Tactical AI Kit: Preparing for the Next Demo
by Bryce · 01/26/2009 (2:54 pm) · 11 comments
Hello Everyone!
Lately I've been trying to improve my "programmer art" and I have been building new maps and weapons for the next release of the Tactical AI Kit Demo. I've been feeling like showing off, so here is a preview of the things the next demo will have:
1. The Palace
One thing that the last demo didn't have to offer was a way to show off close-quarters combat. Almost all the firefights in that mission were pretty far away (farther than pistol range, which made starting with the handgun as a secondary weapon useless). I've designed a new map that takes place in a more close-range, Rainbow 6-style environment, with many hallways, stairways, and objects to use as cover.
To finish off the level, I included a large courtyard with about 14 enemies (20 if you include respawns). Enemy NPCs will be on the roof, in the lookout tower, on the balconies, and in the courtyard.
2. The Original Map
I am also including an improved version of the original Demo Mission map. I used the fxShapeReplicator to scatter very low-detail homes and apartments all over the city outside the playable area, so things look much cooler :-)
I used my Audacity skills to add some nice ambient sound, and a mosque will even do the Islam prayer call at one point in the mission.
3. Weapons
There are many weapons available to the player (either given to them at the beginning of the mission or picked up off of dead enemies):
Original Middle East Level:
M4A1
M16
AK47
M249
SVD
RPG
M9
Palace Level:
MP5SD
M9SD
M9
M21
Spas 12
Desert Eagle
Micro-Uzi
AK47
M249
4. AI Improvements
The Artificial Intelligence behavior in the last demo was very buggy, crashed a lot, and was still quite dumb. Since October, NPCs will now have a much better sense of self-preservation, much better use of cover, and more realistic reaction to possible/confirmed threats. Some new features/improvements:
*Reaction to enemy player movement, hunting behaviors
*Better reaction and attacker-search when coming under fire
*Recognizing when they have been flanked
*Playing specific animations for firing from/hiding behind cover
*Alert level system
*Improved stuck avoidance
*Marker respawns, which also disable when a player on the opposite team sees it (so you can clear a room without an enemy respawning right behind you)
Video:
Comments are welcome! Please post your questions, I will be happy to answer them.
Lately I've been trying to improve my "programmer art" and I have been building new maps and weapons for the next release of the Tactical AI Kit Demo. I've been feeling like showing off, so here is a preview of the things the next demo will have:
1. The Palace
One thing that the last demo didn't have to offer was a way to show off close-quarters combat. Almost all the firefights in that mission were pretty far away (farther than pistol range, which made starting with the handgun as a secondary weapon useless). I've designed a new map that takes place in a more close-range, Rainbow 6-style environment, with many hallways, stairways, and objects to use as cover.
To finish off the level, I included a large courtyard with about 14 enemies (20 if you include respawns). Enemy NPCs will be on the roof, in the lookout tower, on the balconies, and in the courtyard.
2. The Original Map
I am also including an improved version of the original Demo Mission map. I used the fxShapeReplicator to scatter very low-detail homes and apartments all over the city outside the playable area, so things look much cooler :-)
I used my Audacity skills to add some nice ambient sound, and a mosque will even do the Islam prayer call at one point in the mission.
3. Weapons
There are many weapons available to the player (either given to them at the beginning of the mission or picked up off of dead enemies):
Original Middle East Level:
M4A1
M16
AK47
M249
SVD
RPG
M9
Palace Level:
MP5SD
M9SD
M9
M21
Spas 12
Desert Eagle
Micro-Uzi
AK47
M249
4. AI Improvements
The Artificial Intelligence behavior in the last demo was very buggy, crashed a lot, and was still quite dumb. Since October, NPCs will now have a much better sense of self-preservation, much better use of cover, and more realistic reaction to possible/confirmed threats. Some new features/improvements:
*Reaction to enemy player movement, hunting behaviors
*Better reaction and attacker-search when coming under fire
*Recognizing when they have been flanked
*Playing specific animations for firing from/hiding behind cover
*Alert level system
*Improved stuck avoidance
*Marker respawns, which also disable when a player on the opposite team sees it (so you can clear a room without an enemy respawning right behind you)
Video:
Comments are welcome! Please post your questions, I will be happy to answer them.
#2
01/26/2009 (4:05 pm)
Looking good. Good list of AI routines there. 
#3
01/26/2009 (4:20 pm)
That's cool man it'll be awesome to see your AI hard work with a demo that helps show it off. Looking forward to it. 
#4
01/27/2009 (2:06 am)
Hey bryce, would love to talk to you more about the Ai kit, could you send me an email ? 
#5
Great work.
01/27/2009 (5:37 am)
Great work. I have started on a project like this myself about a month ago but do not get much time to work on it. I would love to have this setup. It has a lot of the stuff I am trying to add into my system. Im not much into the AI department at this time becouse I am mostly worryed about the multi player side of things.Great work.
#6
Will
01/27/2009 (9:12 am)
nice work, are we still looking at maybe a summer 09 release on it and will it come with the weapons or what? Sharp work glad it's finally coming together. Looks polished. Keep it up looking forward to adding it to my game when its out. How hard will it be to drop into a current project? many code/script changes? Can't wait wooohooo..Will
#7
I'm curious, is the AI only applicable to singleplayer games, or can we use them in multiplayer as well?
01/27/2009 (12:30 pm)
Really looking forward to this Bryce. Keeps looking better and better.I'm curious, is the AI only applicable to singleplayer games, or can we use them in multiplayer as well?
#8
@Will: There are a few things you need to do. There are some AI-specific variables that need to be added to your weapon image datablocks, the Multiple Positions resource needs to be installed, and the A*/Djikstra/Best-first pathfinding resource (Gabriel Notman) need to be implemented. As for map setup, navigation waypoints, cover markers (to specify where cover can be utilized), and spawn points need to be put in place. Map setup usually takes around 10 minutes to get started, and I gradually add the markers and spawn points as I build.
The summer/fall release looks possible, I still need to worry about copyright and all that fun legal stuff in the mean time. I'll include the set up maps and weapons :-)
@J.P.: I haven't tested it with multiplayer, but I don't see why it wouldn't work. I'll think about that when beta testing time comes around (not sure when that will be yet).
01/27/2009 (1:58 pm)
@Ian: I'll fire you an email after I finish this post.@Will: There are a few things you need to do. There are some AI-specific variables that need to be added to your weapon image datablocks, the Multiple Positions resource needs to be installed, and the A*/Djikstra/Best-first pathfinding resource (Gabriel Notman) need to be implemented. As for map setup, navigation waypoints, cover markers (to specify where cover can be utilized), and spawn points need to be put in place. Map setup usually takes around 10 minutes to get started, and I gradually add the markers and spawn points as I build.
The summer/fall release looks possible, I still need to worry about copyright and all that fun legal stuff in the mean time. I'll include the set up maps and weapons :-)
@J.P.: I haven't tested it with multiplayer, but I don't see why it wouldn't work. I'll think about that when beta testing time comes around (not sure when that will be yet).
#9
Good Work. Interestested in seeing your progress.
01/27/2009 (7:42 pm)
Your video shows alot of details.Good Work. Interestested in seeing your progress.
#10
Is the setting of AI fairly easy - like drag and drop / editor changes - that sort of thing?
01/28/2009 (7:44 am)
I'm really looking forward to this one too. Great ideas, solid AI and you've spent a lot of time on this one brYce. I'm sure all your efforts will be rewarded with lots of cash when this packs sells. I will certainly be buying it. Is the setting of AI fairly easy - like drag and drop / editor changes - that sort of thing?
#11
01/28/2009 (1:48 pm)
@Andy: To spawn NPCs, you drop a spawn point where you want the ai player to drop. You set them up simply by calling setupspawnpoints(); in the game console. From there, you can change the respawn and move destination fields to whatever you please. As for tweaking, there are tons of global variables that can be changed to affect many elements.
Torque 3D Owner Edward