Java 3D Engine

 Env3D is an innovative 3D engine written in Java. With Env3D, it is fun and easy to create 3D video games while learning Java Programming.

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Getting started with Env3D: From 0 to 3D in 5 minutes

Submitted by jmadar on Thu, 01/13/2011 - 22:04

So you want to learn programming, and have a little fun while doing it?  Maybe you already know Java programming, but wanted write your own 3D accelerated video games?  In either case, you've come to the right place.  This is the home of Env3D, a 3D engine written in the Java programming language.  What is so unique about Env3D is that it is designed with education in mind.  As a result, many of the more complicated tasks in traditional 3D engines are very easy to do in Env3D.  There are also lots of external resources built around Env3D to help people learn how to program, including a full set of lessons on object oriented programming, and tight intergration with the BlueJ IDE.


Scene Creator is now available for NetBeans

Submitted by jmadar on Wed, 02/01/2012 - 22:55

Due to popular demand, I have updated the Env3D NetBeans plugin to include support for the Scene Creator!  Check out the following video for an overview of this feature...

 

Introducing: the Env3D Scene Creator

Submitted by jmadar on Wed, 11/02/2011 - 15:32

It started out as a small bug fix to the "Start Env3D" visualization tool, and quickly evolved into a full blown framework and code generation tool.  The new Scene Creator in Env3D has to ability to setup a scene in env3d using drag and drop instead of creating and placing the objects in code  -- allowing students to create nicer looking games in a fraction of the time.  Furthermore, all the learning objectives are enhanced by allowing students to examine and modify generated source code.

The Env3D NetBeans Plugin

Submitted by jmadar on Wed, 08/03/2011 - 21:43

BlueJ is a great IDE for learning Java. It has everything that a beginner needs to get up and running, has an intuitive UI, and allows dynamic creation of objects without writing a "main" method.

The one thing that BlueJ is not intended to do, however, is medium to large size Java development. In my experience (and many students have also observed this), once your program hits 20+ classes, it is a good time to move to a more "professional" IDE, something like NetBeans or Eclipse.

I have been a NetBeans user since 2002, and I use NetBeans to create Env3D itself, so when I think about writing large Env3D programs, I naturally wanted to use NetBeans.

Release of stable and development versions

Submitted by jmadar on Thu, 07/14/2011 - 10:40

As you probably know, Env3D uses JavaMonkeyEngine (jME) internally. By using a commercial quality 3d engine, env3d gains the ability to take advantage of the latest graphics technology available to Java. It also provides a path for env3d users to access jME features to create visually sophisticated software. The latest lessons on nifty gui and particle system are examples of how env3d can access internal jME features.

All these, of course, came with a price. The latest version of jME makes exclusive use of shaders technology, which means it may not run on older hardware. To make env3d available to as many people as possible, I have decided to maintain 2 versions of env3d:

Nifty GUI in Env3d

Submitted by KMacKenzie on Tue, 05/31/2011 - 10:41

Jason has been working on integrating nifty GUI into env3d. Check out the demo below!

More Resources: Audio & Tutorials

Submitted by KMacKenzie on Fri, 05/06/2011 - 15:41

Two new resource sections have been added: Student Tutorials and Audio.
 
Audio files should be .ogg format to work in env3d, .wav files are also accepted for upload but they will need to be converted by the user once downloaded. Student Tutorials are basically little tutorials written by students for students and can contain any useful tips to share.

Website Surprise! Subscribe!

Submitted by KMacKenzie on Mon, 05/02/2011 - 15:27

 Hope everyone is enjoying the new website look. After a few hours of fiddling around with our old theme I decided it was time to start over. Personally I am very happy with the result and feel its much better than the previous version. 
 
I would also like to annouce the implementation of a new subscription feature. You can now subscribe to any node or topic and all updates and comments will be emailed directly to you!
 
By default all users will automatically subscribe to any content they create themselves (from this point on) but you can turn off this setting entirely (or by individual node) in your "My account" settings.
 
Happy Programming!

Community Resource Section

Submitted by KMacKenzie on Wed, 04/13/2011 - 13:51

Following along with the Env3d.org development goals, which can be viewed here, we have begun working on Phase 4 - Expanding Content. The goal of this phase is to increase the variety of content community users can contribute. Today we have added the functionality for users to submit and share models and animations they have created or improved upon. 
 
The Models page can be found in the "Other Resources" section. Check it out by following this link.
 
Keep in mind that the new resource section of the site is a work in progress.