Has anyone created a genetic algorithm which develops best paths toward an object. For example, say the AI is playing Age of Kings. It has maybe, 5 "hyperunits" which are invisible units that go faster than the speed of normal units, and are there to find good paths for the AI to go to. These hyperunits go at random directions, but eventually after a few generations, they narrow down a few good paths for actual AI units to take depending on certain criteria (fastest path, shortest path, least dangerous, most dangerous, etc.)

[email=ubc_wiskatos@hotmail.com" target="_blank" style="width: 10px; height: 10px; background: #fe7a21; overflow: hidden; display: block; margin-bottom: 2px;][/email]Wiskatosxp

fup

463

July 23, 2003 04:38 AM

GAs aren''t much use for creating paths in real-time for computer games. Too slow.

They do have their uses though. This is a link to a GA that finds paths in non-discrete environments.

http://www.ai-junkie.com/files/GA_Pathfinder.zip

My Website: ai-junkie.com | My Book: AI Techniques for Game Programming

My Website: ai-junkie.com | My Books: 'Programming Game AI by Example' & 'AI Techniques for Game Programming'

Kylotan

10,513

July 23, 2003 10:45 AM

I''ve often thought about playing with a GA to evolve an optimal heuristic for a given map. It might just be balancing a ratio between Manhattan and Pythagorean distance, for example. I wonder if that would ever be worth the effort.

fup

463

July 23, 2003 03:58 PM

I''d say it was worth experimenting with. It''d be interesting to see the results. Good idea.

My Website: ai-junkie.com | My Book: AI Techniques for Game Programming

My Website: ai-junkie.com | My Books: 'Programming Game AI by Example' & 'AI Techniques for Game Programming'

wolfbane

122

July 23, 2003 06:36 PM

What kind of path finding do games like Age of Kings use anyway?

Spencer

126

July 24, 2003 12:03 PM

some guys over at the university if california (i think :/) mimplemented GA pathfinding in an unmaned underwater vehicle. There is an article at citeseer about it. They claim it works good, and the good thing about it is that it can easily recalculate a new path if an obstacle suddenly appears....

--Spencer

"Relax, this dragon is sleeping..."

--Spencer"All in accordance with the prophecy..."

Timkin

864

July 24, 2003 07:57 PM

quote: Original post by Spencer
some guys over at the university if california (i think :/) mimplemented GA pathfinding in an unmaned underwater vehicle.

Is that the same UAV that Gary Ogasawara was working on while he was at Berkeley? I believe he went on to Lockheed AI where he furthered his work on underwater vehicles.

Cheers,

Timkin