jME3 Special Effects Overview

jME3 supports several types of special effects: Post-Processor Filters, SceneProcessors, and Particle Emitters (also known as particle systems). This list contains screenshots and links to sample code that demonstrates how to add the effect to a scene.

• There is one com.jme3.effect.ParticleEmitter class for all Particle Systems.
• There is one com.jme3.post.FilterPostProcessor class and several com.jme3.post.filters.* classes (all Filters have *Filter in their names).
• There are several SceneProcessor classes in various packages, including e.g. com.jme3.shadow.* and com.jme3.water.* (SceneProcessor have *Processor or *Renderer in their names).

public class MyGame extends SimpleApplication {
  public void simpleInitApp() {
    ParticleEmitter pm = new ParticleEmitter("my particle effect", Type.Triangle, 60);
    Material pmMat = new Material(assetManager, "Common/MatDefs/Misc/Particle.j3md");
    pmMat.setTexture("Texture", assetManager.loadTexture("Effects/spark.png"));
    pm.setMaterial(pmMat);
    pm.setImagesX(1);
    pm.setImagesY(1);
    rootNode.attachChild(pm); // attach one or more emitters to any node
  }
}

public class MyGame extends SimpleApplication {
    private BasicShadowRenderer bsr;
 
    public void simpleInitApp() {
        bsr = new BasicShadowRenderer(assetManager, 1024);
        bsr.setDirection(new Vector3f(.3f, -0.5f, -0.5f));
        viewPort.addProcessor(bsr); // add one or more sceneprocessor to viewport
    }

public class MyGame extends SimpleApplication {
    private FilterPostProcessor fpp; // one FilterPostProcessor per app
    private SomeFilter sf;           // one or more Filters per app
 
    public void simpleInitApp() {
        fpp = new FilterPostProcessor(assetManager);
        viewPort.addProcessor(fpp); // add one FilterPostProcessor to viewPort
 
        sf = new SomeFilter();
        fpp.addFilter(sf);  // add one or more Filters to FilterPostProcessor
    }

The jMonkeyEngine's "SeaMonkey" WaterFilter simulates ocean waves, foam, including cool underwater caustics. Use the SimpleWaterProcessor (SceneProcessor) for small, limited bodies of water, such as puddles, drinking troughs, pools, fountains.

See also the Rendering Water as Post-Process Effect announcement with video.

• jme3/src/test/jme3test/water/TestSceneWater.java – SimpleWaterProcessor (SceneProcessor)
• jme3/src/test/jme3test/water/TestSimpleWater.java – SimpleWaterProcessor (SceneProcessor)

• jme3/src/test/jme3test/water/TestPostWater.java – WaterFilter
• jme3/src/test/jme3test/water/TestPostWaterLake.java – WaterFilter

• jme3/src/test/jme3test/post/TestDepthOfField.java – DepthOfFieldFilter

• jme3/src/test/jme3test/post/TestFog.java – FogFilter

• jme3/src/test/jme3test/post/TestLightScattering.java – LightScatteringFilter

• Contribution: Grass System
• Contribution: Trees (WIP)

• jme3/src/test/jme3test/post/TestBloom.java
• More details: Bloom and Glow – BloomFilter

• jme3/src/test/jme3test/light/TestSimpleLighting.java – DirectionalLight, PointLight
• jme3/src/test/jme3test/light/TestLightRadius.java – DirectionalLight, PointLight
• jme3/src/test/jme3test/light/TestManyLights.java – .j3o scene
• More details: Light and Shadow

• jme3/src/test/jme3test/light/TestShadow.java – BasicShadowRenderer (SceneProcessor)
• jme3/src/test/jme3test/light/TestPssmShadow.java – PssmShadowRenderer (SceneProcessor), also known as Parallel-Split Shadow Mapping (PSSM).
• jme3/src/test/jme3test/post/TestSSAO.java, jme3/src/test/jme3test/post/TestSSAO2.java – SSAOFilter, also known as Screen-Space Ambient Occlusion shadows (SSOA).
• jme3/src/test/jme3test/post/TestTransparentSSAO.java – SSAOFilter, also known as Screen-Space Ambient Occlusion shadows (SSOA), plus transparancy
• More details: Light and Shadow

• jme3/src/test/jme3test/post/TestCartoonEdge.java – CartoonEdgeFilter
• jme3/src/test/jme3test/post/TestTransparentCartoonEdge.java – CartoonEdgeFilter

• Fade – FadeFilter

ShaderBlow - GLSL Shader Library

• LightBlow Shader – blend material texture maps
• FakeParticleBlow Shader – jet, fire effect
• ToonBlow Shader – Toon Shading, toon edges
• Dissolve Shader – Scifi teleportation/dissolve effect
• MatCap Shader – Gold, metals, glass, toons…!
• Glass Shader – Glass
• Force Shield Shader – Scifi impact-on-force-field effect
• SimpleSprite Shader – Animated textures
• SimpleSpriteParticle Shader – Sprite library
• MovingTexture Shader – Animated cloud/mist texture
• SoftParticles Shader – Fire, clouds, smoke etc
• Displace Shader – Deformation effect: Ripple, wave, pulse, swell!

Thanks for your awesome contributions! Keep them coming!

Particle emitter effects are highly configurable and can have any texture. They can simulate smoke, dust, leaves, meteors, snowflakes, mosquitos, fire, explosions, clusters, embers, sparks…

• jme3/src/test/jme3test/effect/TestExplosionEffect.java – debris, flame, flash, shockwave, smoke, sparks
• jme3/src/test/jme3test/effect/TestPointSprite.java – cluster of points
• jme3/src/test/jme3test/effect/TestMovingParticle.java – dust, smoke

See also:

• Particle Emitters
• Bloom and Glow
• Photoshop Tutorial for Sky and space effects (article)