Total Newbie

[ace2go]

Ok, I am totally new to java, I would like to learn it to start programming games, so I bought the following books :
"Java 2 Game Programming"
"Tricks of the Java Programming Gurus"
"Java for Dummies" << Dumb Book!

To be more specific, my last language I have had experience with was good ole "Basic".  I am totally new to importing "classes?" and using the commands from those.  Heck, I do not even know how to make an executable with java!  Can anyone help me by directing me to a site, resource, book, etc. that explains everything in TOTAL DETAIL, ex. all the classes, subclasses, subsubclasses, commands, subcommands, etc. how to extend with opengl or directx, writing gui's and create objects and save text files : You get the idea.  Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[swpalmer]

Try the tutorials at http://java.sun.com/

[Tzan]

Well if you are looking for "total detail" you should really start at the beginning. You got ahead of yourself by purchasing game programming books.

Try this:
Ivor Horton "Beginning Java 2 JDK 5"
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0764568744/qid=1126710261/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-6127791-5035263?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

Try making a tic tac toe game first, since its the easiest (no animation).
You'll find lots of online stuff or in books to make pong or asteroids.

More advanced game book:
"Developing Games In Java" by David Brackeen
Dont waste you money buying this until you've read most of the first one and done a few simple games.

Games published by our own members! Check 'em out!

[Jeff]

Yeah your WAY ahead of yourself ona lot of this.

Id suggest a good starting book on Java like Head First Java.  A lot of what it wil lteach you in terms of GUIs and such wont apply to games BUT it will help you elarn fundemental Java syntax in the easiest environment possible.

Once you can buld a "hello world" program that can take input and output the easy ways (SWING etc), you'll be ready to start tackling the mreo demanding things in Java.

ALTERNATELY you can ski psoem of that and do purely console based starting prgorams.  Id start with simple problesm that teach you the absics of structured and object oriente programmign (eg Towers of Hanoi.  that sort of thuing.)

Again once you understand language syntax and pogrammign structure youl lbe ready to tackle your first simple game.