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Creator: Barb Ericson

Georgia Institute of Technology

Presenter: Mr. McCune

Y.E.S. Beyond Limits

December 2010

Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming in Alice

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Learning Goals

• Introduce computation as simulation

• Activating Activity

• Story boarding from 2D-3D

• Introduce Alice

• Create objects in Alice

• Story boarding from 2D-3D

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Computers as Simulators

• “The computer is the Proteus of machines. Its essence is its universality, its power to simulate. Because it can take on a thousand forms and serve a thousand functions, it can appeal to a thousand tastes.” Seymour Papert in Mindstorms

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Creating a Simulation

• Computers let us simulate things– We do this by creating models of the things

we want to simulate– We need to define what types of objects we

will want in our simulation and what they can do

• Classes define the types and create objects of that type

• Objects act in the simulation

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Running a Simulation

• How many objects does it take to get a person fed at a restaurant?– Pick people to be the customer,

greeter/seater, waiter, chef, and cashier and have them role play

• What data does each of these people need to do his or her job?

• What does each type need to know how to do?• What other objects do you talk about?

• How about simulating going to a dentist?– Or to the movies?

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Introduction to Alice

• Free development environment– From Carnegie Mellon University– Available from http://www.alice.org

• Used to create– 3D movies

– 3D games

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Getting Started

• Install Alice– Pick CD2

• Windows – copy Alice 2.2 folder

• Macs – click on MacScratch1.4.dmg

• Start Alice– Double Click on Icon

(Alice.exe)

• Wait for Alice to start– Can take a few

minutes

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Traditional Problem Solving in CS

• Read and understand the problem or task specification

• Design a solution (develop an algorithm)

• Implement (code)

• Test

• Revise, as needed

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Designing a Solution in Alice

• To create a design, we borrow the idea of storyboards from professional animators at Disney, Pixar, etc.

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Recall….

• Princess EscapeA princess has been grounded by her

father (a wizard). Being a rather rebellious princess, she has emailed the local dragon taxi service. The dragon will fly to the princess and she will climb aboard the dragon to escape from the castle – to meet some friends at the village dance club.

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Visual Storyboards

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Textual Storyboard(pseudo code)

Do in order

dragon takes off

dragon flies to princess

princess climbs on dragon's back

dragon and princess escape

knight shakes his arm (and sword) in protest

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Turning On Java Syntax

• Click in Edit and then Preferences

• Change the display my program: from Alice Style to Java Style in Color

• Quit Alice and start it up again– It will keep this setting

until you change it again