Genesis

3 CS students had the urge to learn about 3-D graphics programming. Luckly our great department of Media and Computer Sciences at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich offered a practical course on 3-D graphics programming. After some introductory lessons we were asked to assemble groups and come up with an idea for a small project. At the same time Apple aired a new iPod commerical in which album art forms houses. Out of this stimulus the idea to assemble a city out of a user's photo library developed.

Many thanks to the department for allowing us to open-source Photopolis.

The original Photopolis developers

Photopolis has been developed by 3 students under guidance of our tutor Sebastian Boring. The 3 are Julius Bahr, Tilman Beer(website) and Matthias Schicker.

Julius is the principle developer of photopolisstarter, defined the XML format for exporting textures to photopolis and implemented the reading of XML Photopolis libraries in photopolis. He maintains the Mac port and the website.

Tilman did the graphic work for Photopolis. Designing textures and house architectures, as well as implementing those was his delight.

Matthias did the bulk of the software design for photopolis as well as the OpenGL programming and the dynamic layout of the city.