DoN's 3D-Pathfinding / Flying-AI system (with full source!)

[VSZ]

is it possible to have more DON managers in one scene and if so can you pass from one manager to the other?

Self-contained managers should work with a small fix for "Fly To" node to smartly lookup the right manager for a pawn instead of blindly using the first one (that's how it works now). I'll look into this in a week or two, should be an easy fix that will deliver great value. For people who're using direct API calls instead of the "Fly To" node you can just tell the API which manager to use yourself.

Again, each manager is self-contained; a pawn in one navigation zone can only pathfind within that zone. Inter-zone/Inter-Manager navigation could be a nice strategy to support large maps so I might investigate that mid-term. The Octree voxel approach suggested by others is probably a better long-term investment but it has "Giant time-sink, Developer beware!" written all over it so I'll instead try to support multiple zones for now.

By the way, I watched the DoN The Nature Game – 30 minute gameplay video! and it´s amazing! And the Vivaldi is the best choice that could accompany your game presentation. I wish you make this nature sim as perfect as possible. The work you've done is amazing.

Thanks a lot for checking out my game! I hope to make it an all-encompassing Nature Sim and as long as I can sustain development I'll keep inching slowly towards that goal.

Steam Greenlight was supposed to happen last month but releasing this plugin took so much more energy than I expected that I couldn't work on the game for almost a month at that time.

Vivaldi's music fuels both development and the promos! There is little doubt in my mind that some 300 years ago the inspiration for his Four Seasons Music draws from the same fountain that I'm tapping into today. Now whether my game ends up at least a wee bit as good as Vivaldi's compositions, only time will tell

[hamsterPL]

Thank you for great work!

What version of engine you are using?

I tried to package your sample project and run but I've got a error that engine can't find plugin module.
I tried this on 4.10.4

I'm assuming you are using different version, that why it doesn't work.

[VSZ]

Are you using the latest version of the sample project - v1.1? The previous version had an issue with packaging that was fixed.

I just tested the latest version lying in my comp and it packaged and ran fine; I'm using 4.10.4 too.

[hamsterPL]

Yes, I downloaded this yesterday.

I had to disable substance plugin to run, because I don't have it.
First packaging failed because assets had too long names - fixed that.
Then I packaged 64 bit build for windows - build successfull.

When I try to launch packaged game, I recieve this message:




When I'm launching from standalone game or pie it works.

[VSZ]

Can someone who's also downloaded v1.1 confirm what [MENTION=16530]hamsterPL[/MENTION] is seeing please?

That would be really helpful to narrow down the issue as I'm not able to reproduce it

When I try to launch packaged game, I recieve this message: <pic>

Try this workaround:

1. Open the project, choose File -> "New C++ class", create any dummy class
2. Restart the editor.
3. Try packaging again.

This workaround has been suggested in the forums for Blueprint-only projects that need to use C++ plugins. Maybe it works for me because I have Visual Studio installed, really not sure.

Another thing - are you packing with build configuration of "Development" or "Shipping"?

Both work for me, although shipping needs a workaround described in this answer hub post (without which it throws a "failed to open descriptor file" error).

I had to disable substance plugin to run, because I don't have it.

Hmm...I'm not using anything substance related in this project at all! That's really odd.

Did it tell you which assets were problematic? None of the Epic content in the project (eg: the bots) seem to use the Susbtance plugin either. The Substance plugin is free in any case, but still I'm not sure why the project seems to need it.

[hamsterPL]

Try this workaround:

1. Open the project, choose File -> "New C++ class", create any dummy class
2. Restart the editor.
3. Try packaging again.

I will try that today. Thanks.

This workaround has been suggested in the forums for Blueprint-only projects that need to use C++ plugins. Maybe it works for me because I have Visual Studio installed, really not sure.

I have visual studio 2015 installed.

Another thing - are you packing with build configuration of "Development" or "Shipping"?

Sorry, I forgot to mention - I packed with shipping

Both work for me, although shipping needs a workaround described in this answer hub post (without which it throws a "failed to open descriptor file" error).

I didn't know that. I'll try, thanks.

Hmm...I'm not using anything substance related in this project at all! That's really odd.

Did it tell you which assets were problematic? None of the Epic content in the project (eg: the bots) seem to use the Susbtance plugin either. The Substance plugin is free in any case, but still I'm not sure why the project seems to need it.

Not really, but I assume it's T_MacroVariation. When I'm unpacking your zip file I have this error and can't copy this file:



And when I launch editor I got load errors, probably because this asset

[VSZ]

Oh yeah, that file developed a CRC issue while I uploaded it, just a file corruption issue totally unrelated to Substance plugin.

I fixed that some time after your initial post by re-uploading v1.1 again. If you have the bandwidth to spare grab the latest upload (it's still called v1.1).

BTW the shipping workaround in the answer hub post can be very hard to find (it's a long thread) so I'll just paraphrase it here:
1. Go to WindowsNoEditor\DonNavigationSamples\Binaries\Win64
2. Change DonNavigationSamples-Win64-Shipping.exe (or 32-bit equivalent) to DonNavigationSamples.exe.
3. Use that exe for launching instead of the main exe under WindowsNoEditor (which will no longer work after applying this fix)

This workaround is not for the plugin load issue though; for that, the "Add C++ class" workaround is the the best bet we have for now so try that first.

[hamsterPL]

Still dont't work :/

I tried to create dummy class couple times and compile failed. I recieved following error




Then I opened project in visual studio and hit "build". And compiled failed too. Here's error list

[VSZ]

Ah! If adding a simple dummy class isn't working then it makes me suspect environment issues unrelated to the project.

Can you post the "Output" logs of Visual Studio instead of the error list? For Unreal projects Visual Studio's error list is not usually accurate, the compilation output from the Unreal Build Tool is what we're really interested in here.

In the meantime, if someone else can try packaging and tell us how it goes that would really help! I think most people have the old v1 version (where packaging definitely won't work) so if anyone wants to give it a try make sure you download the latest version v1.1 first.

I downloaded the sample project from scratch, tested packaging and it just works for me (even without the C++ class workaround) so I'm beginning to suspect this is more environment related.

[hamsterPL]

Output log:

1>------ Build started: Project: UE4, Configuration: BuiltWithUnrealBuildTool Win32 ------
2>------ Build started: Project: DonNavigationSamples, Configuration: Development_Editor x64 ------
2>  [1/15] Compile DonNavigationSamples.generated.cpp
2>  [2/15] Compile MyClass.cpp
2>  [3/15] Compile Actor_Class.cpp
2>  Actor_Class.cpp
2>C:\Users\Matuszczyk.Matuszczyk-PC\Documents\Unreal Projects\3D_navmesh\Intermediate\Build\Win64\UE4Editor\Inc\DonNavigationSamples\Actor_Class.generated.h(16): error C2007: #define syntax
2>C:\Users\Matuszczyk.Matuszczyk-PC\Documents\Unreal Projects\3D_navmesh\Intermediate\Build\Win64\UE4Editor\Inc\DonNavigationSamples\Actor_Class.generated.h(17): error C2007: #define syntax
2>C:\Users\Matuszczyk.Matuszczyk-PC\Documents\Unreal Projects\3D_navmesh\Intermediate\Build\Win64\UE4Editor\Inc\DonNavigationSamples\Actor_Class.generated.h(18): error C2007: #define syntax
2>C:\Users\Matuszczyk.Matuszczyk-PC\Documents\Unreal Projects\3D_navmesh\Intermediate\Build\Win64\UE4Editor\Inc\DonNavigationSamples\Actor_Class.generated.h(29): error C2007: #define syntax
2>C:\Users\Matuszczyk.Matuszczyk-PC\Documents\Unreal Projects\3D_navmesh\Intermediate\Build\Win64\UE4Editor\Inc\DonNavigationSamples\Actor_Class.generated.h(40): error C2007: #define syntax
2>C:\Users\Matuszczyk.Matuszczyk-PC\Documents\Unreal Projects\3D_navmesh\Intermediate\Build\Win64\UE4Editor\Inc\DonNavigationSamples\Actor_Class.generated.h(52): error C2007: #define syntax
2>dbsbuild : error : aborting build on error (2)
2>C:\Users\Matuszczyk.Matuszczyk-PC\Documents\Unreal Projects\3D_navmesh\Intermediate\Build\Win64\UE4Editor\Inc\DonNavigationSamples\Actor_Class.generated.h(62): error C2007: #define syntax
2>C:\Users\Matuszczyk.Matuszczyk-PC\Documents\Unreal Projects\3D_navmesh\Intermediate\Build\Win64\UE4Editor\Inc\DonNavigationSamples\Actor_Class.generated.h(63): error C2007: #define syntax
2>C:\Users\Matuszczyk.Matuszczyk-PC\Documents\Unreal Projects\3D_navmesh\Intermediate\Build\Win64\UE4Editor\Inc\DonNavigationSamples\Actor_Class.generated.h(73): error C2007: #define syntax
2>c:\users\matuszczyk.matuszczyk-pc\documents\unreal projects\3d_navmesh\source\donnavigationsamples\Actor_Class.h(8): error C2059: syntax error: 'user-defined literal'
2>c:\users\matuszczyk.matuszczyk-pc\documents\unreal projects\3d_navmesh\source\donnavigationsamples\Actor_Class.h(9): error C2059: syntax error: 'public'
2>c:\users\matuszczyk.matuszczyk-pc\documents\unreal projects\3d_navmesh\source\donnavigationsamples\Actor_Class.h(10): error C2143: syntax error: missing ';' before '{'
2>c:\users\matuszczyk.matuszczyk-pc\documents\unreal projects\3d_navmesh\source\donnavigationsamples\Actor_Class.h(10): error C2447: '{': missing function header (old-style formal list?)
2>C:\Users\Matuszczyk.Matuszczyk-PC\Documents\Unreal Projects\3D_navmesh\Source\DonNavigationSamples\Actor_Class.cpp(8): error C2653: 'AActor_Class': is not a class or namespace name
2>C:\Users\Matuszczyk.Matuszczyk-PC\Documents\Unreal Projects\3D_navmesh\Source\DonNavigationSamples\Actor_Class.cpp(9): error C4430: missing type specifier - int assumed. Note: C++ does not support default-int
2>C:\Users\Matuszczyk.Matuszczyk-PC\Documents\Unreal Projects\3D_navmesh\Source\DonNavigationSamples\Actor_Class.cpp(11): error C2065: 'PrimaryActorTick': undeclared identifier
2>C:\Users\Matuszczyk.Matuszczyk-PC\Documents\Unreal Projects\3D_navmesh\Source\DonNavigationSamples\Actor_Class.cpp(11): error C2228: left of '.bCanEverTick' must have class/struct/union
2>  C:\Users\Matuszczyk.Matuszczyk-PC\Documents\Unreal Projects\3D_navmesh\Source\DonNavigationSamples\Actor_Class.cpp(11): note: type is 'unknown-type'
2>C:\Users\Matuszczyk.Matuszczyk-PC\Documents\Unreal Projects\3D_navmesh\Source\DonNavigationSamples\Actor_Class.cpp(13): error C4508: 'AActor_Class': function should return a value; 'void' return type assumed
2>C:\Users\Matuszczyk.Matuszczyk-PC\Documents\Unreal Projects\3D_navmesh\Source\DonNavigationSamples\Actor_Class.cpp(16): error C2653: 'AActor_Class': is not a class or namespace name
2>C:\Users\Matuszczyk.Matuszczyk-PC\Documents\Unreal Projects\3D_navmesh\Source\DonNavigationSamples\Actor_Class.cpp(18): error C2653: 'Super': is not a class or namespace name
2>C:\Users\Matuszczyk.Matuszczyk-PC\Documents\Unreal Projects\3D_navmesh\Source\DonNavigationSamples\Actor_Class.cpp(23): error C2653: 'AActor_Class': is not a class or namespace name
2>C:\Users\Matuszczyk.Matuszczyk-PC\Documents\Unreal Projects\3D_navmesh\Source\DonNavigationSamples\Actor_Class.cpp(25): error C2653: 'Super': is not a class or namespace name
2>ERROR : UBT error : Failed to produce item: C:\Users\Matuszczyk.Matuszczyk-PC\Documents\Unreal Projects\3D_navmesh\Plugins\DonAINavigation\Intermediate\Build\Win64\UE4Editor\Development\UE4Editor-DonAINavigation.exp
2>  Total build time: 3,89 seconds
2>C:\Program Files (x86)\MSBuild\Microsoft.Cpp\v4.0\V140\Microsoft.MakeFile.Targets(37,5): error MSB3073: The command ""C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.10\Engine\Build\BatchFiles\Build.bat" DonNavigationSamplesEditor Win64 Development "C:\Users\Matuszczyk.Matuszczyk-PC\Documents\Unreal Projects\3D_navmesh\DonNavigationSamples.uproject" -rocket -waitmutex -2015" exited with code -1.
========== Build: 1 succeeded, 1 failed, 0 up-to-date, 0 skipped ==========

[VSZ]

It's the name of your project Change it from 3D_navmesh to Navmesh_3D and try.

According to an Epic dev from this thread, project names that begin with a number (as opposed to an alphabet) cause the Unreal Build Tool to throw compiler errors exactly like the ones seen in your output log.

[hamsterPL]

O man! I had no idea about that. I had project folder name started with digit, a I changed only that and it worked!

For there first time I managed to package shipping build with plugin

So basicly after I changed project folder name, there was no problems.

Thank you for your help and patience

[VSZ]

Great to hear! Is this for a new project?

BTW, best of luck with releasing your Toby the Brave game! Looks like a lot of fun.

[hamsterPL]

Great to hear! Is this for a new project?

BTW, best of luck with releasing your Toby the Brave game! Looks like a lot of fun.

Heheheh thank you! Toby will have significant change in terms of art, character and overall quality in near future. Believing in feedback from playtesters, it will be a change for better. It will take me some time to finish it.

About flying AI - I was trying make something like that a while ago in blueprints only, but I failed and left it for a while. Lately I found your solution accidently while I was looking for some advanced AI's made in UE 4. I'm making shooter kit in sci-fi style for marketplace - https://forums.unrealengine.com/show...329#post425329 and I want make some flying AI's but I belevie I can't use plugins in markeplace item, and it would be a bit of overkill for this type of "small project".

I'm always curious about different solution for gameplay mechanics made in UE 4, that's why your project is interesting to me. I don't think so I will use it in Toby, but I want to play around with this, learn something, and maybe use it in future projects.
And also I was always having trouble with packaging game with plugin, I thought it is impossible for current UE version, and there you go, you helped me out

[lunyBunny]

Hi [MENTION=14603]VSZ[/MENTION]

How are You?


Amazing Pathfinding. You are a genius.
Cool flying cybernetic objects. It is from Cinematic VR Demo?

But one though about waypoints. Only is accepted two waypoint!!!
I Can only add location for initial position and a destination.
Could I add anothers waypoint, various, like in UTGame? It's possible?

Regards
luny๑