3d engine

[redred]

Okay i heard that the 3d engine is what you use for graphics, can anyone explain the whole thing to me? Starting from the beginning please. Thanks!

[EgonOlsen]

This question is much to vague to be answered. Ask a specific question and you'll get a specific answer. Asking somebody to explain "everything" is pointless. For now, have a look at the "manual" that comes with jPCT. It may help to understand some basics. If not, use google to get a better understanding about what a 3d engine is.

[redred]

Well acually can you explain how to get the engine to work and what you do to work it? or is that too vague?

[culli]

Let me give a broad answer:

From someone who is a beginner with JPCT, I'll say first you need to know Java.  I know Java because that's what I used primarily in university, and now I use it professionally too.  If you don't know Java, go write a 2D tic-tac-toe game in text mode or something very simple first.  Write a bunch of small programs in Java.  Read some books like "Thinking in Java" http://www.planetpdf.com/developer/article.asp?ContentID=6632  (this is 3rd edition, or buy the 4th edition), or for an example list of beginner Java books: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/browse/-/3612/ref=dp_brlad_entry/103-8344784-0027869.  Browse the web for beginner courses on Java, maybe even go sign up for some courses if you have a university or community college nearby.

When you feel like you know your way around the Java API, that is, when you feel like you understand how to build a basic java program and import and use other people's classes, go follow the JPCT manual: http://www.jpct.net/manual2/index.html

Try to do some of the steps, then ask more questions when you get stuck.

Hope this helps,
Jim

[redred]

okay i know how to make mini programs and the sort, also the importing, but what about the 3d engine? how do you access it, and what do you do to make the graphics?

[culli]

What packages have you imported?  You use JPCT the same way.

So I think I saw in a another post you said you installed NetBeans?  You need to try to get the demos that come with JPCT compiling and running: the car demo and the FPS demo.  I don't use NetBeans, but basically you need to create a project and add the source files for one of the demos.  You need to configure your project -- however that's done in NetBeans -- so that it includes the necessary .jar files for JPCT and LWJGL.  Try to do that much and ask a specific question if you get stuck.  (By specific I mean something like: What modes does FrameBuffer.enableRenderer() support?)

Once you get the demos working, look at their code and try messing around with making other objects show up or modifying them in some way.

Have a good long read of http://www.jpct.net/doc/  You'll be using those classes to get anything done with JPCT.