Michael Allen Latta wrote:
> Is there any plan to incorporate the newer hardware features into the Java3D
> interface? The GeForce line of cards has added significant new hardware
> support which produces compelling results, and has both OpenGL and DirectX
> interfaces to access hardware accellerated per-pixel lighting, hardware dot
> product, and other features. The results are getting me to question if
> Java3D is going to keep up with the lower level APIs, and as a result stays
> competitive. I do not have a problem with there being some trapdoor for
> accessing such features, though a well thought out approach to shading would
> be better. The current vertex shading option is pretty limiting compared to
> the options available in the lower level APIs.
In it's current form, Java 3D can't hope to keep up with the
evolving chip features. Talk about a dog trying to catch its
tail! Incremental enhancements for widely supported features can
be added piecemeal over time (e.g. multi-texture). To use all
the groovy new features you'll need to go down to OpenGL or Direct3D.
Take a look at some of the specs (e.g. nVidia combiners) and
see how much fun that will be (actually does sound like fun).
The obvious trend is towards per-vertex and per-pixel programmability.
Initially, this will result in the Balkanization of OpenGL through
the proliferation of vendor-dependent extensions. Eventually, we can
hope for a more general approach (maybe integrated into Java 3D)
using quasi-standard shading languages (ala RenderMan). It's going
to be an interesting transition, but in my opinion it'll have to
happen--it's too much effort for most of us to write to each
vendor's cool new feature.
--
Allen McPherson
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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