...would be extremely helpful so I could hold the primitive I'm using for my collision-detection, and, when having problems, (as I am now), I could draw it and know where it is. VERY helpful for debugging. Please?

And the mirrorCamera is looking the right way! The following doesn't do anything other than paint the mirror's plane yellow:

Projector mirrorCamera = new Projector();
TextureManager.getInstance().addTexture("Mirror", new Texture(256, 256, Color.yellow));
TextureManager.getInstance().getTexture("Mirror").setProjector(mirrorCamera, true);
I'm just going to use the projector as a camera, render into an Image's graphics, then replace the texture on my mirror, or is that WAY too stupid (expensive) a method? But either way, as I understand it I would need this for the software renderer anyway.

I was going to put this little example in the wiki anyway, but something strange is happening. The very simple premise is that at 0-degree x rotation, the lightsaber pointed up, the lightsaber's blade (a transparent plane on top of a 3d cylinder) is at its full height. At 90 degrees, it's invisible. So for every degree you rotate it, it shrinks height/90. That was going to work for the first 90 degrees, and I would apply it appropriately for each of the other three sets of 90, and then apply it on the second axis (it never needs to rotate on all 3). To prove that everything works I'm drawing squares around the edges of the blade and I wrote a shrinkOrGrow() method which successfully fully shrinks the blade plane and extends it again to its full height. Yet when I rotate the lightsaber by 10 degrees and shrink the plane by unitPerDegree*10, the plane doesn't shrink far enough. The lightsaber is Obi-wan's off of scifi3d.com.

/*
AGP, 2009
*/
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import com.threed.jpct.*;
import com.threed.jpct.util.*;

public class LightsaberTest extends Frame implements WindowListener, KeyListener {
     private World theWorld;
     private FrameBuffer buffer;
     private Camera theCamera;
     private boolean keepGoing;
     private Graphics g;
     private Light light;
     private Canvas canvasGL;
     private Lightsaber lightsaber;
     protected float xRotation;

     public LightsaberTest() {
this.setTitle("BR's");
xRotation = 0.0f;
keepGoing = true;
Config.maxPolysVisible *= 16;
theWorld = new World();
lightsaber = new Lightsaber(theWorld);
theCamera = theWorld.getCamera();
buffer = new FrameBuffer(1024, 768, FrameBuffer.SAMPLINGMODE_NORMAL);
canvasGL = new Canvas();
// canvasGL = buffer.enableGLCanvasRenderer();
// buffer.disableRenderer(IRenderer.RENDERER_SOFTWARE);
this.add(canvasGL, BorderLayout.CENTER);
theWorld.setAmbientLight(145, 145, 145);
theCamera.setPosition(lightsaber.getTransformedCenter());
light = new Light(theWorld);
light.setIntensity(35, 35, 35);
light.setAttenuation(8f);
theCamera.moveCamera(Camera.CAMERA_MOVEOUT, 25f);
theCamera.lookAt(lightsaber.getTransformedCenter());
light.setPosition(theCamera.getPosition());

canvasGL.addKeyListener(this);
this.addKeyListener(this);
this.addWindowListener(this);
this.setSize(1024, 768);
this.setVisible(true);
drawLoop();
     }

     private void drawLoop() {
g = this.getGraphics();
while (keepGoing) {

     try {
Thread.sleep(50);
     }
     catch (InterruptedException e) {}
if (canvasGL.getGraphics() == null)
continue;
     buffer.clear();
     lightsaber.rotateDegreesX(xRotation);
     theWorld.renderScene(buffer);
     theWorld.draw(buffer);
//      buffer.display(g);
buffer.display(canvasGL.getGraphics());
lightsaber.drawEdges(theCamera, buffer, (Graphics2D)canvasGL.getGraphics());


// buffer.displayGLOnly();
// canvasGL.paint(canvasGL.getGraphics());//NEEDED ONLY BECAUSE displayGLOnly() DOESN'T GO AS FAR AS display()
}
     }

     public void windowClosing(WindowEvent e) {
if (e.getWindow() == this) {
     keepGoing = false;
     this.dispose();
     System.exit(0);
}
     }
     public void windowClosed(WindowEvent e) {}
     public void windowOpened(WindowEvent e) {}
     public void windowActivated(WindowEvent e) {}
     public void windowDeactivated(WindowEvent e) {}
     public void windowIconified(WindowEvent e) {}
     public void windowDeiconified(WindowEvent e) {}

     public void keyPressed(KeyEvent e) {
int keyCode = e.getKeyCode();
if (e.isShiftDown() && keyCode == KeyEvent.VK_UP)
     theCamera.moveCamera(Camera.CAMERA_MOVEIN, 5f);
else if (e.isShiftDown() && keyCode == KeyEvent.VK_DOWN)
     theCamera.moveCamera(Camera.CAMERA_MOVEOUT, 5f);
else if (keyCode == KeyEvent.VK_UP)
     xRotation += 10f;
else if (keyCode == KeyEvent.VK_DOWN)
     xRotation -= 10f;

else if (keyCode == KeyEvent.VK_G)
     lightsaber.bladeController.shrinkOrGrow();
     }
     public void keyReleased(KeyEvent e) {
if (e.getKeyCode() == KeyEvent.VK_UP || e.getKeyCode() == KeyEvent.VK_DOWN)
     xRotation = 0f;
     }
     public void keyTyped(KeyEvent e) {}

     public static void main(String[] args) {
new LightsaberTest();
     }
}
class Lightsaber {
     private Object3D lightsaber, bladePlane;
     protected VertexController bladeController;
     private float totalX;

     public Lightsaber(World theWorld) {
totalX = 0.00f;
TextureManager.getInstance().addTexture("PLATEOX2.JPG", new Texture("PLATEOX2.JPG"));
TextureManager.getInstance().addTexture("scratch.jpg", new Texture("scratch.jpg"));
lightsaber = Object3D.mergeAll(Loader.load3DS("saber.3ds", .1f));

TextureManager.getInstance().addTexture("Blade2.jpg", new Texture("Blade2.jpg"));
bladePlane = Primitives.getPlane(1, 8);
bladePlane.setTransparency(0);
bladePlane.setTransparencyMode(Object3D.TRANSPARENCY_MODE_ADD);
bladePlane.setTexture("Blade2.jpg");
bladePlane.setBillboarding(true);
theWorld.addObject(lightsaber);
theWorld.addObject(bladePlane);
theWorld.buildAllObjects();
bladePlane.translate(-1.4f, -19f, 0);
bladeController = new VertexController(bladePlane);
bladeController.scaleYandShift(8f);
     }
     public SimpleVector getTransformedCenter() {
return lightsaber.getTransformedCenter();//CHANGE LATER TO AVERAGE GRIP'S AND BLADE'S CENTERS
     }

     private void toWorldSpace(SimpleVector objectSpace) {
SimpleVector translation = bladePlane.getTranslation();
objectSpace.x += translation.x;
objectSpace.y += translation.y;
objectSpace.z += translation.z;
     }
     public void drawEdges(Camera cam, FrameBuffer buffer, Graphics2D g) {
bladeController.refreshMeshData();
VectorAndIndex[] topMost = bladeController.getTopMost();


toWorldSpace(topMost[0].vector=new SimpleVector(topMost[0].vector));
toWorldSpace(topMost[1].vector=new SimpleVector(topMost[1].vector));
SimpleVector[] top2D = new SimpleVector[]{Interact2D.project3D2D(cam, buffer, topMost[0].vector), Interact2D.project3D2D(cam, buffer, topMost[1].vector)};




VectorAndIndex[] bottomMost = bladeController.getBottomMost();
toWorldSpace(bottomMost[0].vector=new SimpleVector(bottomMost[0].vector));
toWorldSpace(bottomMost[1].vector=new SimpleVector(bottomMost[1].vector));
SimpleVector[] bottom2D = new SimpleVector[]{Interact2D.project3D2D(cam, buffer, bottomMost[0].vector), Interact2D.project3D2D(cam, buffer, bottomMost[1].vector)};
if (bottom2D[0].y > 0) {
     g.setColor(Color.red);
     g.drawRect((int)top2D[0].x-10, (int)top2D[0].y-10, 20, 20);
     g.drawRect((int)top2D[1].x-10, (int)top2D[1].y-10, 20, 20);
     g.setColor(new Color(255, 0, 128));
     g.drawRect((int)bottom2D[0].x-10, (int)bottom2D[0].y-10, 20, 20);
     g.drawRect((int)bottom2D[1].x-10, (int)bottom2D[1].y-10, 20, 20);
}
     }

     public void rotateDegreesX(float xRotation) {//.05 RADIANS==2.8647º, 90 DEGREES==1.5707 RADIANS
float rotationRadians = (float) Math.toRadians(xRotation);
lightsaber.rotateAxis(lightsaber.getXAxis(), rotationRadians);
if (xRotation != 0.0f) {
     totalX += xRotation;
     bladeController.shrinkByDegrees(xRotation);
}
     }
}
class VertexController extends GenericVertexController {
     protected Mesh controlled;
     private float originalWidth = 0f;
     private float unitPerDegree;//THE AMOUNT BY WHICH THE PLACE SHOULD SHRINK PER DEGREE's ROTATION
     private boolean activated;
     private float originalHeight;

     public VertexController(Object3D toControl) {
controlled = toControl.getMesh();
this.init(controlled, true);
unitPerDegree = getHeight()/90.0f;



activated = true;
System.out.println("Height: "+getHeight() +", unitPerDegree: "+unitPerDegree);
     }

     public void scaleYandShift(float scale) {
SimpleVector[] vertices = this.getSourceMesh();
SimpleVector[] destination = this.getDestinationMesh();
VectorAndIndex[] topMost = getTopMost();

float height = getHeight();
topMost[0].vector.y -= height*scale;
topMost[1].vector.y -= height*scale;
destination[topMost[0].index] = topMost[0].vector;
destination[topMost[1].index] = topMost[1].vector;
this.updateMesh();
originalHeight = getHeight();
     }

     public void shrinkOrGrow() {

VectorAndIndex[] topMost = getTopMost();
SimpleVector[] destination = this.getDestinationMesh();
if (activated) {


    float height = getHeight();
    destination[topMost[0].index].y += height-.05;
    destination[topMost[1].index].y += height-.05;
}
else {

    destination[topMost[0].index].y -= originalHeight+.05;
    destination[topMost[1].index].y -= originalHeight+.05;    
}
activated = !activated;

this.updateMesh();
     }

     public void shrinkByDegrees(float degrees) {
VectorAndIndex[] topMost = getTopMost();
SimpleVector[] destination = this.getDestinationMesh();
System.out.println("Shrink factor: "+(unitPerDegree*degrees));
destination[topMost[0].index].y += (unitPerDegree*degrees);
destination[topMost[1].index].y += (unitPerDegree*degrees);
this.updateMesh();
     }

     protected VectorAndIndex[] getTopMost() {//POSITIVE y GOES *DOWN*
VectorAndIndex[] topMost = new VectorAndIndex[2];
SimpleVector[] vertices = this.getSourceMesh();

topMost[0] = new VectorAndIndex(vertices[0], 0);
for (int i = 1; i < vertices.length; i++)
     if (topMost[0].vector.y > vertices[i].y)
topMost[0] = new VectorAndIndex(vertices[i], i);
topMost[1] = new VectorAndIndex(vertices[0], 0);
for (int i = 1; i < vertices.length; i++)
     if (topMost[1].vector.y >= vertices[i].y && topMost[0].index != i)
topMost[1] = new VectorAndIndex(vertices[i], i);
return topMost;
     }
     public float getHeight() {
VectorAndIndex[] topMost = getTopMost();
VectorAndIndex[] bottomMost = getBottomMost();

float height = bottomMost[0].vector.y-topMost[0].vector.y;
return height;
     }

     public void apply() {}

     protected VectorAndIndex[] getBottomMost() {//POSITIVE y GOES *DOWN*
VectorAndIndex[] bottomMost = new VectorAndIndex[2];
SimpleVector[] vertices = this.getSourceMesh();

bottomMost[0] = new VectorAndIndex(vertices[0], 0);
for (int i = 1; i < vertices.length; i++)
     if (bottomMost[0].vector.y < vertices[i].y)
bottomMost[0] = new VectorAndIndex(vertices[i], i);
bottomMost[1] = new VectorAndIndex(vertices[0], 0);
for (int i = 1; i < vertices.length; i++)
     if (bottomMost[1].vector.y <= vertices[i].y && bottomMost[1].index != i)
bottomMost[1] = new VectorAndIndex(vertices[i], i);
return bottomMost;
     }
}
class VectorAndIndex {
     protected SimpleVector vector;
     protected int index;
     public VectorAndIndex(SimpleVector vector, int index) {
this.vector = vector;
this.index = index;
     }
}


I asked an old professor for help on transforming screen coordinates into worldspace coordinates, and his solution was for me to put four objects on the world with known positions and print their screen coordinates, then do the following. The first numbers are my results (worldspace, then screen), and the last description was his response to me. I just got two books on matrices off Amazon but they haven't arrived yet and I don't remember a lot about matrices, so I need help from someone who does.

-300, -300, 0.008033752
300, -300, 0.008033752
300, 300, 0.008033752
-300, 300, 0.008033752
Screen coordinates: 209, 180
Screen coordinates: 594, 180
Screen coordinates: 595, 563
Screen coordinates: 210, 564

After getting those values I would have the following matrices.
M(P1) => S1
M(P2) => S2
M(P3) => S3
M(P4) =>S4
Where Pi is the position (in the world) of the 4 objects.  This is known.
Si is the position (on the screen) of the 4 objects.  Also known - via
the print function.
Those equations will be enough to compute the map functions you need -
particularly from your view.  Just solve the equations by hand or use
the following observation.

Let P be the matrix formed with P1 P2 P3 P4 (as columns).
The same for S.
Then the above becomes
MP = S

Multiply both sides by the inverse of P (assuming it is non-singular) -
actually if done right might only need 3 objects.
MP P^-1 = S P^-1
Which becomes
M = S P^-1

Actually you want the inverse of M (to reverse the process).  But this
is then:
M^-1 = P S^-1
That is compute S inverse and multiply with P to get the inverse matrix.

Then for any screen point S_i you would be able to do M S_i and get P_i.

By my count I shouldn't have passed my specified number, but jpct tells me I have. How could I get a count (without getting into the vertex controllers)? I've looked but couldn't find one such method. If none exists, perhaps just changing the error message to include current number of polygons would do.

I tried everything both in MAX and in my program. The 3dsmax pivot is at the very center of the object and I get the desired effect on MAX, but Object3D.rotateAxis(Object3D.getZAxis(), float) simply won't rotate my model exactly in its center. I even tried writing a VertexController to get the objectspace center then apply to that the object's world transformation and set the object's new center, but that failed as well! Is it my code or is it jpct's?

currentMission.groundModel.build();
SimpleVector newCenter = new VertexController(currentMission.groundModel).getCenter();
newCenter.matMul(currentMission.groundModel.getWorldTransformation());
currentMission.groundModel.setCenter(newCenter);

// camera.setPosition(newCenter);
// camera.moveCamera(Camera.CAMERA_MOVEOUT, 10f);

while (currentMission.missionName.equals("Mission Briefing Room")) {
keyboardAndJoystick();
draw();
currentMission.groundModel.rotateAxis(currentMission.groundModel.getZAxis(), .02f);

//       currentMission.groundModel.rotateZ(.02f);
// awtGlCanvas.getGraphics().drawLine(this.getWidth()/2, 0, this.getWidth()/2, this.getHeight());
// awtGlCanvas.getGraphics().drawLine(0, this.getHeight()/2, this.getWidth(), this.getHeight()/2);
if (!paused) {}
try {
Thread.sleep(50);
}
catch (InterruptedException e) {System.err.println("Trouble sleeping: "+e.getMessage());}
}


And the Overlay itself doesn't show. The first lines are how I initialized the Overlay, the second are in my collision(CollisionEvent) method.

explosionPlane = new Overlay(theWorld, buffer, "explosion2.gif");
explosionPlane.setVisibility(false);

explosionPlane.setSourceCoordinates((int)point.x-explosion.getWidth()/2, (int)point.y-explosion.getHeight()/2, (int)(point.x+explosion.getWidth()/2), (int)(point.y+explosion.getHeight()/2));
explosionPlane.setVisibility(true);