CS397 - Design and Implementation of Computer Games

Software Packages

• Games code for class
  • General Pong/Arcade package in Java.
  • Updated version of the 3D Application Core
  • Another version of the 3D Application Core for JDK 1.3
• Drawing and animation
  • PaintShop Pro version 5 with Animation Shop version 1.02
    Graphics editor and animation creator (shareware evaluation version)
• 3-D Graphics
  • Povray version 3.1g for Windows
    Raycasting renderer for 3D graphical objects (free software)
    • Povray web site
  • Moray version 3.2 for Windows
    Graphical modeler for building 3D graphical objects for Povray (shareware evaluation version)
    • A short primer on getting started with Moray.
    • Moray web site
• Sound
  • GoldWave version 4.19
    Sound editor (shareware evaluation version)
    • GoldWave web site
• Java
  • Linux and Windows users
    • The most recent version of the Java JDK is 1.3, which you can download from the JavaSoft web site.
    • If you use version 1.3, it may be possible for you to build your programs as applications instead of applets (and still have sound work, for example).
    • If you want maximum portability, however, you should probably stick with version 1.1.8 of the JDK, which you can als download from the JavaSoft web site.
    • For CodeWarrior users, note that the product seems to still have some problems if you try to use it with JDK 1.3.
    • An intermediate choice (which I don't really recommend) is to use JDK version 1.2, which you can download. from the JavaSoft web site. This has some updates from version 1.1.8, but it gives you none of the advantages of version 1.3, while also ensuring that your code will not run on the Macintosh (and some web browsers).
  • Macintosh users
    • You will probably want to install the most recent version of the Java Virtual Machine for the Macintosh, which is MRJ version 2.2.2, and which you can download from the Apple web site.
    • Note that this version of MRJ only supports up to Java JDK version 1.1.8. Among other things, this means you are probably restricted to building applets instead of applications. However, your programs should also have maximum portability.
  • Other Java packages you may find useful:
    • Java Media Framework library for handling sound and other time-based media. (I have so far not located any very good documentation for this package, and I have not found that it works well with time-critical applications like computer games).
    • Java 3D library for building 3D virtual worlds. (I've never used this, but it looks quite powerful. I have no idea how fast it is.)
• C or C++
  • We have on CDROMs recent versions of Microsoft's DirectX as well as the OpenGL 3D graphics library. Ask me or Ray Mazza (the class teaching assistant) if you'd like to use these.