Elysian Shadows

Is java worth learning for game development?

Depends. What do you want to create or work towards?

Java is somewhat simpler than C++ to learn, and there has been a lot of really cool work done in more recent years in Java (like Minecraft), but it's not the raw powerhouse that C++ is.

If you've never programmed before then I'd recommend this: http://env3d.org/beta/node/80
It's a great starting point with good beginner tutorial support.

If you already have some experience, I still think the option above is a good choice, but alternatively I'd recommend going with a language you already know (especially if you already know some C/++). You'll get more out of game programming if your proficiency with the language you're using is higher. The reason I recommend env3d as a good starting point is that the lessons teach you the basics of both at the same time. I wouldn't recommend starting out with anything else in Java unless you already know Java. You don't need to know everything about all the standard Java libraries for getting into game development (and Java has a crap ton of libraries) and most introductions into the language are going to try to get you into working with crap like Swing.

EDIT: I see you already know C/++, Javascript, and C#. I'd go with one of those. Have you considered Unity?

You can create Java applets which run in the browser (basically Flash but more geared towards the programmer and not so much the artist). There's also a Java 3D library that you can easily create 3D with but that wouldn't be best for a beginner.

It's not a bad language to use for game development. A really good incentive about it is the cross-platform capability. Nothing has to change to make it run on a Mac or PC

One of the great things about env3d is that it's dead simple to create an applet with it if you use the BlueJ IDE.

dr-snipe wrote:It's not a bad language to use for game development. A really good incentive about it is the cross-platform capability. Nothing has to change to make it run on a Mac or PC

Thus allowing cross-platform lameness. Go Java.

/end-trolling

short wrote:
Thus allowing cross-platform lameness. Go Java.

/end-trolling

What's so "lame" about that? Or do you believe its cooler to have to rewrite everything for a different platform?

short wrote:

dr-snipe wrote:It's not a bad language to use for game development. A really good incentive about it is the cross-platform capability. Nothing has to change to make it run on a Mac or PC

Thus allowing cross-platform lameness. Go Java.

/end-trolling

I actully have a macbook and a pc so cross-platform is the right thing

dr-snipe wrote:

short wrote:
Thus allowing cross-platform lameness. Go Java.

/end-trolling

What's so "lame" about that? Or do you believe its cooler to have to rewrite everything for a different platform?

It was a biased opinion on Java. He was implying that Java apps are lame and making a lame app cross-platform doesn't make it any less lame.

dr-snipe wrote:

short wrote:
Thus allowing cross-platform lameness. Go Java.

/end-trolling

What's so "lame" about that? Or do you believe its cooler to have to rewrite everything for a different platform?

Recompile. You don't have to rewrite anything if you know what you're doing.

Tom_leonardsson wrote:Is java worth learning for game development?

You mean for a career in game development? I have no idea. It couldn't hurt.
But it's useful in some cases. For example, if you want to see your games on the Android OS, I believe you need to write them in Java.

rolland wrote:

Tom_leonardsson wrote:Is java worth learning for game development?

You mean for a career in game development? I have no idea. It couldn't hurt.
But it's useful in some cases. For example, if you want to see your games on the Android OS, I believe you need to write them in Java.

I know theres almost no game companys using Java except for mojang, It's more for a hobby kinda

I know this sounds lame but what about Jagex? Pretty sure they use Java for their games (like RuneScape and any other games they have made)...

Tom_leonardsson wrote:

rolland wrote:

Tom_leonardsson wrote:Is java worth learning for game development?

You mean for a career in game development? I have no idea. It couldn't hurt.
But it's useful in some cases. For example, if you want to see your games on the Android OS, I believe you need to write them in Java.

I know theres almost no game companys using Java except for mojang, It's more for a hobby kinda

I guess no companies make games for the android market...

avansc wrote:

Tom_leonardsson wrote:

rolland wrote:

Tom_leonardsson wrote:Is java worth learning for game development?

You mean for a career in game development? I have no idea. It couldn't hurt.
But it's useful in some cases. For example, if you want to see your games on the Android OS, I believe you need to write them in Java.

I know theres almost no game companys using Java except for mojang, It's more for a hobby kinda

I guess no companies make games for the android market...

we still got javascript and c and flash cs5 has something android

Android is open to C/++ now...