advisor) / Nelson, Brian (Committee member) / Amresh, Ashish (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2016
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Description
The American Heart Association recommended in 1997 the data elements that should be collected from resuscitations in hospitals. (15) Currently, data documentation from resuscitation events in hospitals, termed ‘code blue’ events, utilizes a paper form, which is institution-specific. Problems with data capture and transcription exists, due to the challenges of

The American Heart Association recommended in 1997 the data elements that should be collected from resuscitations in hospitals. (15) Currently, data documentation from resuscitation events in hospitals, termed ‘code blue’ events, utilizes a paper form, which is institution-specific. Problems with data capture and transcription exists, due to the challenges of dynamic documentation of patient, event and outcome variables as the code blue event unfolds.

This thesis is based on the hypothesis that an electronic version of code blue real-time data capture would lead to improved resuscitation data transcription, and enable clinicians to address deficiencies in quality of care. The primary goal of this thesis is to create an iOS based application, primarily designed for iPads, for code blue events at the Mayo Clinic Hospital. The secondary goal is to build an open-source software development framework for converting paper-based hospital protocols into digital format.

The tool created in this study enabled data documentation to be completed electronically rather than on paper for resuscitation outcomes. The tool was evaluated for usability with twenty nurses, the end-users, at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona. The results showed the preference of users for the iPad application. Furthermore, a qualitative survey showed the clinicians perceived the electronic version to be more accurate and efficient than paper-based documentation, both of which are essential for an emergency code blue resuscitation procedure.
ContributorsBokhari, Wasif (Author) / Patel, Vimla L. (Thesis advisor) / Amresh, Ashish (Thesis advisor) / Nelson, Brian (Committee member) / Sen, Ayan (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2015
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Description
Lecture videos are a widely used resource for learning. A simple way to create

videos is to record live lectures, but these videos end up being lengthy, include long

pauses and repetitive words making the viewing experience time consuming. While

pauses are useful in live learning environments where students take notes, I question

the

Lecture videos are a widely used resource for learning. A simple way to create

videos is to record live lectures, but these videos end up being lengthy, include long

pauses and repetitive words making the viewing experience time consuming. While

pauses are useful in live learning environments where students take notes, I question

the value of pauses in video lectures. Techniques and algorithms that can shorten such

videos can have a huge impact in saving students’ time and reducing storage space.

I study this problem of shortening videos by removing long pauses and adaptively

modifying the playback rate by emphasizing the most important sections of the video

and its effect on the student community. The playback rate is designed in such a

way to play uneventful sections faster and significant sections slower. Important and

unimportant sections of a video are identified using textual analysis. I use an existing

speech-to-text algorithm to extract the transcript and apply latent semantic analysis

and standard information retrieval techniques to identify the relevant segments of

the video. I compute relevance scores of different segments and propose a variable

playback rate for each of these segments. The aim is to reduce the amount of time

students spend on passive learning while watching videos without harming their ability

to follow the lecture. I validate the approach by conducting a user study among

computer science students and measuring their engagement. The results indicate

no significant difference in their engagement when this method is compared to the

original unedited video.
ContributorsPurushothama Shenoy, Sreenivas (Author) / Amresh, Ashish (Thesis advisor) / Femiani, John (Committee member) / Walker, Erin (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2016