2. Adam Pletcher Technical Art Director, Volition, Inc. / THQ adam@volition-inc.com www.volition-inc.com python TM for technical artists

3. Background Myself Python @ Volition MaxScript Tech Art Council Programming Classes Future Engine Toolset

4. Key Features Dynamic Typing >>> spam = 32.38 >>> print spam 32.38 >>> spam = "Three, sir." >>> print spam Three, sir.

5. Key Features Clear Syntax for (int i = 0; i < 6; i++) { avgColor += colorArray[i]; } for c in colorArray: avgColor += c C#: Python: No braces?!

6. Key Features Introspection >>> val = 32.38 >>> help(val) Help on float object: class float(object) | float(x) -> floating point number | | Convert a string or number to a | floating point number, if possible. | | Methods defined here: etc…

7. Key Features Real Exception/Error-Handling System try: myList.append(val) except AttributeError: print 'Oops, "myList" needs to be list type!' print 'It was type', type(myList), 'instead.' except: raise

8. Key Features Classes, Inheritance No more structs-as-classes (MaxScript) Extendable Add functionality with C, C++, Python packages Embeddable Python scripting in your application

9. Key Features Ginormous Standard Library Manipulate text, binary, XML, HTML, ZIP files Send & receive email Dates & times GUI toolkit Data Persistence/Serialization Internet access, networking Multi-threading Unit testing framework (two, actually)

10. Key Features Third-Party Extensions Windows win32 API COM, app. automation (MS Excel, etc.) Image manipulation More GUI toolkits, RAD designers Source control Databases Reports & graph generation

11. Key Features Python is FUN Feel more productive Fits your brain Huge community

12. Demonstrations Scripts for Tech Artists Data mining Screen scraping Data persistence (serialization) Using GUIs Texture validation, comparison Databases COM integration with 3ds Max

14. Official Python Site – www.python.org (try the tutorials)www.python.org Dive Into Python – www.diveintopython.orgwww.diveintopython.org ActiveState Cookbook – http://aspn.activestate.com/ASPN/Cookbook/Python/ Guide to Python Introspection – http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/linux/library/l-pyint.html Large collection of Python Tutorials – http://python.objectis.net/ Web Python Resources

15. Books Python Resources Learning Python, 3rd Ed., Mark Lutz Python Programming for the Absolute Beginner, Michael Dawson Python Programming in Win32, Mark Hammond, Andy Robinson Programming Python, 3 rd Ed., Mark Lutz Beginning Python: From Novice to Professional, Magnus Lie Hetland

16. Python Resources Useful Extensions wxPython - http://www.wxpython.org/http://www.wxpython.org/ Python Win32 - https://sourceforge.net/projects/pywin32/https://sourceforge.net/projects/pywin32/ Python Imaging Library - http://www.pythonware.com/products/pil/http://www.pythonware.com/products/pil/ MySQLdb - http://sourceforge.net/projects/mysql-pythonhttp://sourceforge.net/projects/mysql-python PyExcelerator - http://sourceforge.net/projects/pyexceleratorhttp://sourceforge.net/projects/pyexcelerator Pygame - http://www.pygame.org/http://www.pygame.org/ Py 2 exe - http://www.py2exe.org/http://www.py2exe.org/ Pyro (Python Remote Objects) - http://pyro.sourceforge.net/http://pyro.sourceforge.net/

17. www.volition-inc.com/gdc All code examples Powerpoint slides Extra goodies Questions? adam@volition-inc.com