Get your UAISK now!
by Twisted Jenius · 12/13/2009 (6:41 am) · 33 comments
I will soon be coming out with the second free update for The Universal AI Starter Kit. However, I thought that I should let everyone who hasn't purchased the kit know that I'm going to be raising the price of it a bit with this update.
The price of the kit will soon be $34.95. You still have one or two weeks before I make this change and I'm just letting everyone know that if they wanted to buy it at the current price, now is the time to do it. Even with this change in price, The Universal AI Starter Kit will still be one of the more affordable add-ons available in the Torque developer store. And don't forget that it works with the binary version of Torque 3D; no source code changes are required!
The Universal AI Starter Kit continues to get better and in this next update you will see some major improvements to the navigation system that I have been working on, better T3D compatibility, and several other enhancements as well. I just wanted to give everyone a heads up about these changes and to let you know that if you've been thinking about getting your hands on a copy of The Universal AI Starter Kit, now would be the best time to do it.
Here's the obligatory, random screen shot. It's of one of the demo missions in TGE 1.1.1, which I recently remembered that I had a copy of. After a bit of testing I found out that The Universal AI Starter Kit only works in TGE 1.3 or higher. Isn't it funny how everyone includes screen shots in their AI blogs and yet you can't tell anything about the AI without showing movement?
The price of the kit will soon be $34.95. You still have one or two weeks before I make this change and I'm just letting everyone know that if they wanted to buy it at the current price, now is the time to do it. Even with this change in price, The Universal AI Starter Kit will still be one of the more affordable add-ons available in the Torque developer store. And don't forget that it works with the binary version of Torque 3D; no source code changes are required!
The Universal AI Starter Kit continues to get better and in this next update you will see some major improvements to the navigation system that I have been working on, better T3D compatibility, and several other enhancements as well. I just wanted to give everyone a heads up about these changes and to let you know that if you've been thinking about getting your hands on a copy of The Universal AI Starter Kit, now would be the best time to do it.
Here's the obligatory, random screen shot. It's of one of the demo missions in TGE 1.1.1, which I recently remembered that I had a copy of. After a bit of testing I found out that The Universal AI Starter Kit only works in TGE 1.3 or higher. Isn't it funny how everyone includes screen shots in their AI blogs and yet you can't tell anything about the AI without showing movement?
About the author
Developer of The Universal AI Starter Kit and Twisty's Asylum Escapades.
#2
12/13/2009 (8:19 am)
At one point I considered adding in an example mission to the kit for the upcoming release, but dropped the idea because I didn't want to have to maintain the mission files for 3 different engines from now on. I might look into it again if there's enough demand for a demonstration mission. But honestly, the kit is pretty easy to use and well documented so I’m not really sure there’s a need for it. 
#3
12/13/2009 (5:47 pm)
I think an example mission for the most current engine (T3D) would be nice, if you're doing one. Is it actually T3D-ready now? 
#5
The current version already has T3D install instructions and generally works in T3D. There are just a few minor bugs that the next update will get rid of, as well as making the install process a bit easier.
12/13/2009 (9:49 pm)
@ RonnyThe current version already has T3D install instructions and generally works in T3D. There are just a few minor bugs that the next update will get rid of, as well as making the install process a bit easier.
#6
12/14/2009 (7:13 am)
Excellent - I guess I'll have to grab it later today :) 
#7
Thanks.
12/14/2009 (6:38 pm)
Ok just bought it! Been thinking about getting this for a while now, so you're right....now's the time.Thanks.
#8
Also, inclusion of that RPG Demo you showed in the video would be great! Preferrably with the binary already with server side melee included.
12/15/2009 (12:14 am)
@Twisted: Well a demo level would be rally good, because it gives an idea of what all the swettings can be used for.Also, inclusion of that RPG Demo you showed in the video would be great! Preferrably with the binary already with server side melee included.
#9
Creating a good tutorial video can take time, so I need to know what everyone wants to learn about. I can't guarantee that I'll include everything but if anyone has suggestions, post them below. What is it that you like to learn about the kit?
12/15/2009 (2:39 am)
As far as doing what you described with the RPG demo, I don't think I can even do that from a legal stand point because I'd have to give you assets that don't belong to me (the only thing in that demo that belongs to me is the AI). However I am considering doing a video tutorial showing how to do certain things with the kit. You said that you wanted to see what you could do with various settings, what settings specifically are you curious about?Creating a good tutorial video can take time, so I need to know what everyone wants to learn about. I can't guarantee that I'll include everything but if anyone has suggestions, post them below. What is it that you like to learn about the kit?
#10
I'd also like to see a demo to play in, videos can be rather vague when it comes to AI. From a third person perspective even two great FPS players battling it out in MP looks like a simple bot.
The only conclusive videos are things like pathfinding.
12/15/2009 (2:47 am)
Couldn't you use default Torque assets to make a demo? Like models that come with T3D.I'd also like to see a demo to play in, videos can be rather vague when it comes to AI. From a third person perspective even two great FPS players battling it out in MP looks like a simple bot.
The only conclusive videos are things like pathfinding.
#11
EDIT: Also I’m only discussing a post-purchase demo here. This "demo" would not be released to the general public so that they could evaluate the AI before they buy the kit. The reason for this is because the kit is only made of a few script files and an editor; so to make a good public demo, I’d basically have to give out the entire kit for free.
12/15/2009 (2:58 am)
I actually did look into just using stock T3D assets but I hit a big problem, T3D only comes with one stock player model. So if I tried to show off any features like the teammate or escort behavior modes, you would end up killing your own team because they'd look exactly like your enemies.EDIT: Also I’m only discussing a post-purchase demo here. This "demo" would not be released to the general public so that they could evaluate the AI before they buy the kit. The reason for this is because the kit is only made of a few script files and an editor; so to make a good public demo, I’d basically have to give out the entire kit for free.
#12
12/15/2009 (12:40 pm)
Just purchased UAISK. Haven't used it yet enough to know whether a demo seems like a handy thing, but doesn't T3D come with Gideon and Boombot as stock player models?
#13
12/15/2009 (10:48 pm)
Awesome to see you have made it better with torque 3D. As at the moment it is quite buggy on torque 3D. So when will this update come out? As I really need it to finish my game.
#14
I can't say what T3D Pro comes with, but both the binary version and demo only have Gideon as a stock actor.
@ Alexander B
The new version (and the price increase that will go along with it) should be ready in about a week. The update currently has about 80% of the things that I wanted to do with it. Meaning, this isn't something that's happening in the distance future; it's mostly done already.
But one thing to note is that sometimes GarageGames/TorquePowered can sometimes be a bit slow with updating products. So I should be done in about a week, but it might take a few days after that before the product is updated by GG. I'll have another blog and a forum post about it when the update available for download.
12/16/2009 (1:26 am)
@ Steve DamskyI can't say what T3D Pro comes with, but both the binary version and demo only have Gideon as a stock actor.
@ Alexander B
The new version (and the price increase that will go along with it) should be ready in about a week. The update currently has about 80% of the things that I wanted to do with it. Meaning, this isn't something that's happening in the distance future; it's mostly done already.
But one thing to note is that sometimes GarageGames/TorquePowered can sometimes be a bit slow with updating products. So I should be done in about a week, but it might take a few days after that before the product is updated by GG. I'll have another blog and a forum post about it when the update available for download.
#15
12/16/2009 (2:20 am)
Are the torque 3d bugs fixed? If they are can you please email the fixes to me. If you forgot, my email is bishop.alexander@gmail.com 
#16
Great product BTW I bought It a while ago and used it in a school project at DeVry for one of my Senior project, so thank you in assisting me with an "A" for that! Glad there is an updating coming, in my version of T3D I noticed that I couldn't kill the Bots and they cant fire the weapons even though they are armed, but there seems to be some communication problems with the default playerData, not sure what it is as I have had finals the last week so I have not had a change to de-bug and find the problem. Is this one of the bugs you refer to or is this something that I might have done?
12/17/2009 (2:55 pm)
@TwistedGreat product BTW I bought It a while ago and used it in a school project at DeVry for one of my Senior project, so thank you in assisting me with an "A" for that! Glad there is an updating coming, in my version of T3D I noticed that I couldn't kill the Bots and they cant fire the weapons even though they are armed, but there seems to be some communication problems with the default playerData, not sure what it is as I have had finals the last week so I have not had a change to de-bug and find the problem. Is this one of the bugs you refer to or is this something that I might have done?
#17
This is now the second report I've gotten about not being able to kill the bots in T3D (but the first time for not firing weapons). But I have not fixed this because I can't reproduce it in my version (without purposefully programming that bug in). So unless someone can give me steps to reproduce the issue, I'm just going to have to say that it's due to an improper installation/customization/usage on your end. Of course if you did know how to reproduce the bug, you'd probably also know how to fix it. Also remember that bots in the "NPC" behavior mode can't be killed.
Congratulations on the "A", and it's good to hear that my product (the current version no less) is "A" worthy.
@Everyone
I just remembered (and don't ask how I forgot) that next week is Christmas. I am still on schedule to finish the update sometime next week; but I doubt anyone at GG will be working and updating products then. So the update may not get released until the week after.
12/18/2009 (2:27 am)
@BobbyThis is now the second report I've gotten about not being able to kill the bots in T3D (but the first time for not firing weapons). But I have not fixed this because I can't reproduce it in my version (without purposefully programming that bug in). So unless someone can give me steps to reproduce the issue, I'm just going to have to say that it's due to an improper installation/customization/usage on your end. Of course if you did know how to reproduce the bug, you'd probably also know how to fix it. Also remember that bots in the "NPC" behavior mode can't be killed.
Congratulations on the "A", and it's good to hear that my product (the current version no less) is "A" worthy.
@Everyone
I just remembered (and don't ask how I forgot) that next week is Christmas. I am still on schedule to finish the update sometime next week; but I doubt anyone at GG will be working and updating products then. So the update may not get released until the week after.
#18
I will look into De-Bugging the 'No-Fire' problem as I used a fresh copy or T3D and followed the instructions, although its funny how that I had this working before(bought it before the T3D instruction update) and everything worked awesome, so i am going to see how I did what i felt was the wrong way, as I still have the school project somewhere.
12/18/2009 (12:38 pm)
Probably no chance for a Download Link from you for a Christmas present is there? lolI will look into De-Bugging the 'No-Fire' problem as I used a fresh copy or T3D and followed the instructions, although its funny how that I had this working before(bought it before the T3D instruction update) and everything worked awesome, so i am going to see how I did what i felt was the wrong way, as I still have the school project somewhere.
#19
Can this be used with iTGE? I would really like to use this for it, though I don't know if it is compatible with what I need.
EDIT: Let me rephrase that. Can the source version be used with iTGE?
12/18/2009 (6:40 pm)
Question:Can this be used with iTGE? I would really like to use this for it, though I don't know if it is compatible with what I need.
EDIT: Let me rephrase that. Can the source version be used with iTGE?
#20
There isn't a source version; assuming by "source" you mean C++ code that is later compiled into an executable. The entire UAISK is done in TorqueScript. But the kit does use of a number of the stock C++ coded features from Torque, such as the AIPlayer class.
I know almost nothing about iTGE, so I can't answer your question with any accuracy. Does iTGE have most/all of the stock features of normal TGE, including being able to use TorqueScript and the AIPlayer class? If it does, then The Universal AI Starter Kit will likely work with it; but you may need to make a few minor changes.
12/19/2009 (3:14 am)
@TylerThere isn't a source version; assuming by "source" you mean C++ code that is later compiled into an executable. The entire UAISK is done in TorqueScript. But the kit does use of a number of the stock C++ coded features from Torque, such as the AIPlayer class.
I know almost nothing about iTGE, so I can't answer your question with any accuracy. Does iTGE have most/all of the stock features of normal TGE, including being able to use TorqueScript and the AIPlayer class? If it does, then The Universal AI Starter Kit will likely work with it; but you may need to make a few minor changes.
Torque Owner John E. Nelson
Suspicious Activity
Question, do you plan on providing a demo we can look at like in the videos?