Hi, everyone, so im currently learning Java, and I found out that this engine can do some cool stuff, since im sticking to Java atm I want to know more exactly what kind of game can you do with this engine.
I google’d but everything I find regarding importing animations, using a model, etc… It’s almost 9+ years old.
Can i do, for example, a skate and parkour low poly game? or is it to complex for this to handle? The only reason i would like to try and learn this its because i dont want to get into another language since im learning Java, I prefer at the moment sticking to one language,
thanks a lot!
There are two answers to your question about what jME is able to handle: the short answer, and the long answer. The short answer is that as a mature general-purpose engine, jME will be able to handle any project you should choose to throw at it. The long answer is that this is true of any general purpose engine, and that the question is really how difficult or easy the path to your desired outcome is rather than whether or not it is possible. Every engine is built a bit differently with different technologies and techniques and certainly different investments of money and time. As such, some things are naturally a bit easier or more intuitive in one engine than in other engines. Sometimes the easy will come at the cost of something else being slower or harder. Once you get into general purpose engines, the choice doesn’t come to what’s possible because anything is possible (with enough time and effort); the choice comes to what fits your needs best. If you want to make games with Java, I absolutely believe you are in the best place to do so. On the other hand, if you wanted to make games that run on consoles, you’re out of luck here (since there aren’t commercially viable JVM ports on console and Java AOT technologies do not support consoles currently it’s just not possible to port jME to consoles right now). It all comes down to what you want to make and which engine helps you get to your goal in a way that best fits your needs and wants.
To answer your question about animations and models, you’ll find that jME keeps up quite well with anything in the GLTF format (an industry standard interchange format designed for games & other realtime rendering applications). I think you’ll find that the most challenging part of your example skate and parkour game is designing the data model and game logic - once you’re skilled at data & logic models (which you may already be), then adapting to new engines is usually reasonably straightforward (at a high level, at least - individual engines may always have difficult quirks).
Thanks a lot for the information, it’s really useful, and cleared almost all the doubts I had, yeah, basically I want this project to take as much time as it needs, so theres no rush or deadlines since this will also help me improve a lot (i guess) in the programming area.
as @danielp mentioned, you can do pretty much any kind of game project with JME as long as you put your effort in it. From my personal experience, most of the complexity for every game project comes from how you structure your project (assets and code), and what you want the game to be like. The more you work with your project the more you will learn.
For your skate and parkour game, I suggest you work on a design document. You can look for a template online or just make your own. It will have all the features and core concepts you of your game and sill serve as a guide for your development as well as an indicator if things are going too far.
Thanks! yeah, actually im reading all the documentation and doing simple test importing simple things… Aside from this im documenting my ideas in a project on what do i really want it to be, so i dont end up running in circles adn eventually give up.