1 INTRODUCTION: Introduction. What is Java 3D? Running Java 3D programs. How to use this book. Conventions.- 2 OUR FIRST JAVA 3D PROGRAM: Introduction. The Scene Graph. The View branch. The Content branch. The SimpleWorld program. Summary.- 3 CREATING SHAPES: Introduction. Geometric primitives in the utility library. Geometry arrays. Loading pre-made geometric models. Summary.- 4 LIGHTING THE SCENE AND DEFINING APPEARANCES: Introduction. The lighting model. The Appearance class. Adding more light types. Lighting geometry array objects. Using textures. Summary.- 5 GROUPING OBJECTS AND TRANSFORMATIONS: Introduction. The BranchGroup. The TransformGroup. The Switch class.- 6 ANIMATION: Introduction. Interpolators and their features. A rotation interpolator example. PathInterpolator classes. Performing 3D morphing. Summary.- 7 INTERACTION AND BEHAVIOUR: Introduction. Use of behaviours and their features. Behavior: the base behaviour class. The wake up criteria. A first behaviour: simple morph.- User input utilities: Collision detection and response. Summary.- 8 ADVANCED TOPICS: Introduction. Compiling scene graph content. Billboards. Level of detail. Sound. Summary.- APPENDIX A SOURCE CODE LISTINGS: Introduction. Chapter 2. Chapter 3. Chapter 7.- APPENDIX B EXAMPLE DATA FILES: Introduction.- REFERENCES.- INDEX.

This is an introductory textbook for those who want to learn Java 3D fast. It is packed with numerous examples and illustrations, including an 8-page colour section. The author takes readers through the different stages of writing a simple program in Java 3D and then shows how to modify and add features to the program. Indeed, one of the best way to learn any programming language is by writing programs. The examples in this book assume a working knowledge of Java and some background in 3D graphics. It is one of the first books to introduce Java 3D at an introductory level.