Where to go? Wich Java OpenGL 3D engine

OpenGL Development
#1

Ok, I managed with lots of sweat and hairpulling to render a Terrain and write an importer and load a textured MDL-Model
only using only LWJGL funtionality, and walk aroundin that.

But when it comes to stuff like calculating vertexnormal, loading animation in the MDL
and generally making a well performing rendering it kind of goeas over my head (or better is technical stuff Im not familiar nor
too interested in)

What do you guys suggest should I jump onto.
Some 3D Engine solution that takes me by the hand, but leaves me enough freedom to alter some low-level functions
in case I need a specific solution.

Is JMonkey a goog place to go,
or Andor3D or Jake3D … ?

What I basically need is a sandbox wich handles model loading and rendering or me, plus setting up all the common
features to present the scene, but deas not limit me into some arbitrary entity system or specific gamesolution.
Something not too bloated too (Not with 30 specific archives for subfunctionaleties)

#2

LibGDX sounds like a perfect choice then. It abstracts model loading and even mdl animation (+ tons of other things) but allows you to use opengl where-ever you want.

#3

Ok thanks, will look into that.

#4

Looked at JMonkey.
When I saw that “Our own IDE” thing, makes me not want to use it.
Its often a sign of this “abstract away and make a propriatary approach” thing.
Dont want to learn how to not use a helper to do something.

#5

JME3 is easy to use w/o the IDE, you don’t need it. In one project I made my scenes with Blender and loaded them directly via the extremly useful .blend-file loader.

#6

I second the choice of libGDX. Its an excellent library that can do a lot for you yet still leaves the freedom to alter everything to your own needs.

#7

Hi

I advise you to use Ardor3D. If you really need some support of MDL files, maybe I will spend some time in porting an old MDL loader from JMonkeyEngine 2 to Ardor3D. You can look at my source code, it will give you a basic example with a clean and simple state machine handling the most basic steps of a 3D game. Then, you will be able to keep concentrated on the gameplay. JMonkeyEngine 3 is nice but if you don’t want to use its integrated Game Development Environment, I don’t see why sticking to it whereas Ardor3D is more reliable.

LibGDX is fine but as far as I know, it contains less features than high level scenegraphs like Ardor3D. However, maybe it contains just what you need, not too much things, just the necessary things to load and render.

Jake3D? Do you mean Java3D or Jake 2? Java3D has been recently revived but I’m not sure writing a game with it is a good idea. Jake 2 supports MD2 format but not MDL.

#8

What I need is just the very basic helpers.
Somewhere at the level of
“Load an MDL wich has normals, textures, animations supported”, and some reasonable approach
to build the scene (without doing something stupid that wastes performance / avoiding the worst errors)

Things like settting up and scene and writing camera-movement does not need to be abstracted though.

will look at libGDX then.

I just dislike having bloated + heavy APIs linked to my project, wich I will never understand what all the stuff is for.

My best next choice is to disect the soucecode of a propperly made low-level-programmed LWJGL project, and learn the tricks for specific problems I have.