I'm really interested in building a game and I have a few close friends who are interesting in helping out.
So I need a little bit of a direction on how to get started using jMonkey. First a little bit about me.
My only experience's writing applications comes from the Visual Basic 6 world back in high school. After learning some VB we learned ASP, then to PHP + Mysql and I never went back to application programming. I have purchased a "Welcome to Java Programming" book and flew through it with little problems, but I'm still very unsure how to get started using jMonkey.
So my question is, do I know enough to get started using this thing? Or should I go purchase a 3d game engine programming book first? Should I fumble around on the forums? Is there a Super Newbie guide somewhere?
Is there any map/model making software? One of my friends is a 3D artist who uses Softimage and 3D Studio max to make commercials and cartoons for Fox, would I be able to import his biped models etc?
My other friend is very familiar using the tools to make maps for Cs Source and Counterstrike. Is there a tool like this for jMonkey?
1. So my question is, do I know enough to get started using this thing? Or should I go purchase a 3d game engine programming book first? Should I fumble around on the forums? Is there a Super Newbie guide somewhere?
2. Is there any map/model making software? One of my friends is a 3D artist who uses Softimage and 3D Studio max to make commercials and cartoons for Fox, would I be able to import his biped models etc?
3. My other friend is very familiar using the tools to make maps for Cs Source and Counterstrike. Is there a tool like this for jMonkey?
1. Probably no need for a 3d game book, but it sure would not hurt. Definitely look around the forums... it is full of useful stuff and most of the questions you have asked have been answered countless times. The Wiki tutorial section is a good place to start for a newcomer to jME, whatever his or her experience level.
2. There are map modelling tools available built specifically for jME (check out MonkeyWorld3d) and several ways of handling terrain in your game, some of which do not have a ready editor for it. However it is quite possible to import terrain also from other formats. In some cases people have tried it already, so there migt be a path you can follow. Some formats have not been tried yet, so you can be the explorer. Importing of characters (models) from different formats is also present but at a different level for different formats. 3dmax has exporters available to many formats so should you have problems with its native format for some reason, you should still be able to use the models available for you.
3. I do not know anything about counterstrike nor its editor so i do not know... but check out the existing terrain and map editors. Just search around the forum... and keep reading.
Bear in mind that you should be able to import things from 3DS MAX fairly easily. However you will want content that has been specifically designed for games. Chances are that content made for high end rendering will be much too detailed for a realtime engine.
That said, once you can iron out a process for getting content made and imported into JME (and be aware, it will take some initial work), you will be in a great position. The benefits of having great artists (be they from mainstream 3D art or modding) will be incalculable.