Virtual Worlds

Virtual Worlds such as Second Life have embedded programming languages for creating simulations in the virtual world.
Example shown here of ant feeding.

Programming required: High
Accurate visual model: Med
Accurate underlying model: High
General applicability: Med
Interactivity: Low

Mathematica

Mathematica, MATLAB, Excel,etc.

General purpose calculation tools that can be adapted for modeling/simulation.
Some have simulation extensions.

Programming required: High
Accurate visual model: Low
Accurate underlying model: High
General applicability: Med
Interactivity: Med

GoldSim

Aimed at both academia and industry.
Graphical construction kit.
Provides numerical charts/graph results.

No programming.
No animation

Programming required: Low
Accurate visual model: Med
Accurate underlying model: High
General applicability: Med
Interactivity: Low


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Industry Tools

AnyLogic, ARENA, Dymola, Modelica, EcosimPro, Renque, SansGUI, Simscript, etc.

Intended for real world simulations.
Most require programming.
Vary in accuracy of visual model. Some provide only numerical charts/graphs for output.

Programming required: High
Accurate visual model: High
Accurate underlying model: High
General applicability: Med
Interactivity: High

Flash

Flash animation

Index of Examples: CMU Biology

Demonstrate change over time.

Programming required: Low
Accurate visual model: Medium
Accurate underlying model: Low
General applicability: High
Interactivity: Low

Stagecast Creator

Animations, simulations, games.
Discrete event, Rule-based model.
Program by Example.
2 dimensional

Programming required: Low
Accurate visual model: Low
Accurate underlying model: Low
General applicability: Medium
Interactivity: High


Note: Commercial software
Creating large simulation is tedious due to mouse-driven rule construction.
Example: Sudden Speciation

VRML

VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language)
3D animations in a web browser.

User can control display of different portions of the model. Example: Protein Explorer




Programming required: Medium
Accurate visual model: Medium
Accurate underlying model: Low/none
General applicability: High
Interactivity: Medium
Similar to: Shockwave Flash, QuickTime
Notes: Open standard. VRML seems no longer active and the
replacement, X3D, is still immature.