Total ewbie question here: Is there a JOGL book in the works? Is JOGL the sort of API that really needs a book?
Would I be just as well off getting a generic OpenGL 1.4 book?
BTW: I’m already aware of the NeHe (and others) tutorials on the web with accompanying Java code.
Last I heard there is at least one book on JOGL under development and probably more than one on general game programming which will also cover JOGL.
Shameless self promotion to follow…(but then you asked for it;-))
Syrus Mesdaghi, Dustin Clingman and myself are in development of a Java game programming book for Charles River Media (publisher of many great game and programming books, such as the Game Gems series) with the focus on the Java Game Technologies Group’s APIs (JOAL, JOGL Jinput) as well as JNI and VM strategies and other Java APIs, useful and usable, in pro game prgramming. In addition, it wil included the results of our engine development (scene managment and rendering, character animation, object networking, intergration with 3D sound, etc.) and a book license for the engine code.
The release date and location is GDC 2004.
Please remind me to buy that book when it’s going to be
sold.
Thanks 
!
Jogl is just an opengl binding, how would a book about jogl be any different than a book about opengl? perhaps it will include an object oriented approach to game enine design. that will definitely be a good read… i recently picked up 3D Game Engine Design (Elberly), i reccomend it to anyone looking to write an engine. the math is a little complex, but its well written with tons of code on the accompanying cd-rom. and the author stresses OOP a lot, which is never a bad thing
Well it looks like there is a general book about Java Gaming with a focus on JOGL. There is a lot more to a game than just rendering (ie. OpenGL) - which I think is why the book is covering sound, input and all the other stuff too. And there is some stuff about Java Gaming which is very Java specific. General books are fine for the OpenGL and physics engine stuff - but not for the JNI etc…
I think the mentioned book looks promicing and would also like to get my hands on a copy when it is published :).
Cheers,
Will.
Briefly, the major issues in JOGL vs. OGL is working with ByteBuffers and what JOGL does with them. Also making your own build and extended it like I had to do to get Vertex Buffers working before the actual release has them.
However, it is true since most of it is basically just OGL. we punt on mid-level OGL stuff. Meaning we cover enough to get going if you’ve never used OGL, but if you want to go further then see other great OGL resources.
Later though we then do some advanced OGL/JOGL for example using vertex and fragment programs and register combiners because we show how to set that stuff up in a scene engine.