Windows XP Installation - Nothing Happens

Installation
1

Hi,
My first post on these forums, and its a whine.

I downloaded and installed the Windows version panda3d.org/download.php?runtime which gave me a exe file. This ran an installer, but from that point onwards, it didn’t seem to follow the documentation.
I have Python 2.6 and other versions already on my system, albeit I am NO programmer/coder, strictly a dumb artist.
When I run the 2 exe files, one (panda3d) opens a comand window and very fast, it closes again, the other (panda3dw), does nothing.

The folder contains 9 files, total 5.41mb. This doesnt seem big enough to be a scene editor.

I then went here panda3d.org/buildbot/ and downloaded the Sep 02 10:50 Windows #123 success Panda3D-2010.09.02-123.exe that was much larger.

I suspect that I may have had to have configured my Python 2.6 to work with Panda3D… but as I said, I’m no programmer/coder, dumb artist only and Windows was made for us. :unamused:

2

The “Runtime” is for running already-made and packaged Panda3D programs. If you are wanting to create a program with Panda3D you need the “SDK” from the Download section. The SDK comes with its own copy of Python, so it is not necessary to do anything in that regard.

I’m not sure what your expectations of Panda3D are. Read through the first section of the manual (http://www.panda3d.org/manual/index.php/Introduction_to_Panda3D) for a rundown on what Panda3D is and isn’t. You will need to learn programming to produce anything with Panda3D, it does not have any sort of point and click game maker or “starter kit game” that you can drop art into.

3

Ahh yes, I see that now… oh well… its hard to find a scene manager that is for Artists, most seem to be what I call Middleware, or for programmers.