Hi,
as I know dota2 does not presents too many units on the map, so if it is similar in your game, the built-in navmesh pathfinder with crowd enabled could work fine, and you can use behavior trees (I’m also working with it in another project, where my part is multiplayer RTS AI). But since it utilizes ACharacter-s, the load on network is becoming high if you increase unit quantity over say 100.
If you need more units, more unit types having different size, and especially if the units should have different movement capabilities, you probably need a custom pathfinder, and an optimized network handling, which is possible in UE4 as I can see. What I found a suitable concept is linked in my 1st post, presenting the pathfinder system of Company of Heroes. Of course, my solution is different, and features a very different formation system because of the different military era (keeping position rather that looking for cover points). I will share a tech demo, which could be useful for you to get some inspirations or to make your decision, but I’m always extending its features (currently working on multiplayer) resulting in postponement repeatedly… I’m also planning to convert it into a plugin, thus it could be available in Marketplace or elsewhere, but despite the core is ready and works great, currently I cannot say an exact date, because it would require a smoothly working test project (a little siege scene).
@, which here is with distance the best rts system what is in development for UE4, hope it will also really published for the marketplace, need it urgently for my scifi company of heroes.
Please continue the work, you will surely be rewarded for your troubles. My childhood could become true:o
Any chance that the plugin gets coversystem out of the box for 5 men squad size?
In theory it is not a horrible task but requires a different formation positioning system that prefers nearby cover tiles over formation positions, some further tile data storing cover directions, and a somewhat automated method to define them when doing map decomposition, I mean when processing the nearby tiles of foliage, obstacles, and buildings.
The smaller the group, the faster the prosessing. I add it to my future tasks list 
Thanks. It is going to handle smoothly a CoH styled rts, especially in single player mode. On my new laptop performance is better by approx 50%, and it is not a gamer pc. Currently the multiplayer development slows me down. The essential parts are done, but the player control is a bit tricky because of the client-server architecture.
The game will use multiplayer it is an important component, without multiplayer funcionality the system would be unfinished and not differ from the other RTS Kits except because of the pathfinding solution you implemented.
But I can not help you with network replication does not have enough experience with that. I hope you find a way to make it with 400-500 units stable runs in the multiplayer these are the range of units i prefer for the game in 3vs3 matches.
Good to know, looking forward to that feautre 
Hello there!
I’ve read through your updates.
Dedication and hard work is meaningful. Inspirational I would say.
I’ll keep an eye on this. Keep it up!
The lil bits of technical conversations and useful links were a huge addition to my knowledge as well, thank you for that people.
Have a good day everyone
@Yun-Kun](https://forums.unrealengine.com/member.php?32515-Yun-Kun) : thanks for the kind words. originally I wanted to do more technical related blog posts, so if there is an interest I can share a lot more links of articles I have read through and found useful/motivating for my project. I can also make some videos with debugging information displayed to explain the system in depth.
@theevil128](https://forums.unrealengine.com/member.php?3111-theevil128) : I have to agree, despite in the beginning I felt multiplayer not important. Luckily I joined another project where I could gain networking experience. Most features work now, only a small bunch of bug-fixes remained, but I have to do a lot of bandwidth optimizations, and test to get everything work with both listen a dedicated server modes. Currently my primary focus is on LAN support as a minimum.
I have found some interesting, just take a look at it
this could some starting point for the cover system in the future.
Yeah I know it, downloaded already but not tested
News
Just a quick report on progress:
The planned features for multiplayer support are completed, everything works in listen server mode (dedicated server mode is WIP):
- unit/group/building selection,
- move orders,
- server sided pathfinding,
- custom movement replication,
- run/walk,
- animations,
- projectiles,
- pausing the game (while new selection and issuing orders are possible),
- changing weapons (ranged/melee or spear/sword),
- changing group formation,
- group/unit/building spawning and destruction,
and a lot of other things no place to mention…
Network usage is high, but continuously decreasing as the development is progressing.
The only words OMG.
Really nice, you working on.
Whats next???
Very Nice Work!!!
I have some group movement problems when developing my own RTS-like game. Please give me some hints：)
-
How do you handle group pathfinding? Chose one unit in group and find a path and make others following the path or do pathfinding each unit individually？
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If you chose one unit for pathfinding, how do you decide to chose which one, and how to do the path following for others
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If you do pathfinding individually for each unit, the path they find may be similar, if each unit follows their own waypoints, they will be move like a snake, how to fix that?
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How do you process collision? Do separations for each collision unit? Do you have some priority decisions in collision solvement?
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How to keep formation movement or how to recover formation when meet obstacles?
Thanks in advance.
Thanks,
probably I make a main menu with multiplayer host/join options to enable testing in a real network. Opening/closing/locking gates is also planned soon. Fight and destruction can come when most pathfinding and movement related features are ready, but before siege equipment and ships.
Pathfinding is hierarchical, tile is the smallest element, and several tiles can form an area called cluster. Groups do long range pathfinding usin cluster data, while units do short range pathfindings using tile data. Moreover, an imaginary unit is used by the group to define the group middle tile path among clusters, used by the formation system.
The formation system is written from scratch, and uses a matrix like database and calculations for defining target tiles for each unit. It is quite a complex stuff, I would need pages to describe it… Maybe once in a blog post.
Unit collision is also a custom system, using priorities, and short ray traces for push/bounce.
Please release it!!! Its the best template for rts games I have seen!! I would love to play with it!
Thanks, once it will come. 
It should be converted to a plugin first, and probably I would need to create some entry points for blueprinters, because currently it is mostly C++. I’m looking for a flexible approach of extending AI with custom behaviors beside keeping performance… But the roof can be built only after finishing the walls
That is great news!
Video - current features
Hi,
a fresh short video is out, explaining the basic features this RTS system:
