Interesting AI Pathfinding problem in t2

#1 No that's not what I was asking, i was asking for some scripting guidance, maybe a way to work around them getting stuck on walls. I guess this was the wrong place to ask this, but thought it was worth a try.

#2 Is bot pathfinding handled via script? I thought Tribes had the core in c++.

If it's in C++, there isn't much we can do for you. Even if it is script, just looking at that demo won't do much... it's not like we're geniouses hehe.

It's like expecting a mechanic to be able to find the problem and fix it without opening the hood or getting out his toolbox.

I don't have Tribes 2, and I doubt I'd download the demo if I had it. Just tell us the problem, and we'll be able to provide about as much vague help as humanly possible :p

#3 I checked out the recording. It is a bot using an inventory station and then walking into a wall repeatedly.

If I recall correctly all of the t2 pathfinding logic was in C++, not script. The Torque AI stuff is under heavy development by a number of people so who knows if it is the same code. In any case, my wild guess is that the bot is trying to get to an invalid navgraph waypoint. Thus it could be a map bug.

#4 Yea i think it is a map bug because it happens repeatedly there and in one other place. I'm trying to figure out how to edit the AI graph by hand but there doesn't seem to be a way. I'll send a letter off to the guys at sierra and see if they are aware of this bug and such. Thanks for tryin to help anyway ;)

Edit:
I'm considering buying a copy of the engine to toy with, think it'd be worth my money? I've only heard good things about it so that's why i'm considering it. But all i'm good at is programming so eh, i dunno if i'll be able to do much with it.

#5 I think you'll find that most people who have bought the SDK are quite satisified with their purchase. This is also reflected in a survey that GG did recently, although I can't find a link to that survey right now.

At the very least it should give you a better understanding of how the tribes 2 code works, which could help you in your mod/map making. Be warned though that it is a large codebase and has a significant learning curve. There is plenty of help around here though. Overall the SDK is a great value, but you have to be willing to put some work in to it.

#6 Sounds good, I've read the testimonials and uhh, 'love notes,' if you would, about the engine, and i think i'll be buying a copy as soon as I can afford it (being a 17 year old with no job doesn't help) :P

#7 James,

We welcome T2 scriptors and modders here at GG. Why make a mod, when you can make a game? This kind of problem is exactly why you should upgrade to the Torque, rather than script T2.

Jeff Tunnell GG

#8 Hehe i think i know whats wrong... if your using T2 go into the editor.. Alt-e (default setings) and go into AI tab.. then click on (dang i cont remember the names) but theres 3 buttons that have to do with the AI on makes the whole nav waypoint stuff for AI and the other 2 mmake some really wied lines that show every possible "to-from" location of a BOT.. that will prolly fix the problem.. otherwise... i dont know

#9 In reply to Jeff: Yes, i realize that, and even if I don't end up making a new game I can learn a heckamadoodle lot more about t2 than I already know and it'll help me make my mod. Either way I should be buying a copy within the week.

In reply to David: I know about those, but what i'm looking to do is move the nodes by hand, not regenerate them, because they're generated the same way every time.

#10 to make the nodes by hand... thats right inder the 3 other buttons... well i think so.

#11 Well I just bought a copy of Torque and downloaded it, startin to read parts over to try to figure it out a bit. It's definitely very clean code :P

#12 Haha now I have to dig up the good ole copy of visual studio. =| this may take a while... lol

#13 I'm interested in getting baisc pathfinding code in to the engine for NPC purposes, is the code used in tribes2 for AI pathfinding available to people who have purchased the $100 licence.

Thanks =)

#14 @Tom: First, dont resurrect old posts like this one. Second, Torque and Tribes2 have nothing in common, you get what Torque has, that's about it. Tribes 2 was just another game developed with Torque (v12), that would be like asking the source for XX in ThinkTanks or Orbz or whatever.

#15 I'm afraid that it was removed due to some legal interaction with Sierra... That said, it's not stunningly difficult to add again, and I think a few people in the community have already done it.

#16 Well first I have to say that you should check out the scripting and bot forums at www.Tribes2Maps.com for answers to this question.

The Bot that is Humping the wall is trying to do as he was ordered to do in the Tribes 2 Scripts (that was to
"%client.stepMove(%task.targetObject.getWorldBoxCenter())") You see the bot following his orders is not the problem. The problem is the Location of the Target Object. The Target in this case is a SentryTurret and most likely in the Map katabatic. The Sentry Turrets are placed halfway imbedded into and Interior Instance (like the floor or the ceiling) and as a result the the Bot can't find the proper nodepath to follow to get to it. You see the bots either does one of two things when told to stepMove to a target. They either follow a nodepath or walk staight from point A to point B. Your bot is trying to do the later. Also note that some of the Interiors simply Do Not work well with the Bots (do to the hallways being to narrow or not enough headroom for them to navigate, even when a NAV Graph is Drawn there). I fixed this by modding the AI script for that target object. Instead of him "%client.stepMove(%task.targetObject.getWorldBoxCenter())" I put "%client.stepMove(%task.location)" and adjusted the position of the AIObjectiveMarker in the map editor. That way he walks to the "location" of the marker and not to the object that is half embedded into the interior. Also forget about Katabatic map (it should never have had Bot Support added to it, the towers that host the Sentry Turrets are one of the Interiors that is Not Bot friendly).