Chapter 13. The Java 3D View Model

IN THIS CHAPTER

• The Big Chain of Transforms

• Advantages of the Java 3D View Model

• Policy Matters

• The Most Basic Example

• Stereo Viewing

• Head Tracking and the Sensor Class

• Using Java 3D's View Model as a Camera Model

• Building a CAVE or Wedge with Java 3D

The view model is one of the high-level features that sets Java 3D apart from all other 3D APIs. In many ways, learning the Java 3D view model is more complicated than learning other models, and hence this poses a significant challenge to the uninitiated.

Use of the Java 3D view model can be simplified for basic applications using the ConfiguredUniverse class (available in Java 3D 1.3). Regardless, a basic understanding of the model is useful and often necessary. We suggest that a more complete understanding of the Java 3D viewing model has great heuristic value for learning 3D in general.

It should be further noted that most applications do not need the vast majority of the options specified as part of the view model. Developers who do not want to get into the vast details of head tracking and display technologies will benefit from the overview and the sections on using the view model in camera mode (see the section, “Using Java 3D's View Model as a Camera Model”).