JavaFX to cannabilize Java3D

07 February, 2008

Sun recently announced that Java3D in its current state would be shelved for an upcoming JavaFX-minded 3D scene graph version. My question is whether the supposedly coming JavaFX train will make stagnating an API worth it. Despite the full court press blitz, JavaFX adoption seems to be tepid and kinda nichey. Halting new features on an API isn’t the way to build a community around it. I think whatever benefits from tailoring to JavaFX would already be present in a Groovy version.

Before the news I had started reading Pro Java 6 3D Game Development (which uses Java3D alot) and was planning to build on the Java3DBuilder that Luis Diego Fallas started. I’m probably going to still do that. At least I won’t be coding against a moving target.

I like jME and would move to it when the need arises but I think you learn more when you assemble the components that when you have a prepackaged product.

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Comments

  1. Michael Bien said:

    >I like jME and would move to it when the >need arises but I think you learn more >when you assemble the components that >when you have a prepackaged product. If you like 3d graphics and you really take this sentence serious i would even recommend to build your own small engine from scratch on top of a OpenGL binding (JOGL or LWJGL). It is quite fun and you learn very much about graphics and fast code before moving to a (full featured) high level API. (I've done that and I would du that again :) ) IMO the decision to move away from Java3d wasn't bad at all ;) I have written a short entry on that topic a few days ago. http://www.michael-bien.com/roller/mbien/entry/java_3d_is_dead_again
  2. JW said:

    I think Java3D deserves some love too. In OpenGL, I always feel like I'm coding in C. Some may see it as a benefit that the code is essentially the same but I like a more object-oriented approach. I do like LWJGL but I think Java3D is undervalued. Would I base a business on Java3D? No. Is it suitable for a weekend proof of concept? Sure.
  3. Thierry said:

    I like java3D. It is funny because it has never been so stable and quick.
  4. Ratak said:

    I think that JavaFX is not pointed at creating a game, but it will suffice for doing some 3D animation in your work... I don't expect huge amounts of polygons with fog and dynamic lighting... but having the posibility of adding some 3D to your apps in an easy way, could lever the use of such applications. I love OpenGL but it requires a proportional amount of development time, as I read from javaFX it's almost like having your personal 3d engine embedded in your app... Finally, if they somehow manage to make it run fast... well it could be awesome.

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