AI Code and Editor

[Shando]

Hi All,

As promised, here is all the stuff I've done for AI. It contains the following:

• A Skyline Plugin that allows you to create various types of AI files; and

• Several files that allow you to include the AI files you created in the Plugin in your Skyline game; and

• A couple of files that you can use to integrate AI Behaviours on your Entities.

It also includes a mostly completed manual on how to use all of the various files!

The AI types that can be created in the Plugin are:

• Behaviour Trees

• Decision Trees

• Finite State Machines

The behaviours available in the Steering Scripts files are:

• Seek – this Behaviour steers an Entity towards a target Entity, using the current position of the target Entity as its goal.

• Flee – this is the opposite of Seek, and steers an Entity away from the target Entity.

• Pursue – this is similar to Seek, but uses an estimate of the future position of the target Entity as its goal.

• Evade – this is the opposite of Pursue.

• Wander – this makes an Entity move in a way that appears almost random. It is updated in such a way that each update is related to the previous one, so the Entity won't make any sudden changes of direction.

• Arrive – this makes an Entity slow down when it is within a certain distance of the target Entity. It MUST be used with Seek or Pursue.

• Follow – this is similar to Seek, but once the Entity gets within a certain distance of its goal, it will attempt to match the movements of the target Entity.

• Obstacle Avoidance – this is a simple system that allows an Entity to steer around any obstacles in its path. It uses a simple 3 feeler approach with one feeler at -45 degrees, one at 0 degrees and one at +45 degrees to its current direction of travel.

As I stated in a previous post, I simply don't have time to finish this off to a standard where I could actually sell it on the store, so decided not to waste all the effort I put in, and release it free to the community

I will try to provide as much support as I can (if needed), but, hopefully, with the manual it should be relatively straightforward to implement these in your games.

Shando

[SpiderMack]

HI Shando,


Some official BT editor and specific movement function supported and made by Skyline team with C++ would be better for support in the long term and for better performance.

It could be your plugin or something new dev team could integrate in the engine package, perhaps you could help Skyline dev team to make such system in C ++ as you know how it works ?



I think you should keep your AI system as your product and sell it instead; and why not make some other versions for other 3D engines if you want to make more sales (there is some plugins made for Unity and got a new version for UE4 for example).


Your system looks cool, but i don't understand GUI in Skyline or plugins to be able to modify it.
And there is no examples scenes to test, i'm not sure someone will use it ?
You are perhaps the only one able to finish it and make something great, i'm not sure someone will do it


This is the new features i would add :

- AI movement functions taking account other AI position, collision and movement that could block their movement path. I mean a game with lof of AI on the same place, if they are not aware of free space and possible navigation paths to avoid other AI , it becomes a simple zombie game with stupid AI.

-Raycast combined with Navmesh , because Navmesh or voxels are the best way to be aware of the environment obstacles.

-Dynamic Grid Query for optimal positioning when more tactical movement is needed, and or optimal movement. AI knows where is free space avoiding other AI, what is the best position considering all possible threats like ranged fire or area damage.




My advice is you should re consider giving it away and take some days or week before making the decision to sell it or not.
With some more work you could have something great, you have the basics of the system, it's not far from a polished and great product.

[epsilonion]

Cheers mate you saved me loads of research and headaches (again), your a star mate...
I would as stated above finish it off and sell it, you have put a lot into skyline over the years why not get some payback?? I know its for the love of Skyline and the community but you have a talent for these things and would help fill our the store a bit as well

Not pnly that, it seems that your the only one that knows the QT plugin system to make it a useful system and getting some plugins on the store would help us all expand skyline and of course put some extra pennies in your pocket, god knows we all need that little bit extra every month.

only my two pence like but hey I would buy it.. or donate to you as it is..

[Shando]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the kind words

Unfortunately, I just don't have the time (or a *portable* laptop capable of running Skyline ) to take this where I wanted.

I will try to put together a demo showing the plugin code running and another small demo (which I think I already have somewhere??) showing the behaviours in use. With regards to making money from it, I'm one of those people that love programming for the sake of programming, so if I can give something to the community I usually will (similar to the UI I built for WorldEngine - http://github.com/Shando/WorldEngine_UI_Win64).

@epsilonion

getting some plugins on the store

- I can still put this on the store, just as a freebie

@spidermack

i don't understand GUI in Skyline or plugins to be able to modify it

- plugins aren't hard - you just need to download the community version of Qt Creator, build your GUI in there and then use the (many - approx. 90) Skyline Lua commands to make your GUI sing!! It's really no different to building a Windows GUI in other languages/tools.

Thanks again

Shando