Java 3D vs. OpenGL

Hmm, Java3D? I''ve had to use it for some assignments at school (actually, the entire ''Graphics'' course was centered around Java3D), so I''ve got some experience in using it. At the end of the course I ended up practically begging my teacher to please please please let me use OpenGL
But seriously, I couldn''t het used to working with it. Java3D is a lot less ''low-level'' than OpenGL for instance. Java3D projects ran a lot slower than their OpenGL equivalents.

Anyways, for standalone games etc. I think I wouldn''t want to use Java3D. On the other hand, you could do some cool things with VRML like worlds and games in webbrowsers.

Jappie

are u talking about the OpenGL Java implementation? because, C++ OpenGL has been tough for me to learn. I am currently learning java, and was thinking about getting into Java OpenGL or 3D.

"C++ OpengGL" is rather easy in my opinion. At least after tackling DirectX lol

I''ll second that. DirectX was just horrible, and all I was trying to learn was DirectDraw. I am finding OpenGL to be marvelous so far. It feels like there is nothing I can''t do.

so, i should just stick to C++ OpenGL and just try my best to learn it?

The advantages of Java3D is that it gives you plenty of stuff that you will have to write anyway for free, such as model loaders, a scenegraph structure, view frustrum culling, etc. The disadvantage is mainly that it does not support all the features of a lower-level API and that it can have some overhead over code written for such an API. This is especially true for really simple code that does not benefit from the culling, caches and other optimizations in Java3D's scenegraph structure, which is what I am guessing that Jappie is referring to since he was able to create OpenGL 'equivalents'.

There is at least one commercial game that uses Java3D I think, but the latest AAA title that uses Java (IL-2 Sturmovik) seems to be using some lighter OpenGL binding. Your choice of API really depends on what kind of game you are writing.

[edited by - HenryAPe on February 3, 2003 1:25:27 AM]