Navigation, steering and decision-making for game characters.
3 cheat sheets · 3 subcategories
Finding paths through grids and graphs.
expand the node that looks cheapest so far plus estimated cost to go
A* searches a graph by always expanding the node with the lowest cost so far plus estimated cost to go. With an admissible heuristic, the path is optimal.
Local movement forces for agents.
steer toward a desired velocity, a little each frame
Seek, arrive and separation each compute a desired velocity; steering is desired minus current velocity, capped and summed. Simple rules, lifelike motion.
Structuring what an agent does next.
one state at a time, explicit events move between them
An FSM keeps an AI or character in exactly one state, such as Idle, Patrol, Chase or Attack. A table of events decides every legal transition.