[java] New API's in JDK 1.4!
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I''m quite surprised how many game related new API''s are popping up in the upcoming JDK 1.4. E.g. see http://java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/extra/fullscreen/ a tutorial for the upcoming fullscreen graphics mode API.
I think the success of I-Mode (I-Appli) phones in Japan due to the ability of downloading Java games has woken Sun up to see the potential in games. This is good news as up until now Sun has consentrated totally on business applications and their needs.
At the same time I''m a bit frustrated as they have taken the DirectX approach of "it is the responsibility of the developer to check everything before he does anything" as opposed to mine "developer knows what he wants, just do what he wants in any way possible" approach in my GameFrame for Java library.
What do you think, can Sun come up with decent Gaming API? Or do they just copy the DirectX things to Java side leaving us with the "usability" of DirectX, but a new API to learn?
I think it is better for Sun to release some sort of general graphics and gaming API such as DirectX and then have people developing game libraries with it the wat you have done it with the GameFrame Engine.
This way we can use the same API for all our games and get better performance/quality with the new improvements Sun does with the JDK and when the library developers support those new features.
People at Sun don''t have to make a good game engine but instead to make an open and generalist (don''t know if this word exists in english) so we can make good libraries and then good games with it.
Look at OpenGL, it''s not a game API. Far from it. And its learning curve is not the shortest. But it''s powerful and you can use the engines based upon it or instead develop your own engine. You have the choice.
Severance (Unreal), Deux Ex (LithTech if I remember) are good examples of games using an engine instead of a basic API. At the other hand you have Quake3 which is made from scratch with OpenGL.
The work you have done with GameFrame is based upon the same philosophy : there will be game developers AND library developers.
In my opinion it is better this way.
This way we can use the same API for all our games and get better performance/quality with the new improvements Sun does with the JDK and when the library developers support those new features.
People at Sun don''t have to make a good game engine but instead to make an open and generalist (don''t know if this word exists in english) so we can make good libraries and then good games with it.
Look at OpenGL, it''s not a game API. Far from it. And its learning curve is not the shortest. But it''s powerful and you can use the engines based upon it or instead develop your own engine. You have the choice.
Severance (Unreal), Deux Ex (LithTech if I remember) are good examples of games using an engine instead of a basic API. At the other hand you have Quake3 which is made from scratch with OpenGL.
The work you have done with GameFrame is based upon the same philosophy : there will be game developers AND library developers.
In my opinion it is better this way.
Ok, I noticed this a few days ago, and all I can say is..."When is it coming out???"
I''m not sure Sun is making this as a Game API per se, but I see where the new functionality will help game programmers. Remember, even DirectX is used for more than games (I''ve seen some nice middle-ware graph components that use it). Sun does seem to be pushing the idea of Java Game programming lately though, so I think that this push will be a good thing.
Of course, the average user out there still only supports JDK1.1 (ish) so you should target your applications to your audience. The puzzle-game applet crowd will likely see nothing special about this, as they mostly use the 1.1 JDK (I''m talking about groups like Popcap Games). Those making an RTS or turnbased strategy game, or an RPG (or really, any complex game) will likely have a user base who won''t mind downloading the latest JRE to run it, if it exists for their platform.
My only real worry is Sun''s propensity for slow code at first release (think SWING...hell, it''s STILL too slow for most needs). I have the same feeling for new Java API''s as I do for new MS products...version 1.x to 2.0 will be stable/fast enough to bother using. I dearly hope they prove me wrong here.
That''s my ramblings on the topic
Eboz
I''m not sure Sun is making this as a Game API per se, but I see where the new functionality will help game programmers. Remember, even DirectX is used for more than games (I''ve seen some nice middle-ware graph components that use it). Sun does seem to be pushing the idea of Java Game programming lately though, so I think that this push will be a good thing.
Of course, the average user out there still only supports JDK1.1 (ish) so you should target your applications to your audience. The puzzle-game applet crowd will likely see nothing special about this, as they mostly use the 1.1 JDK (I''m talking about groups like Popcap Games). Those making an RTS or turnbased strategy game, or an RPG (or really, any complex game) will likely have a user base who won''t mind downloading the latest JRE to run it, if it exists for their platform.
My only real worry is Sun''s propensity for slow code at first release (think SWING...hell, it''s STILL too slow for most needs). I have the same feeling for new Java API''s as I do for new MS products...version 1.x to 2.0 will be stable/fast enough to bother using. I dearly hope they prove me wrong here.
That''s my ramblings on the topic
Eboz
quote:Original post by eboz
Of course, the average user out there still only supports JDK1.1 (ish) so you should target your applications to your audience. The puzzle-game applet crowd will likely see nothing special about this, as they mostly use the 1.1 JDK (I''m talking about groups like Popcap Games). Those making an RTS or turnbased strategy game, or an RPG (or really, any complex game) will likely have a user base who won''t mind downloading the latest JRE to run it, if it exists for their platform.
This idea pains me every time I read it and it show up a lot. I think Java developers should try to get the user base to move to the better technolory of jre 1.3 or 1.4 when it comes out. The bastardized version that MS gets to promote for a year or two until their license runs out is a dagger in the side of Java. I think everyone whould make games that use 1.3 and get all the suckers out there still using 1.MS to switch. Here ends the Guinness fueled lesson.
The fanatic is incorruptible: if he kills for an idea, he can just as well get himself killed for one; in either case, tyrant or martyr, he is a monster.
--EM Cioran
Opere Citato
Actually, I wasn''t thinking of MS here. Mac''s (non-OSX) only support 1.1x I ran into that problem making an imaging applet for a start-up turned not-com that I worked for a while back. When most Mac users have upgraded systems to OSX running beasts (don''t count on that for at least a year or more), they have no other choice.
Most of the MS crowd will download the plugin with very little prompting.
Eboz
Most of the MS crowd will download the plugin with very little prompting.
Eboz
Does anyone know if JDC members get access to early beta releases of SDK''s or is it restricted to add-on libraries??
Just wondering, cos if we do then it could be a while before 1.4 hits our shores as early beta access isn''t currently available....
JJ.
Just wondering, cos if we do then it could be a while before 1.4 hits our shores as early beta access isn''t currently available....
JJ.
As much as I hate to do this,
There is a forum at www.javagaming.org
Ok, so what? Well some of the participants seem to be closely affiliated with Sun and might have let go a few details as to Java 1.4''s schedule. As you will surely notice when you go there, the forum gets a bit of activity on the scale of maybe the GDNet Lounge. If Myopic Rhino ever does pull through on his desire to assimilate this forum into a more general forum, javagaming.org should be a good place to go get answers.
It''s sad because we''ve acrued a lot of good knowledge here.
joeG
There is a forum at www.javagaming.org
Ok, so what? Well some of the participants seem to be closely affiliated with Sun and might have let go a few details as to Java 1.4''s schedule. As you will surely notice when you go there, the forum gets a bit of activity on the scale of maybe the GDNet Lounge. If Myopic Rhino ever does pull through on his desire to assimilate this forum into a more general forum, javagaming.org should be a good place to go get answers.
It''s sad because we''ve acrued a lot of good knowledge here.
joeG
Release canidates seem to show up in the developers connection but I doubt that 1.4 is anywhere near release, even though it was supposed to be Q1/01, since 1.3.1 was just released.
The fanatic is incorruptible: if he kills for an idea, he can just as well get himself killed for one; in either case, tyrant or martyr, he is a monster.
--EM Cioran
Opere Citato
The fanatic is incorruptible: if he kills for an idea, he can just as well get himself killed for one; in either case, tyrant or martyr, he is a monster.
--EM Cioran
Opere Citato
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