Other Java NVEs NetTour3D is only a taste of what a Java NVE can do; more extensive systems are available, coded in Java 3D or Java. Three excellent commercial NVE applications utilize Java 3D. They don't provide source code, they do but show what's possible.
- Magicosm (http://www.magicosm.net/)
A fantasy role-playing game. For screenshots, see http://www.magicosm.net/screenshots.php.
- Pernica (http://www.starfireresearch.com/pernica/pernica.html)
A fantasy role-playing game. For screenshots, see http://www.starfireresearch.com/pernica/graphics.html.
- City of Nights BBS (http://citynight.com/vc)
A long-running chat service with a 3D interface.
For Java 3D source code for NVE construction, see:
- eXtensible MUD (xmud) (http://xmud.sourceforge.net/index.html)
Handles avatar animation, terrain following, collision detection, and the creation of new objects for the world. The client/server network communication is sockets-based but uses object serialization. The server employs MySQL for data storage. There's a security manager for client authentication The screenshots look similar to the commercial products already mentioned. (See http://xmud.sourceforge.net/screenshots.html.)
- The Salamander Project (http://www.kitfox.com/salamander/)
Salamander was started by Mark McKay in February 2004 to create a 3D MMORPG game engine. Development is on hold at the moment, but 2D and 3D utilities are available, along with a network "lobby" that could be used as a server for networked games.
- ChickenBall (http://www.networkedworlds.com/chickenball.html)
A 3D networked football game by Carlos D. Correa, developed to test techniques such as dead-reckoning, distributed consistency, and latecomer handling.
- Java 3D Community MMORPG Project (http://starfireresearch.com/services/java3d/mmorpg/mmorpg.html)
A project hosted at Starfire Research, the creators of Pernica. Unfortunately, it's development seems to be on hold, but there's some code available, written by David Yazel and Kevin Dulig.
- Tag3D (http://www.croftsoft.com/portfolio/tag3d/)
A prototype multiplayer online virtual reality using Java 3D and RMI, dating from 1999. Written by David Wallace Croft.
Sites with Java source code, but not Java 3D, are:
- WolfMUD (http://www.wolfmud.org/)
Supports multiplayer, networked adventure games, including a GUI-based world builder consisting of zones with objects. Unlike a large number of MUD development sites, this one is actively supported and even has good online documentation.
- DimensioneX (http://www.dimensionex.net/en/default.htm)
For developing browser-based, graphical multiplayer games. DimensioneX runs on any Java-enabled web server (e.g., Tomcat).
- The Mars Simulation Project (http://mars-sim.sourceforge.net/)
The aim is human settlement on Mars, represented by a multi-agent simulation. The emphasis is on setting various parameters to encourage the society to grow and develop.
- XiStrat (http://xistrat.sourceforge.net)
XiStrat (Extended Strategy) supports the implementation of turn-based, networked multiplayer, noncooperative, zero-sum, strategy board games (e.g., chess, Go, Reversi), visualized on 3D polyhedra.
- Millport (http://millport.sourceforge.net/)
A MUD with a graphical interface.
- MiMaze (http://www-sop.inria.fr/rodeo/MiMaze/)
MiMaze3D is a 3D maze game utilizing Java and VRML. It is totally distributed, using RTP/UDP/IP multicast communication between the players. MiMaze utilizes the bucket synchronization algorithm and dead-reckoning for its real-time and consistency requirements.
The Sun Game Server Sun's Game Technology Group is working on a Sun Game Server, scheduled for early access release sometime in 2005. Some technical details can be found in a white paper at https://games.dev.java.net/docs/simserverwp052604.pdf. The server has three layers: communications, simulation logic, and an object store. The object store is an abstraction hiding an efficient, fault-tolerant, transactional database for storing objects. Objects represent almost everything in the game, which permits the simulation logic (the game code) to be written in terms of method calls, message passing, and event handling. This has the side effect of allowing programmers to code in a single-threaded model. The server has no zones, regions, or shards; user grouping is dynamic and controlled by servers in the communications layer. The aim is to distribute the workload based on player activity rather than by artificial zone divisions. |
