[JAVA3D] JSR-134 Comments (Physics!)

[Michael P. McCutcheon]

(I've posted this to both JSR-134 comments and Java3D list because I thought it would be relevant to both.  This is for the Java Game Profile - http://jcp.org/jsr/detail/134.jsp)   If Java had a standard Physics API, that would be simply AWESOME!  The company I used to work for did Physics in Java, and I can tell you this is something that would make Java very attractive for games development.  More and more, games are integrating Physics to make them richer and more dynamic, and a standard Java Physics API should be a vital part of the Java Game Profile.   I would implement it like JDBC...have different versions (i.e. JDBC 1.0, 2.0, etc.) all defined with interfaces.  Then alternate implementations could be provided.  For example, a basic physics engine should be provided that is all Java, free/open source, but commercial implementations could also be available that have more functionality (i.e. basic engine implements Physics API 1.0, commerecial implementation could implement Physics API 2.0).  For development of commerecial games, the commerecial Physics implementations should have some kind of re-distribution agreement so that when a game is developed, the Physics implementation can be legally included in the game.   Other things to consider is if the Physics API should be in the javax.games.physics or just javax.physics, since many of the physics api's might also be used for non-game purposes.   Couple of final notes:   1) I would rename javax.games to javax.game to be more consistent with Java API naming.   2) Why is the specification targeting J2ME first and foremost?  Do cell phones really have enough computing power to do 3D/Physics?  I would put more emphasis on J2SE/Java3D.   Anyway, this Games Profile seems cool and I wish everyone the best of luck in making it a reality.   Michael P. McCutcheon