The Universal AI Starter Kit – Update 1.1
by Twisted Jenius · 10/14/2009 (8:55 pm) · 3 comments
Hi all, I’m pleased to announce the first free update for The Universal AI Starter Kit. This update’s primary focus is on the AI Marker Editor, but features some other various improvements as well.
The first improvement that I would like to point out is the quick install feature. It allows you to install the kit easily, within seconds, while using a default project. Secondly, this update comes with unofficial T3D install instructions, so that it can be used with that engine.
This update also includes many improvements to the AI Marker Editor. An AI marker determines where the bot is spawned and what options the bot spawns with. I am very excited about this update to the AI Marker Editor, as it will make placing the markers significantly more user friendly and intuitive; allowing you to actually use the player or camera itself, to position the markers. There’s no more need to use the archaic methods of placing markers such as plugging in numerical coordinates or pulling things around by the axis gizmo.
This update also includes a new “rename all” markers button. This allows you to give your markers a unique name, automatically. Naming markers differently from one another prevents errors and makes editing easier. This will also tell you how many markers you currently have in your mission.
There is a new feature that lets you easily hide all of the markers in a scene at once. This allows you to view your scene without the markers, but still enables you to turn them back on for editing. In addition, there is a new function that will work best for those of you who are fairly decent at programming, which allows you to swap out a bot for any other object, including another bot. This can add another level of depth to your gameplay. You can see this function used at the very end of my first video, within the RPG demo sequence, where the elf turns into a fireball chucking reaper.
There are multiple other features and bug fixes in this new update as well. Although I’ve been never said this before, my personal mission statement for the creation of The Universal AI Starter Kit, has always been to “create an AI system that just works.” Something that you can just install and then begin messing with right “out of the box”; with minimal setup time. I have spent what amounts to about five months of full time work programming, testing and documenting the code that makes up The Universal AI Starter Kit. No AI system is perfect, but this is about as close as you can get to a “make AI” button.
This free update is available now for everyone that has purchased The Universal AI Starter Kit.
Tutorial Video:
The first improvement that I would like to point out is the quick install feature. It allows you to install the kit easily, within seconds, while using a default project. Secondly, this update comes with unofficial T3D install instructions, so that it can be used with that engine.
This update also includes many improvements to the AI Marker Editor. An AI marker determines where the bot is spawned and what options the bot spawns with. I am very excited about this update to the AI Marker Editor, as it will make placing the markers significantly more user friendly and intuitive; allowing you to actually use the player or camera itself, to position the markers. There’s no more need to use the archaic methods of placing markers such as plugging in numerical coordinates or pulling things around by the axis gizmo.
This update also includes a new “rename all” markers button. This allows you to give your markers a unique name, automatically. Naming markers differently from one another prevents errors and makes editing easier. This will also tell you how many markers you currently have in your mission.
There is a new feature that lets you easily hide all of the markers in a scene at once. This allows you to view your scene without the markers, but still enables you to turn them back on for editing. In addition, there is a new function that will work best for those of you who are fairly decent at programming, which allows you to swap out a bot for any other object, including another bot. This can add another level of depth to your gameplay. You can see this function used at the very end of my first video, within the RPG demo sequence, where the elf turns into a fireball chucking reaper.
There are multiple other features and bug fixes in this new update as well. Although I’ve been never said this before, my personal mission statement for the creation of The Universal AI Starter Kit, has always been to “create an AI system that just works.” Something that you can just install and then begin messing with right “out of the box”; with minimal setup time. I have spent what amounts to about five months of full time work programming, testing and documenting the code that makes up The Universal AI Starter Kit. No AI system is perfect, but this is about as close as you can get to a “make AI” button.
This free update is available now for everyone that has purchased The Universal AI Starter Kit.
Tutorial Video:
About the author
Developer of The Universal AI Starter Kit, which is available in the Add-ons store on this site. Also working on the game Twisty's Asylum Escapades.
Torque Owner Quinton Delpeche
Gobbo Games
Thanks again for this pack ... it is one of those packs that I plan on including in every project I do. :)