Sun has actually developed a smart platform that does exactly what your talking about.. >now where did I put that URL..<

Called Java Network Launching Protocol (JNLP)

It looks like an incredible platform...

Have a look at the details at:
http://java.sun.com/jdc/JDCTechTips/2001/tt0530.html

Mark

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Vector7 Software Engineering
www.vector7.com.au
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Original post by thed77

I would agree with you on the Automatic Update thing, but name one language that tells you that you need to update your libraries, compiler or whatever. I know C/C++ doesn''t do it.

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huh? Have you ever had a compatability problem with a C/C++ program? I haven''t. I just install the thing and it runs, 100% of the time. 100%, no exceptions ever. Ok so sometimes it asks me to upgrade directX to a new version. I just hit "ok" and it does it for me. Everything that wants to be considered a serious contender must be just as easy. Remember everything must first and formost be judged from the user''s point of view, the developer''s perspective is a very distant second.

Have you ever had a compatability problem with a C/C++ program?

Actually, yes. Many Many times.

I have one comment... In my opinion, no matter what language you build your programs in, there will usually always be a problem.

so lets drop the ''my language is better than yours'' and get back to talking about what this threads topic is about... the new Java game API.

Personally, you can never learn to much or write programs in enough languages...

That''s my 2 cents

my language greater than yours? I only program in java and I''m the the one bashing it. I hate almost all programming languages actually. When I only knew java I thought it was fine, then I learned C and now I hate them both.

Ok so... what is there about the gaming API to talk about? I haven''t really seen a javadoc or anything like that. I didn''t sign up for that expert group thing because I''m not an expert and it sort of implied that I should be. I might just sign up anyway though.

I just returned from Sun''s JavaOne conference in San Francisco and after it, my opinion of Java has improved greatly. The new JDK1.4 (which you can download the Beta of) has much better performance than 1.3.

The Java2D API is now very optimized (the benchmarks are close to that of DX). The Java3D API still in my mind has some work to go. Sun presented a demo of a flight sim using Java3D and the framerates from 1.3 to 1.4 show a great improvement. But they are still only getting 16-18 fps in 1024x768.

Chances are that with some more code optimization, a good 3D developer could tweak more that 16fps out of 1.4. I''m not really sure.

But Sun is definately pushing the technology forward.

borngamer

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Original post by borngamer

...But they are still only getting 16-18 fps in 1024x768.

borngamer

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Sounds like B&W for windows.

Anyways. Why is everyone sitting on their thumbs waiting for a slow/bloated Sun API to be released. You know it will only work on windows for the first few months. Why not just use a DX Java wrapper and be done with it? I''ve already moved away from Java, too tired of waiting for sun to catch up with my ideas. SDL is a great package for doing 2D games. It has support for OpenGL 3D games too, but I''m not sure how ''great'' it is for those. There are ports of SDL to many languages including java (beta (kind of like Sun''s gaming api)). So try that out and help the java gaming community instead of waiting for sun to make thier own.

Someone mentioned they thought doing a game API was silly for sun to do. Personally I think it''s genius.


Imagine writing a game using in Java (already rivals the speed of C++) using their game api (someday will rival the speed of directX). Now you want to port that game to Macintosh... You don''t need to!!! One code base - multiple platforms.

It means we are no longer tied to a pentium class computer running windows if we want to play the top games.

This means all 27 of the Mac owners out there can finally buy new games! (j/k mac owners )

And I personally would love to dump windows for Linux, but I keep windows because I''m a game fanatic.

Let''s not forget that Java has a lot of momentum going for it these days. If Sun decides to point some this force towards a gaming API it could become standard in no time.

I agree with the anonymous poster who said that JAVA is step and not a destination.

Even though it is wrong to state that "JAVA is the best language we have" I think it is great when someone tries to pull one of these in forum. It brings up heated discussions, like this one, which in the end helps in develpement of better languages.

I like Java and it would be really great if it would get the same speeds than C and DX. But I think there is still a long way to go and I''m not so sure if Microsoft just sits on their hands while they lose their major adavtage over every other OS (that is easy & widly supported Game development).

BTW what is C# ? Never heard of it

Humanity''s first sin was faith; the first virtue was doubt