What is the point of Blackboard in networked multiplayer game since AIController only exists on server side?

Development Programming & Scripting AI
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1

Hi everyone,

I made my first steps into Unreal Engine AI stuff recently and I’m facing a weird concept issue. I agree on the fact Blackboards are a nice way to regroup data related to AI. But, in a case of networked multiplayer game, how do you inform clients about the current AI data values since AIController only exists on the server side (and so the Blackboard I guess) ?
It would be stupid to duplicate data somewhere else in the code (in the PlayerState?) just to be able to share AI data.

For example. In a service, my AI will check if a player is too close. If yes, then the AI will enter in a “Agressive” state. This new state will then be use to update animation accordingly. But how should I inform the client about this state change without duplicating data ?

What am I missing here ?

Thank you for reading. Best regards.

2

The main control animation techniques are replicated variables and animation montages. You need to pass variables into an animation blueprint on the client side. AI changes value of the variable on the server side not necessarily by the blackboard and changes animation machine’s state for all clients.

3

I’m not only talking about animation. Following what you said, I still need to duplicate datas/variables at some point in my code, which is bad. But yeah for now that’s what I’m doing cause I don’t see any other way.

4

Hello NymKappa.
I have a same questioon…
If one animinstance use a AIcontroller’s variable or PathFollowingComponent’s variable,It should be replicated. Is it good method?..

Please let me know this problem. If you did it.