A Look at Java 3D Programming for Mobile Devices

An anonymous reader writes "IBM developerworks is running an article that describes the Mobile 3D Graphics API and introduces you to 3D programming for Java mobile devices. Sony's PSP has shown the graphics power you can put into a mobile device and mobile gaming. Although the average mobile phone is technologically behind this specialized game machine, Java seems to be helping to drive the market in a very definite direction."

Comments

3D Handsets

[seanellis]

Quite a few handsets already support M3G, among them the Siemens S65, Motorola E680, E1000, V980, SonyEricsson V800 and K750i, and the Nokia 6630 and 6680.

M3G is a lot lighter weight than Java3D, has high and low level APIs, and has its own compact file format for efficient packaging of assets.

I've been developing M3G technology, both engines and games, since day 1 (I was our company's representative on the expert group), and I am happy that Slashdot has at last highlighted it.

If you think retreads of "Mr. Do" and "Snake" are going to cut it in the Java space from now on, think again. You might like to look at Superscape's site for a taste of the kind of 3D games that are already out there.

Developers might also want to visit Benhui.net's 3D Developer Forum.

Re:3D Handsets

[mwvdlee]

Yes, I know most gamers have mobile phones.

Did you also realize that practically the rest of the civilized world also has mobile phones?

Gamers are but a small percentage of the mobile phone users.

Especially when using "gamer" in the popular interpretation as one who primarily plays games in the popular (racing, FPS and sports) genres.

I consider a fanatical phone user, a person who will frequently use SMS, MMS, WAP, built-in cam, built-in MP3 and in general know more than the manual does about the phone. By definition, these are people who are more "on-the-road" than a typical gamer and thus less likely to be a gamer. Apparently conventional popular game genres did not attract them enough to shift from being a hardcore phone user to becomming gamers. Logically, this means that such games would not attract them on their mobile phones either.

Perhaps you should refrain from smoking anything for a while, might help you to actually understand what you're reading. ;)

Neat article

[LarsWestergren]

I have some friends who are working with developing Java games. So far the big money is not in developing titles for phone companies portals (or even worse trying to sell them to the end user yourself) but to develop ad games for companies who make them available for free downloads, usually as a part of a competition.

From what I understand, the best part of the job is that since graphics on mobile phones and other limited devices are so cruddy development focus tends to be on addictive gameplay rather than eyecandy. It is also still possible to be a small independent game studio, no need for a big art studio to render hours of CGI, etc.

Worst part is that just about all phone developers are very sloppy when it comes to implementing the J2ME standards and all models tend to have their own quirks. Sony Ericsson and Nokia are probably the best, but that is not saying much. So in this case, it really is "write once, debug everywhere" type java.

Mobile gaming is really taking off, I read on GameDev for instance that mobile game developers Gameloft increased their workforce from 432 to 1375 employees.

Re:And queue the Java-being-slow comments...

[vidnet]

For a taste of what java can do, try Jake2. It's a Quake2 engine written entirely in java (easily started via webstart, on both linux and windows, and automatically downloads the Quake2 demo files if you want).

You would never be able to tell that it's java.