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

Time for action – finding the spot


Using coordinates, we pinpoint a location in 3D space by specifying the distance from the origin along the three axes x, y, and z.

Tip

Remember the order: (x,y,z) coordinates always go in the same rut (Right-Up-Towards you). You can use the word R.U.T. as a mnemonic.

So how do you go about locating a point? Let's try to find coordinate (2,3,-4):

  1. Always start at the origin.

  2. The first value of the (2,3,-4) coordinates tells you to go two steps right, following the arrow of the x axis.

  3. The second value of the (2,3,-4) coordinates tells you to go three steps up, following the arrow of the y axis.

  4. The third value of the (2,3,-4) coordinates tells you to go four steps away from you, against the arrow of the z axis.

What just happened?

If you followed the description with your finger on the picture, you moved two steps right, three steps up, and four steps into the page—your finger is now at coordinate (2,3,-4).

Try another example: the point (1,3,2) is one step right...