jMonkeyPlatform: Creating Projects

The jMonkeyPlatform makes it easy to get started with developing 3-D games based on the jMonkeyEngine.

Creating a New jMonkeyEngine Project

  1. Choose File > New Project from the main menu.
  2. In the New Project Wizard, select the template JME3 > Basic Game
  3. Click next to specify a project name, and the path where to store your new project.
  4. Click Finish. A skeleton application is created and opens in the Project Explorer.
    • This basic jme3 application is based on the SimpleApplication class to allow an easy start with jme3.
    • You can click the run button to run it: You will see a jMonkey cube.

Project Structure

Let's have a look at the abstract project structure in the Project Explorer (ctrl-1).

Directory Structure

Now let's have a look at the project's file structure in the File Explorer (ctrl-2). This explorer shows the physical directory structure on your hard drive.

Working With Your Game Project

Project Configuration

Right-Click the project to open the Project properties.

Adding external jar libraries

Add the library to the global library list:

Add the library to a project:

Thats it, your project can now use the external library.

Development Process

Clean, Build and Run Cycle

More than one project open? The toolbar buttons and the F-keys are bound to the main project, which is shown in bold in the Project Explorer. Right-click a project and select Set As Main Project to make it respond to the toolbar buttons and F-keys.

Worried About Proprietary Lock-in? You are never locked into the jMonkeyPlatform: At any time, you can change into your project directory on the command line, and clean, build, and run your project, using non-proprietary Apache Ant commands:

ant clean; ant jar; ant run;

Application Deployment

Running Sample Projects

  1. Choose File > New Project from the main menu.
  2. In the New Project Wizard, select JME3 > JME3 Tests
  3. Click next to pick a path where to store the JME3Tests project.
  4. Click Finish. The sample project opens.
  5. Right-click the JME3Tests project and choose Run.
    • Use the TestChooser to try out the included jMonkeyEngine demos!
  6. Open the Source Packages node of the sample's project.
    • Browse a demo's source code to learn how a feature is implemented.
    • Feel free to modify the code samples and experiment! If you break something, you can always recreate the packaged samples from the JME3 Tests template.

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