Virtual World Design and Creation for Teens

Written specifically for readers ages 12-18 with no programming experience, this book/CD-ROM tutorial shows how to create virtual 3D worlds like the ones found in video games, web sites, and animated movies, using the visual programming language Alice (included on the CD-ROM). Organized by task rather than features of the programming language, the book is intended to be read sequentially, with each new skill taught through step-by-step instructions for hands-on projects and illustrated with b&w screenshots. Beginning chapters overview virtual worlds in movies, social networking, and games, outline the steps for story development, and introduce Alice. Later chapters give instructions on setting up a world, animating and navigating with characters, adding sound, scoring, and making characters chase or run away. The accompanying CD-ROM contains Alice version 3.0, examples from the projects in the text, and lesson plans for teachers who want to use the book in a classroom setting. Hardnett is a professor in the Computer Science Department at Spelman College. Annotation c2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)