Learn JMonkeyEngine

[Thor_Prestboen]

Hello! Im so glad i found jmoneyengine. I have been looking for some engine that let me code java, since that is what i know and are Learning.

Are there any good books or video courses on jmonkey (other than tutorials in documentation)?

Im looking to create a top Down 2d game.

[oxplay2]

Welcome you could tell if you were making games before or not, i understand its your first one.

There are some JME 3.0 cookbook and more books, but myself i dont red them so cant tell much about them. but i belive this books are good.

Anyway most of solutions can be found on wiki

https://wiki.jmonkeyengine.org/jme3.html#tutorials-for-beginners
https://wiki.jmonkeyengine.org/jme3.html#documentation-for-intermediate-users
https://wiki.jmonkeyengine.org/jme3.html#documentation-for-advanced-users

I understand you plan to make top down, but a 3d game trully, just with view from above?

Question is where you gonna publish it. Will it be android or desktop. If you plan to have a nice graphic then you need learn how use Lighting or LightingPBR shader (it is what are normal, alpha, metal, roughness, glow and more map textures that give very nice result). Also then you gonna know blender or other 3d model tools very well.

But if you gonna make full 2d, then you could simply operate on images.

When you will lunch first test, then you will probably start from “how to load asset”, “how to add asset to be visible in game”(you need learn about scenegraph), “why asset is invisible”(you might need light to see them). Then you will probably need to know how to manipulate this elements.

The best way would be use AbstractControl(extend it with your own methods) and add to Spatial(spatial is scenegraph entity, it can be Node(container), Geometry or anything else)

or just use simpleUpdate(float tpf).

tpf is used to make all actions be independent of frames per second.
for example your character move, you multiply this by tpf(so if someone have 10 frames and other person have 100 frames, it will move same distance)

some tuts are out of wiki, but there are links on forum:
https://wiki.jmonkeyengine.org/tutorials/scenegraph/assets/fallback/index.html
https://wiki.jmonkeyengine.org/tutorials/math/assets/fallback/index.html

Alpha/Transparency Sorting, Your Z-buffer, and You

Since this comes up every three or four days, I decided to put together some visual aids. There is often a lot of confusion with how pixels get processed in relation to the z-buffer and why sorting is important. Most importantly it can be mind-warping trying to wrap one’s head around how to ‘fix’ the cases where proper sorting isn’t possible. Hopefully these diagrams help show the futility of it all… I mean the trade offs one has to make to get transparency looking its best in the general cas…

[Darkchaos]

And “normenhansen” has tutorials on youtube iirc, but that is mainly how to use the SDK, still helpful though.

[Aufricer]

Years ago I wanted to make a game myself. I searched an open source engine.
I did not know java and my day job is only touching it coding topics.
For me the tutorials worked fine. If you already know java it should be faster and easier for you.
Depending on your background and motivation the only thing lacking is time!
If your life (job) is not depending on making a game this would even be better for you.
I spend a few weeks/months (ok shifts at work) to redo and modify the tutorials. After that I spend a few months /years with writing a concept of a game (ok, again during work).
Finally I started test cases (mainly Appstates) that I hope to use once I make a game. You may find reading this forum being equal to mining (make a game) gold.
I know most people dont have the luxury of time and ressources to do this as a hobby but this is how I have done and learned jme, java and related topics so far.