Learn Java. Where to start?

[Matte]

Hello everyone!

I would like to learn the Java language. My goal is to be able to write a simple game that can be ran in a Browser Window. I do know this won't be happening in the first few months, but it's just a goal I want to have in front of me as a sort of motivation.

However, there are so many compilers and enviroments for Java, that I don't really know where to begin. Do I download Netbeans, Eclipse? What tutorials do I have to use?

Could someone point me in the right direction? I remember some site where there were several enviroments and a description, but I can't find it again.

Thank you!

[Jay]

I like eclipse, i get along good with it. It's what we used in university... Sadly i don't know any java tutorials.... I learned java at university, so i don't know the autodidactic way to learn java. You should just search java console tutorial to start, then java frame tutorial, then java applet tutorial, in my opinion.

Hope that helps, though!

By the way, eclipse is written in java itself.
EDIT: Just now i have downloaded eclipse again and it brings up a starting screen where there are tutorials too. Maybe you should start there.

[jonas]

I'm learning at university also. Really best way is tutorials and/or a book. If you get a book and work through it you'll understand some of the reasoning behind stuff you do. Otherwise tutorials are great like always

[sankha93]

I just love Java. I the like Netbeans IDE for programming. If you want to learn java by yourself like me i would suggest you to get a good book that teaches you the basic principles of the java programming language. Then you can start exploring other things by yourself.

For a browser game that is going to be 2D I would suggest you to use the GTGE (Golden T Game Engine)http://goldenstudios.or.id/products/GTGE/ to program your game. Its fast free and good.

If you want something in 3D I would suggest you to use the JMonkeyEngine http://www.jmonkeyengine.com/.

ps. - It would be good if RF implemented a scripting language that is similar in syntax to java in future. It just a personal choice.

[Matte]

Thanks!

I was just wondering if it would be possible to create a game that has to be downloaded, but then Mac and PC players could compete against eachother. A bit like Urban Terror or Wolfenstein: Enemy Terriroty

[darksmaster923]

Thanks!

I was just wondering if it would be possible to create a game that has to be downloaded, but then Mac and PC players could compete against eachother. A bit like Urban Terror or Wolfenstein: Enemy Terriroty

Certainly is. jME seems well suited for the task.

On another note, eclipse would be great if it didnt suck up all my cpu power

[MakerOfGames]

If you want to use java and write a browser game, you could look into Unity. There is a free indie version and it has a web player that works on Mac and PC and you write scripts in JavaScript or C#. I looked into JME awhile ago, but it seemed to be to buggy on my pcs for any use(the demos never worked right).