I was just looking into Java a bit, as it comes with Visual Studio 6 Professional, and I realize how it could be pretty cool for development. Does anyone out there have any insight as to just how cool (or lame, for that matter) it could be? I''m very interested to hear. Pythius -Code God and future hardcore Java coder

At the minute, Java is too slow for any depth of game development - it''s quite a nice platform/language, and if it gets faster in the future could be quite a viable tool. It''s based upon C++, which is based upon C, so from C being fast, you have a couple of levels of transition, which tends to make things slower. Still - it''s worth learning and keeping up-to-date with.

It''s just an opinion...

-Mezz

Hi

Java get''s better and better, and with things like Java3D with OpenGL support, you can display 3d Grapphics with good Framerates. There are also some compilers for Java, which generate very fast code, compared to the Interpreter, but of cause you are loosing Your Plattformindependency.

Lars

Actually, Java is not based on C++ it just takes some syntax from it. Java is made straight from the beginning to be OOP programming language which normal C isn''t. Java doesn''t have templates, DLLs and IT RUNS ON VIRTUAL MACHINE which converts it to processor language. These may be wrong because i can''t remember details, but it''s not build from C++ it''s invidual language, I think.

Java is plenty fast enough to be used as a game scripting language.


-vince

Do not use Visual J++ ! I mean it, really.
Visual J++ is a false java which produces non-crossplatform bytecode executables.
If you want to do mono-platform development with Java, use a native Java compiler and you will have a fast native program, with source-level multi-platform. If you want compiled-level multi-platform, use a real JDK.
If you use Visual J++, you will have slow a Windows-only program.

Be reading you,
David

___Err, well Altmann is right about J++ not being a good enviroment for develping TRUE java applications. But it is possible to leave out MS' nasty ActiveX hooks.
___The downside is that everything that makes J++ easy to use are the same things that you can't use to make true pltaform-unspecific code. That means the nice button layout creator cannot be used, an immense letdown especially considering that using the AWT to create an interface is a MASSIVE PAIN IN THE butt. Unfortunately I already bought this for my Java class last semester, but then again I got NT4 SP3 for $100 US! Now if I could get it to install...

Edited by - SonicSilcion on 4/5/00 10:39:20 AM

quote: Original post by SonicSilcion

___Err, well Altmann is right about J++ not being a good enviroment for develping TRUE java applications. But it is possible to leave out MS'' nasty ActiveX hooks.
___The downside is that everything that makes J++ easy to use are the same things that you can''t use to make true pltaform-unspecific code. That means the nice button layout creator cannot be used, an immense letdown especially considering that using the AWT to create an interface is a MASSIVE PAIN IN THE butt. Unfortunately I already bought this for my Java class last semester, but then again I got NT4 SP3 for $100 US! Now if I could get it to install...

Edited by - SonicSilcion on 4/5/00 10:39:20 AM

Actually my experiences about building GUIS with AWT is pretty relaxed. It''s not that hard to build gui. With all layout managers it''s easy when you once decide to learn them. Also there are many good IDEs for Java, Symantek''s, IBM''s and Borlands Java IDEs are great, but I have never used to use any of them. I just like my notepad, Java Worshop 3 and Kawa combination.



Time comes, time goes and I only am.

quote: Original post by SonicSilcion
Unfortunately I already bought this for my Java class last semester, but then again I got NT4 SP3 for $100 US! Now if I could get it to install...

(off topic ) hey are you serious about that SP3 or am i not getting the joke ????



-kertropp

C:\Projects\rg_clue\ph_opt.c(185) : error C3142: 'PushAll' :bad idea
C:\Projects\rg_clue\ph_opt.c(207) : error C324: 'TryCnt': missing point

I have used JBuilder 3 a lot - it is not bad but somewhat disappointing for a former Borland fan like me.
I have used Visual Age for Java 1 beta very briefly. It looks great but requires some unusual thinking.
I have not tried CodeWarrior''s RAD tools but the IDE is perfectly usable for Java. Although I would tend to favor Emacs + Sun''s JDK for Java development.

As for GUI building, it requires a bit of training but once you have figured out how the GridBagLayout works, it is more comfortable to write down the code than to RAD it.

I hope this helped