Message #8

From: David Vanderschel <DvdS@Austin.RR.com>
Subject: Fwd: Re: [MC4D] Re: phew, at last… [4^4 solution]
Date: Fri, 01 Aug 2003 19:32:07 -0000

Date: Mon Apr 8, 2002 8:35 pm

— In MC4D@yahoogroups.com, dgreen@s… wrote:

Jay Berkenbilt wrote:

> […] (The windows version uses a 3d
> library, eliminating the need for the code to do the 3d -> 2d
mapping.
> I’d think a java port would do the same, especially with java3d.)
I’m
> sure Don or Daniel can correct me if I’ve misrepresented anything
> here.

well, while i did use the Direct3D library from microsoft, i don’t
think i’d
use java3d in a java port. that’s rather sad because this would be the
natural thing to do except for the fact that it wouldn’t be able to
run in a
browser without the users installing plugins, which is too much to
ask.

happily, the other way of using don’s 3d->2d code would map very
nicely to
the polygon capabilities of the java.awt.Graphics class and is plenty
fast on
most machines.

> […] Another feature I had thought about was
> the ability to do something or have the puzzle in some mode where
you
> can select one polygon and have some highlighting appear on all the
> other polygons that are part of the same piece as the selected one.
> This could happen automatically as you move the mouse around or
could
> require some action. This feature should be switchable. I think it
> would be especially useful for a novice, […]

i completely agree. these should be relatively easy features to add.
i’d also
like to draw an "axis of rotation" line through whatever legal
sticker the
mouse pointer hovers over.

-daniel
— End forwarded message —