Alice 3 is now in public beta
 

You can download it here:

[URL="http://alice.org/3"]http://alice.org/3[/URL]

It's still in heavy development, so please embrace it as a work-in-progress. :)

**6/10/09**
We currently have builds up for Mac OS X 10.5+ and Windows (32 bit). We are working on a version for Linux and 64 bit Windows.

Also, the NetBeans plugin is now available for download. This will let you import your Alice 3 worlds into the NetBeans IDE for editing and playback.

I dont like it
 

:mad: I was good at programming in Alice 2, but Alice 3 is totally different. I don't understand the words, can't make anything work, and keep getting rendering errors when I try to do some things. How do you add events? what do the words used mean? I can't make the objects do as much, as there doesn't seem to be as many methods/procedures. I managed to work out how to move objects properly (using 1,2,3 and 4 buttons on keyboard), but it wasn't obvious. I can't find as much information on the objects as before, under properties, and if I try to change some of them I get a red preview screen saying "error in attempting to render screen". I don't know how to add variables or parameters, either in the single methods/procedures, or globally. I can select parts of objects to do procedures, but it is hard to find them and they are orginised into short names that make no sense. I much prefer Alice 2.2! There is no help as of yet!
On the other hand; Alice 3 looks much cleaner, plays much cleaner, works smoother and looks good with Sims 2 technology integrated, but the character movement list is very long, but I can't specify exactly what I want my person to do.
It seems quite complicated and I know nothing about Java code, I can only use Alice code. I have a whole new language to learn, just to use this program:confused:

Not Ready for Prime Time
 

Yeah, at some point you will probably have to start learning Java and OOP terminology.

This Beta, however, is not something I would want to start using in the classroom any time soon. I was hoping for a switch to 3.0 by next Fall, but I don't see that happening.

A simple manual might be helpful. I figured out where most of the stuff lives, but I may have missed a few things.

Some Things like: If you create a custom character that can do all the neat preprogrammed things, how do you teach it to do something it can't, like walk?:confused:

Also, I loaded it on a Vista machine. It was extremely crash-prone; I couldn't get anything done. Will try to follow-up with Windows XP testing this summer, but?

doudou likes it
 

There are a lot of full body outfit:p

This is great, I'm guessing the release follows the backup plan if a final version could not be completed by this summer. I had the original beta version released in Feb. but ran into multiple error's on any and ever action.

[QUOTE=MrMoke;10405] This Beta, however, is not something I would want to start using in the classroom any time soon.

Also, I loaded it on a Vista machine. It was extremely crash-prone; I couldn't get anything done. Will try to follow-up with Windows XP testing this summer, but?[/QUOTE]

After my problems with 2.2, I didn't even bother to try with Vista - just went directly to my XP machine. It loaded relatively smoothly and has been [B][I]relatively[/I][/B] bug free so far. (It is still obviously Beta software.)

As far as classroom use goes - don't want to really comment in any detail since I'm not a teacher, but I would be interested in other opinions. I note that the current summer workshops are specifically covering Alice 2.2 [B][I]and[/I][/B] 3.0.

Based on a first look, it appears that some of the "easy" things you can do in 2.x are going to require a bit higher understanding of Java in 3.0. Not a bad thing for CS majors (to claim 2.0 is a really good way to teach OOP has always seemed a bit of a stretch) - but that might also be a bit of a "turn off" for an introductory course.

this is very very different, its def smoother but i have no idea whats going on

NetBeans Plugin For Alice 3.0 Beta
 

Where do you get the plug-in module allowing NetBeans to edit Alice worlds? Dennis mentions it in his Alice Screencast.

I've been on NetBeans.org site and Sun's site and I am unable to locate it. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Array Vizualisation
 

Heya all.

Downloaded and install Alice 3.0 Beta under a tablet PC with XP on it, it works great, and I like the new interfave, I will continue to test it.

I noticed the disapearance of the "Array Visualisation" object that I liked so much in Alice 2.0. Is it still planned (I can wait) or did it really disapear from the cursus (they maybe I will plan to do my own in Java when I get the time)?

Good work in any case,

JyBy

Seems like Alice is now a project under Sun's Project [URL="http://kenai.com/projects/alice"]Kenai[/URL]. And Netbeans [URL="http://www.netbeans.org/community/releases/67/"]latest version[/URL] introduces integration with this Project Kenai. Read under Release Overview. I haven't had the time to test it, but I'm going to.

Lars