Book Image

jMonkeyEngine 3.0 : Beginner's Guide

Book Image

jMonkeyEngine 3.0 : Beginner's Guide

Overview of this book

jMonkeyEngine 3.0 is a powerful set of free Java libraries that allows you to unlock your imagination, create 3D games and stunning graphics. Using jMonkeyEngine's library of time-tested methods, this book will allow you to unlock its potential and make the creation of beautiful interactive 3D environments a breeze."jMonkeyEngine 3.0 Beginner's Guide" teaches aspiring game developers how to build modern 3D games with Java. This primer on 3D programming is packed with best practices, tips and tricks and loads of example code. Progressing from elementary concepts to advanced effects, budding game developers will have their first game up and running by the end of this book.From basic concepts and project creation to building a complex 3D Game, you will learn to layout 3D scenes, make them interactive and add various multi-media effects.You will find answers to common questions including best practices and approaches, how game characters can act and interact, how to simulate solid walls and physical forces, how to take it online to play over a network and much more.From Zero to Hero, start your journey to make your game idea a reality.
Table of Contents (20 chapters)
jMonkeyEngine 3.0 Beginner's Guide
Credits
About the Author
About the Reviewers
www.PacktPub.com
Preface
Index

Animating a model


Up until now, you have only dealt with static 3D objects. Maybe you have a daring piece of update loop code that transforms models so they move around like chess pieces on a board. But if the moving objects are characters, you would like to see their legs and arms move while they walk. It's time to animate your 3D models.

In 3D games, a method called skeletal animation is used to animate characters. But in principle, the skeleton approach can be extended to any 3D mesh – even an opening crate's hinge can be considered a simple joint.

Tip

Your wizard fidgets, your ninja moonwalks, and your brawny warrior skips along like a balloon animal? Unless you are animating toons, the realism of an animated character's motion is generally a problem. Professional game designers invest a lot of effort to make characters animate in a natural way, including the use of motion capturing.