Articles wanted (again)

Newbie & Debugging Questions
#1

…in time for the re-launch of JGF. We’re transferring across the old articles at the moment (one or two of which may get largely re-written in the process), but it would be great to have some more done.

UPDATE: now you merely need to create an account on the test server, go to the “developers” page, then click on “tutorials” then “propose article”. Quick link:

http://213.88.244.247/views/proposed-articles

(if you don’t have an account yet, then use the register link at the top right - use a real email address or your account will (eventually) get killed; there’s no checks at the moment).

Details you need to fill in:

  • suggested title
  • type of article (tutorial, soapbox, etc)
  • one or two paragraph synopsis/explanation of your article

…then you get a link to a page to edit it, where you can add:

  • each of the major headings you intend to cover, with a few sentecnes for each to describe them.

Note: the system isn’t finished yet, so you can’t, for instance, delete or modify the headings once created - this will get fixed ASAP!

/UPDATE.

e.g.

Title: “Introduction to 3D graphics in java”
Synopsis: …[your explanation]…
Headings:

  • History of 3D in java (Java3D)
  • OpenGL vs Software
  • Java3D & Xith3D
  • Scenegraph vs raw tris
  • JOGL & LWJGL
  • jME
  • Other options
  • Connclusion

…or something like that.

You need to bear in mind that:

  • Every article has an editor, whose job it is to make sure the article is accurate, has working code, is fair (unbiased), easy to understand, and interesting to read.
  • Your editor will work with you to improve the article whilst you’re writing it.
  • You need to get the editor’s approval before you start - this usually just means agreeing on the list of headings. This makes sure you don’t end up writing something and then the editor doesn’t like it.

Finally, we’re looking on any article on any topic so long as it is java-specific. If you’re article doesn’t apply to java in particular, then submit it to gamedev.net instead; we’re not interested in trying to “compete” with other sites - we just want to provide the content that is missing from other sites.

For an example of what makes a good tutorial, read Kevin Glass’s “Space Invaders 101” on: http://javagamesfactory.com/articles-content.html

PS if anyone does want to do an article on 3D grahpics in java, feel free to submit your proposal based on the above! :).

#2

Oooh, I have an article I’d like to write; ‘Beginning Games Tools with Swing’ - and chronicle the making of a tile map editor ;D.

Would that be suitable? I’ve been meaning to get back to this jsgc thing and the tile map editor needs some more work…

#3

I actually plan on doing up a tutorial for making a simple game in Java2D as a lot of my friends at school are interested. I’ll be designing it for a presentation, and I believe I can make it work well as an online tutorial too. We’ll see :slight_smile:

#4

[quote]Oooh, I have an article I’d like to write; ‘Beginning Games Tools with Swing’ - and chronicle the making of a tile map editor ;D.

Would that be suitable? I’ve been meaning to get back to this jsgc thing and the tile map editor needs some more work…
[/quote]
Well, it’s Java-specific and games-dev-specific, so … yes, definitely.

Within those bounds, it’s worth proposing anything. We’ll accept an article mainly by looking at the headings - if it looks like they’ll make an interesting yet easy to follow article, then we might as well try it. If we don’t like the headings, we can use the description you provide to make suggestions for better headings.

Nothing’s final. It’s all iterative, trying to ensure each article is going to be good before you even start writing :). Works out better for everyone that way…

#5

[quote]I actually plan on doing up a tutorial for making a simple game in Java2D as a lot of my friends at school are interested. I’ll be designing it for a presentation, and I believe I can make it work well as an online tutorial too. We’ll see :slight_smile:
[/quote]
As noted above you have to contact us before you start if you want it to go on JGF. This is the only way you can be sure that we will want to publish what you’re writing.

For instance, given that we already have Kev’s 3-part series on Java2D, although there’s plenty more to say and it’s OK to overlap a bit, we’d need to be careful to make sure you didn’t just duplicate what he’d already said.

#6

Updated. See first post at top of thread. Stupid YABB won’t trigger the “thread updated” unless I actually post on the end :(.