Creating a 3D game with Java used to sound a really stupid idea some time ago. But then several brave minds started to work with the idea and now, after four years of development, jMonkeyEngine reached version 1.0. This framework provides tools for developer to create a game without inventing wheel again with core functionalities.

I have been playing around with it a little bit and it does not seem to be too complicated to get started with. I just checked out the latest version from the CVS, ran two ant targets and set up my project in Eclipse. Nothing too difficult.

Now I just have to learn this framework a little bit better and start implementing my first game. I already have very clear idea how it should work and look, only implementation is missing. Normally I work with J2EE applications which follow more or less same pattern. There is a DB, some services and then the presentation layer. Compared to that writing a game will be a new experience.