libgdx, opengl, where to start?

OpenGL Development
#1

I have been writing games for awhile with plain old Java 2D and want to bite the bullet and upgrade my technology. I was thinking it would be nice to learn one of these openGL technologies, and I noticed also that libgdx allows (from their website) “code once, runs on PC or Android with few modifications.” That sounds really attractive to me.

So, being a complete noob to openGL and/or libgdx, where should I start? Will it be best to simply dive straight into libgdx, or is there something foundational I should try to learn first?

Thanks very much

#2

I should clarify: I’m still looking to do 2D programming with this. :slight_smile:

#3

If you are new to Java you should learn some of that first, probably read a book, play with some code, etc. If you are just new to OpenGL, dive in to libgdx:
http://code.google.com/p/libgdx/wiki/VideoTutorials

#4

Not new to java, just openGL.
Sounds like I should just dive into libgdx – I’ll try the video!

#5

You might want to also look at the Javadocs and at the demo games that are available in the SVN repository. Just check out the trunk and import all the projects into Eclipse. The “Super Jumper” exmaple is probably what will interest you the most. The com.badlogic.gdx.graphics.g2d and com.badlogic.gdx.scenes.scene2d packages (the later for simple UI stuff) will probably be your bestest friends.

#6

Awesome, thanks. This is very helpful :slight_smile:

#7

I’ve been going through some of the available materials from the libgdx website. I notice that the tutorial videos mention the driver/helper class instantiating either a new JoglApplication or a lwjgl app. The person recording the video does not discuss the implications to this choice (and chooses jogl).

Does anyone know what kinds of things the choice at this point is going to mean? Or should I even care at all / won’t be noticeable?

#8

Both are identical, feature-wise. However, LWJGL is much, much better. Don’t use JOGL. It’s dead. Totally not dead.

#9

I started with JOGL seeing as I wanted something that was officially supported. After several people had problems with the applet loader (sometimes didn’t start, sometimes loaded the applet twice and so on) I decided to switch over to LWJGL.
It took a couple of hours to change everything around but I’m really happy that I did. The Applet loader is soooo much better and every issue I find is usually solved within a few days.

Mike

#10

It’s not dead. Please stop FUD. Sven and Rami have recently implemented curve rendering on the GPU which is currently used to render fonts. 2 release candidates of JOGL 2.0 are available. A NEWT implementation for SWT has been added to help people to use JOGL 2.0 with SWT without needing any AWT dependency. Bugs are fixed, nothing has been given up. JOGL is alive, it is still used in some 3D engines including Ardor3D.

[quote=“Mickelukas,post:9,topic:36428”]
JOGL is still (successfully) used in some applets, for example in PlayWiz and Scupteo, 2 professional applications. I cannot help people in using JOGL in applets as I only use Java Web Start.

#11

Hi!

Sorry for this “offtopic”.

Stop FUD and stop insulting people who disagree with you on IRC:
http://echelog.matzon.dk/logs/browse/lwjgl/1302904800

[quote]00:35:32] also, what’s gouessej obsession with jogl?
[00:36:14] http://gouessej.wordpress.com/
[00:36:15] oh
[00:36:17] he’s a douche
[/quote]
As far as I know, “a douche” is an insult which means “gros con”, “connard” or “crétin” in French, can r4nking, bobza, dzzd and some other people understanding French confirm this? I’m not a douche, I’m a political and trade union activist, I’m a researcher/engineer in computer science (3D visualisation with Java and JOGL applied in scientific domains including geology) and the father of T.U.E.R. I sometimes disagree with you but I have never thought you were a silly guy. Best regards.

#12

You were wrong. I’m actually a pretty silly guy! Let me apologize for the “douche”. I guess “paranoid & obsessed” is a better phrase. How do i arrive at this conclusion? You grep the #lwjgl logs for your name. I’m entitled to my opinion about everything, so are you. I derive my opinion about you not from your blog, but from your posts on JGO. I’m afraid we are never going to become super best friends :frowning:

No hard feelings :smiley:

#13

trololo
* Matzon grabs some popcorn

#14

If I’m in the right mood, I think of all of you as douches. That definitely doesn’t mean you are. It’s Saturday evening. Go to the fridge, grab a beer, and be happy we have both JOGL and LWJGL. In tonights mood, I luuuuub you all.

#15

I’m neither paranoid nor obsessed, sorry to contradict you once more. You posted a link to my blog so the URL of the logs appeared in the GUI of Wordpress.com. I have nothing against libgdx…

#16

Hey share some!

#17

Ahh, the good ol’ internet where sticking your foot in your mouth stays for time immemorial for all to see.

#18

Now now kids, settle down!

Note badlogic and I are different people. Ironically, he is a JOGL guy.

My original post was nothin’ but the troll in me. I figured if it were not dead, someone would certainly popup and defend it. Good to have a finger on the pulse. :slight_smile:

#19

Hey douche is French! Yeah the “gros con” in the milder form is probably the closest.

#20

gouessej is a shower? Huh? :stuck_out_tongue: