Schoerner Posted June 3, 2003 Share Posted June 3, 2003 Dunno if someone already had this idea, so please ignore it, if this idea isn't new: Whenever you set a waypoint directly on an already existing path of waypoints, you are asked 'Follow?'. When clicking yes, the next to the last waypoint of this path is automatically selected and you can plot one additional final waypoint. A 'path detection' feature is already included in the engine, because it is possible to select units by clicking on their movment paths. I think that must be quite easy to implement and therefore could make it into CMAK. Opinions? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomm Posted June 3, 2003 Share Posted June 3, 2003 Originally posted by Schoerner: I think that must be quite easy to implement and therefore could make it into CMAK. Opinions?Nice idea, but would it not mean that all vehicles have the same end waypoint? I do not know how severe a problem this is or eaht the engine does in this case, but it is something that has to be considered! Regards, Thomm 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Axe_ Posted June 3, 2003 Share Posted June 3, 2003 Moon has already answered this request in detail here. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schoerner Posted June 3, 2003 Author Share Posted June 3, 2003 Originally posted by Rollstoy: Nice idea, but would it not mean that all vehicles have the same end waypoint? Therefore the next to the last waypoint of the already existing path would be auto-selected and one additional waypoint could be added. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomm Posted June 3, 2003 Share Posted June 3, 2003 Originally posted by Schoerner: Therefore the next to the last waypoint of the already existing path would be auto-selected and one additional waypoint could be added. I like it!!!! It is not an über command, yet does away with some unnecessary clicking!!! Regards, Thomm [ June 03, 2003, 08:45 AM: Message edited by: Rollstoy ] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SFJaykey Posted June 3, 2003 Share Posted June 3, 2003 Moon's reply was directed at formation-type orders....I think what Schoerner is talking about is getting units to follow, eg along a road or maybe a gully. I'd really like to see smarter "following" behavior; maybe it would work even better if you set the second unit's waypoint on the _unit_ you wanted it to follow. The second unit would move to the place the first one vacated, and from there follow its path exactly, stopping just before collision. Yes it would be nice to have some control of endpoint and spacing, but this is a shortcut we're talking about here....don't want to add too much complexity or micro-management. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slappy Posted June 3, 2003 Share Posted June 3, 2003 Given the propensity the AI has for 'bumper cars' like road movement today in the face of opposition or command delays, I doubt I'd trust such a command. If it worked however, it could lead to less micromanagement, not more. The current system which forces me to individually plot 15 waypoints for 12 vehicles is, in my opinion, the height of micromanagement. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joachim Posted June 3, 2003 Share Posted June 3, 2003 Originally posted by Slappy: Given the propensity the AI has for 'bumper cars' like road movement today in the face of opposition or command delays, I doubt I'd trust such a command. FMI, the bumper cars happen cause the AI checks the road for one vehicle at a given time. Road ahead ain't clear? Stop, maybe detour. Checking all other units whether they are moving out of the way means a lot of CPU time - as you have to make sure that there are no circles involved (A moves out of the way of B, B moves out of the way of C, C moves out of the way of D, but D moves into the way of A...) If the AI is tweaked that he checks only for those limited number of vehicles/units in the convoy (in a given order) it might be a solution - if there is a rule enforcing that the first vehicle can't follow (Further info on this see thread mentioned above). Gruß Joachim 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crow Posted June 3, 2003 Share Posted June 3, 2003 The intersecting vehicls and "bumper cars" are problems which can be solved but it isn't easy. To see what approach we took to solve these problems on Dungeon Keeper read Robin Green's paper on Steering Algorithms (also linked from here is Craig Reynolds original paper on the subject). Warning, the information contained in these may fry your brain! :eek: 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SFJaykey Posted June 3, 2003 Share Posted June 3, 2003 I don't think a "follow" command need add any steering problems. Here's how it would work: Movement orders issued to lead unit. Second unit has "Follow" waypoint placed on lead unit, third unit has "Follow" waypoint placed on 2nd unit, etc. The first unit moves out, the second moves to the spot it occupied then follows the same waypoints as the lead unit. A pause of a few seconds could be built into the Follow order to avoid pileups at the start or in turns, and the speed of a following unit would be limited to that of the unit ahead of it. Following units would stop just before colliding with the unit ahead. Or, heck, let them collide, it doesn't hurt anything. For game-engine purposes the "Following" units are actually following the lead unit's waypoints, not the leader itself. If the lead unit is knocked out or bogs, and becomes an obstacle, the AI route-finding will automatically plot a course around it en route to the final waypoint. There might be a brief traffic jam, but there were lots of traffic jams in WWII...don't drive your convoys under the enemy guns, or through swamps! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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