[Swarm-Modelling] [Fwd: NetLogo 3D Preview 3 released]

[Steve Railsback]

-------- Original Message --------
Subject:        NetLogo 3D Preview 3 released
Date:   Tue, 11 Jul 2006 01:37:52 -0500
From:   Uri Wilensky <address@hidden>
Reply-To:       address@hidden
To:     address@hidden



The Center for Connected Learning and Computer-Based Modeling
at Northwestern University is pleased to announce the release of
NetLogo 3D Preview 3.  NetLogo 3D Preview 3 is available for free
download from our site at_ http://ccl.northwestern.edu/netlogo/_ .
NetLogo 3D Preview 3 is a preview release of NetLogo 3D which supports
three-dimensional worlds. This release updates NetLogo 3D Preview 1 to
keep it in sync with changes made to NetLogo 3.1.1.

NetLogo's support for 3D is EXPERIMENTAL. Models created with this
release may not be compatible with future versions. While we've made
every effort to ensure a quality product, this special preview has not
been subject to the same rigorous quality-control processes as our
regular NetLogo releases. For a list of known bugs and missing
features, see the Known Issues section of the User Manual.

Please try it and out and send us bug reports at
address@hidden and other suggestions and comments at
address@hidden

The following is a (partial) list of changes made since NetLogo 3D
Preview 1:

* content:
     + new Sample Models: DLA 3D, Fireworks 3D, GasLab Free Gas 3D,
       Percolation 3D, Rope 3D, and Sandpile 3D
* features:
     + NetLogo 3D Preview 3 is based on NetLogo 3.1.1
     + most features of 3.1.1 are now also available in 3D:
          = including:
               # drawing; in 3D the drawing is vector-based rather
                 than pixel-based as it is in 2D, turtles leave
                 behind trails that exist in the same space as the
                 turtles and patches but they cannot be moved or
                 sensed.
               # links suite is supported in 3D; however, layout
                 primitives do not take advantage of the 3D space.
               # __tie and __untie allow turtles to affect the
                 movement of other turtles in 3D space
               # picking patches and turtles from the 3D view
               # 2D shapes are usable in the 3D view
     + a few features of 3.1.1 are not available in 3D:
               # topologies (wrapping is not yet optional)
                # 2D view (we have taken out the 2D view -- it will
                 return in better form in a future release)
                # the interact button in the 3D view is disabled
     + many updates and fixes to the 3D view, including the addition
       of visual wrapping of turtles
* language changes:
     + pitch-up3d, pitch-down3d, left3d and right3d no longer exist;
       instead, tilt-up, tilt-down, left and right turn up, down,
       left or right in relation to the turtle, to get the old
       behavior of pitch-up, pitch-down, left and right you can
       directly manipulate the heading and pitch variables, though
       this kind of manipulation is unnecessary in most models
     + other 3D primitives removed (at-points3d, patch-ahead3d,
       patch-left3d-and-ahead, patch-right3d-and-ahead, diffuse3d);
       the regular versions now function in 3D
     + diffuse6 is no longer supported in 3D
     + set-gaze-xyz is replaced with facexyz; the observer can also
       use face and setxyz
     + screen-size-z and screen-edge-z are replaced with
       world-depth, min-pzcor, and max-pzcor
     + new observer primitives orbit-left, orbit-right, orbit-up,
       and orbit-down rotate the observer at a fixed distance
       around a central gaze point
     + the turtle variable shape3d no longer exists; use the shape
       variable instead
* non-3D-related language changes:
     + new reporters no-turtles and no-patches
     + new command for turtles and the observer, move-to
     + init blocks are optional on sprout and hatch and
       create-turtles
     + the __tie and __untie commands now take no inputs and can
       only be used by link turtles


Please send bug reports to_ address@hidden and other
suggestions and comments to_ address@hidden

We also have three mailing lists for NetLogo:
- netlogo-announce: occasional release announcements only
- netlogo-users: discussions about NetLogo
- netlogo-educators: discussions about teaching with NetLogo
_http://ccl.northwestern.edu/netlogo/_ has info on all three.


Credits

NetLogo was designed and authored by Uri Wilensky, project leader and
director of the CCL.  The lead developer is Seth Tisue.  Many others
have greatly contributed.  HubNet was jointly designed by Uri Wilensky
and Walter Stroup.

The design of NetLogo was supported through funding from the National
Science Foundation (grants REC 9632612, REC 9814682, REC 0126227, CCR
0326542).  Additional support for the design of HubNet (calculator
version) was provided by Texas Instruments.
Enjoy,

--

                Professor Uri Wilensky
Director, Center for Connected Learning and Computer Based Modeling
             http://ccl.northwestern.edu