Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric Viv
I know it would be harder, But it would be more fun and better looking, would it not??
-Eric
|
Your question is: But it would be more fun and better looking, would it not??
The answer is yes and no. Yes if you are capable of writing the Python and/or C++ programs that are required and you are also capable of creating your own 3D models.
(Only a very few 3D models are included with Panda3D.)
No if you are looking for the ability to create interesting worlds having lots of 3D models with a modest amount of effort. Alice provides hundreds, and possibly thousands of 3D models both locally and in the web gallery and it is relatively easy to program.
(A few people, DrJim and a few others in particular, know how to create new 3D models and import them into Alice but that is a very small percentage of Alice users.)
If you are a beginner, my recommendation is that you master Alice first before moving up to Panda3D. Once Alice v3.0 becomes available, you may not even want to move to Panda3D. You may find that Alice 3.0 and Java will do everything that you need or want to do.
On the other hand, if you know Python or C++, have the ability to create all of the 3D models that you will need, and are looking to work in a development environment that is still being used by Disney for professional projects, give Panda3D a try. It can't hurt to try. Everything that you need to program in Panda3D is available for free with the possible exception of the software needed to create the 3D models.
Dick Baldwin
Free Alice tutorials:
http://www.dickbaldwin.com/tocalice.htm
Free Scratch tutorials:
http://www.dickbaldwin.com/tocHomeSchool.htm
Free Java/C#, etc. tutorials:
http://www.dickbaldwin.com/toc.htm