Chapter 1 ■ the Different faCes of Java: Create a Java 9 Development WorkstationNext, let’s go and download a dozen or so of the most popular (and free) open source new media
content development software packages, so that you will have all of the powerful, professional tools that
you will ultimately need for your Pro Java 9 Game Development business. This represents tens of thousands
of (your currency here, mine is dollars) paid software packages, so this first chapter will ultimately become
quite valuable to all of the readers.
After that, I’ll tell you about some other impressive open source software that I use on my workstations,
so that if you want to put together the ultimate software development workstation, before this chapter is
over, you can do that, creating an incredibly valuable content production workstation, for the cost of the
hardware (and OS) alone.
Installing New Media Content Production Software
There are a number of “genres” of new media elements, or “assets” as I call them, which are supported in
JavaFX 9, which is the new media “engine” for Java 9, and therefore what you’ll be using as the foundation for
your Pro Java 9 Games Development. The primary genres of new media, which you will be installing leading
open source software for during the remainder of this chapter, include: SVG digital illustration, digital image
compositing, digital audio editing, digital video editing, VFX or Visual Effects, 3D modeling and animation,
virtual world creation, character animation, songwriting, digital audio sampling, office productivity (yes, you
have to sell your games as well), and much more.
Downloading and Installing InkScape for SVG Digital Illustration
Since JavaFX supports 2D or “vector” technology, commonly used in digital illustration software packages
such as Adobe Illustrator and Freehand, we will download and install the popular open source digital
illustration software package known as InkScape, which recently had a huge jump in versioning from 0.48
to 0.92, and has professional features. InkScape is available for the Linux, Windows and Macintosh operating
systems, just like all of these software packages that we will be installing during this chapter, so readers can
use any platform they like to develop games. If you want to learn more about digital illustration and SVG,
take a look at the Digital Illustration Fundamentals title from Apress.
To find the InkScape software package on the Internet, use the Google Search Engine, and type in
InkScape. Visit the website and click on the DOWNLOAD menu at the top left or on the Download icon on
the right, as shown in Figure 1-15. The Download icon will represents the operating system which you are
using as auto-detected by website code that polls your system for what OS it is using, and automatically gives
you the correct version, with a single click.