I am interested in learning Java game programming as a hobby. Was using Flash to make small games previously and thinking of The Java website recommends Greenfoot to BlueJ to Netbeans. (http://java.sun.com/developer/technicalArticles/young_dev_learning_path/) I was wondering if this is a good route to follow? I know how to write Actionscript in Flash but no experience with a "real" programming language.

Well, ActionScript is programming... all "programming" can be reduced to describing solutions to problems as a set of logical steps. The language is an afterthought, literally--you think the problem through, and then implement the solution in whatever language you are using.

This greenfoot/bluej/netbeans stuff, I'm not sure about. You could follow them and I'm sure you will come out just fine. Or you could do it the way I (and tons of others, undoubtedly) did it, and just grab either Eclipse or Netbeans or something else, and start working your way through Java tutorials.

Maybe you should start with the "greenfoot" stuff, and see if it is useful for you. In the end, you are learning one particular language, so it doesn't really matter which "route" you follow, as long as you follow SOME route and get to the destination.

Quote:Original post by smitty1276
Or you could do it the way I (and tons of others, undoubtedly) did it, and just grab either Eclipse or Netbeans or something else, and start working your way through Java tutorials.

I am thinking of going straight to Netbeans because Greenfoot seems to be catered to kids! And after all I wrote platformers and shoot them ups in Flash before.

But I am afraid that I might be skipping too much fundamentals by going straight to the 3rd step of the recommended route.

Greenfoot looks like it's a framework for making simple games. BlueJ is a learning tool for doing Object Oriented Programming in Java. Netbeans is a pure IDE (with all the learning curves included).
If you're new to Java AND OOP, BlueJ might be a good start. It looks like it will help you understand how Java classes and interfaces interact.
I don't think there is anything wrong with just skipping to step 3. When I was taught Java in school, we used Textpad and the command line. What's important is that you learn the concepts. The IDE just speeds up development time. Who wants to waste their time memorizing the libraries when the Javadoc is so easy to access?

I am going to start with Netbeans with the help of tutorials.

Is Netbeans good enough for making a browser based java game? I want to upgrade and port over the shoot-them-ups and platform games I did in Flash over to Java.

Both Netbeans and Eclipse are good IDEs that are up to any Java programming task you can think of. I have found Netbeans much friendlier out of the box when developing web applications (servlets, jsp), and it's nicely integrated with Glassfish, but I miss the hovering javadoc window that is in Eclipse (which I subjectively find to be the friendlier IDE overall). You also don't have to download any addons for Netbeans in order to program with Swing. I haven't tried applets with either so I can't help you with that question, though. If things don't work out as you want, however, you might have to learn to write ant scripts in order to get all your files where you want them.

Pick one of those two and stick with it - you won't go wrong with either, especially at the low, low price of free. You can also try both - they can even work on the same workspace.