A little about Cocoa...

When Cocoa was first developed by Apple Computer, it was described as an innovative way to build simulation games and embed them into web pages. Cocoa is the developmental version of Stagecast Creator, and it is characterized as software that "... lets people of all ages develop cool games, interactive stories, engaging lessons and other simulations..." in creative places called "Worlds". You should make up your own mind about Cocoa. I encourage you to take the Stagecast Tour to find out more about this exceptional problem-solving application.

The Cocoa we're going to use is the evaluation release, that you can download for the Macintosh for free. In order to buy Stagecast Creator or download a Windows evaluation copy, you will need to visit the Stagecast website.

The most basic things to know...

• Open the Cocoa DR3 folder. You'll notice that the folder contains PDF tutorials, movies and numerous sample and starter worlds. You will get to those later. Find the Cocoa DR3 PPC icon and double click.
• In the opening screen, click on Create a New World.

• Your first world is a blank screen. You'll need to create "Appearances" which are the basic objects of Cocoa/Stagecast.
  • To create Appearances in a World, you'll need to see the Controls Palette. If the Controls Palette can't be seen, go to Window => Show Controls.

• Click on the tube of paint in the Controls Palette and then click on the blank screen. A dollop of paint appears. That's an Appearance. This is too easy!
• To modify the Appearance, click on the paintbrush and then click on your new Appearance.
• The Appearance Editor opens. It's essentially a paint program. Modify your Appearance with the tools provided or create a completely new look by clicking on "Clear" to get a clean palette.

• Click "Done" when you're ready to go on.
• Click on the tube of paint and make a second Appearance.
• Place this Appearance in the lower left corner of the World.
• Edit this Appearance and make it a single color.
• Click Done.
• If you click on your new, single-colored Appearance and press Command D, you will duplicate the Appearance across the screen.

• This duplicates the Appearance and simulates the ground. You can drag Appearances anywhere you like, and you can Option Drag. When you Option Drag an Appearance, you duplicate it and place it somewhere else in the world.
• Make a World like the one below using the basics you just learned. There are only three Appearances below: The dollop of paint, the "grass" and the "stairway" to nowhere.

• Now you will need to make some "Rules" for the first Appearance.
  • A Rule needs to be made that makes the dollop move to the right if there is an empty space there.
  • To make Rules, you click on the Camcorder icon in the Controls Palette. Click on the Appearance that you want to control with a Rule. In this case, click on the dollop of paint.
  • The Rule Window opens, and the World changes to a grid. You can make the Rule in the grid or in the Rule Window.
  • Use the Rule Window for now.
  • In the "After" side of the Rule Window, click and drag the handle on the right side of the image as you see below.

• Now drag the Appearance to the right side in the "After" image.

• Click "Done" and then drag the Dollop Appearance somewhere in the world where it has room to move. Click "Run" in the Controls Palette. You can figure out how to stop the Dollop Appearance and how to make more rules.

You've just created a World with objects in it. You've made an object obey your rule. Now you're ready to use the "Cocoa Basics Tutorial" located in the Cocoa folder. It's a PDF document that will take you well beyond this simple lesson. It will, as well, make you wonder just how your students and staff can use this fascinating problem-solving application in a classroom. You should also imagine how you can integrate this application into the curriculum in a seamless way. We will discuss more of this in class.