Creative Coding (CS 427)
Course Description
This course covers advanced topics in interactive media and virtual reality (VR) through the lens of creative coding. Students are introduced to the theory and practice of designing and developing interactive VR projects using the Unity game engine. Participants explore novel forms of design practice with advanced technologies such as the CAVE2 system in UIC’s Electronic Visualization Laboratory (EVL).
Focusing on creative coding, 3D interaction, audio design, typography, theater, and seminal works in VR, the course examines the intersection of art, design, and computation. Topics include the history of VR art and design, creative coding methods, real-time visualization, ethics in immersive systems, and the role of perception in human–computer interaction. Students will use tools such as Maya, Adobe Creative Suite, Unity3D, C#, and Audacity to develop interactive applications, culminating in a collaborative class exhibition.
Course Material
- No required textbook.
- Selected readings from seminal and contemporary works in VR, media design, interactive narrative, creative AI, immersive experiences, and visualization (e.g., Leonardo, SIGGRAPH, ISEA proceedings).
Material Covered
- Introduction to Unity and VR development
- 3D interaction, scene design, importing assets, typography in VR
- Audio design and immersive media
- Theater methods for interactive experiences
- Ethics and visualization critique
- User perception in VR and advanced systems
- Collaborative final project and exhibition in CAVE2
Grading
- 50% projects / final deliverables
- 30% assignments and weekly deliverables
- 20% attendance, participation, and collaboration