DOCSLIB.ORG

Thesis: Video Game Pathfinding and Improvements to Discrete Search on Grid-Based Maps

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Thesis: Video Game Pathfinding and Improvements to Discrete Search on Grid-Based Maps Video Game Pathfinding and Improvements to Discrete Search on Grid-based Maps by Bobby Anguelov Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Science in the Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology University of Pretoria Pretoria JUNE 2011 Publication Data: Bobby Anguelov. Video Game Pathfinding and Improvements to Discrete Search on Grid-based Maps. Master‘s dissertation, University of Pretoria, Department of Computer Science, Pretoria, South Africa, June 2011. Electronic, hyperlinked PDF versions of this dissertation are available online at: http://cirg.cs.up.ac.za/ http://upetd.up.ac.za/UPeTD.htm Video Game Pathfinding and Improvements to Discrete Search on Grid-based Maps by Bobby Anguelov Email: [email protected] Abstract The most basic requirement for any computer controlled game agent in a video game is to be able to successfully navigate the game environment. Pathfinding is an essential component of any agent navigation system. Pathfinding is, at the simplest level, a search technique for finding a route between two points in an environment. The real-time multi-agent nature of video games places extremely tight constraints on the pathfinding problem. This study aims to provide the first complete review of the current state of video game pathfinding both in regards to the graph search algorithms employed as well as the implications of pathfinding within dynamic game environments. Furthermore this thesis presents novel work in the form of a domain specific search algorithm for use on grid-based game maps: the spatial grid A* algorithm which is shown to offer significant improvements over A* within the intended domain. Keywords: Games, Video Games, Artificial Intelligence, Pathfinding, Navigation, Graph Search, Hierarchical Search Algorithms, Hierarchical Pathfinding, A*. Supervisor: Prof. Andries P. Engelbrecht Department: Department of Computer Science Degree: Master of Science ―In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are not.‖ - Albert Einstein Acknowledgements This work would not have been completed without the following people: My supervisor, Prof. Andries Engelbrecht, for his crucial academic and financial support. My dad, Prof. Roumen Anguelov, who first introduced me to the wonderful world of computers and who has always been there to support me and motivate me through thick and thin. Alex Champandard for letting me bounce ideas off of him. These ideas would eventually become the SGA* algorithm. Neil Kirby, Tom Buscaglia and the IGDA Foundation for awarding me the 2011 ―Eric Dybsand Memorial Scholarship for AI development‖. Dave Mark for taking me under his wing at the 2011 Game Developers Conference and introducing me to a whole bunch of game AI VIPs. Jack Bogdan, Gordon Bellamy and Sheri Rubin for all their amazing work on the IGDA Scholarships. This thesis would not have been completed as quickly without the IGDA scholarship. Chris Jurney, for taking the time to discuss my thesis topic all those years ago. His work on the pathfinding for ―Company of Heroes‖ is the inspiration behind this thesis. My friends and colleagues, for their support over the last few years and for putting up with all my anxiety and neuroses. This work has been partly supported by bursaries from: The National Research Foundation (http://www.nrf.ac.za) through the Computational Intelligence Research Group (http://cirg.cs.up.ac.za). The University of Pretoria. i ii Contents Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................................. i Contents ............................................................................................................................................................. iii List of Figures ................................................................................................................................................... vii List of Pseudocode Algorithms ....................................................................................................................... x Chapter 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Problem Statement and Overview .................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Thesis Objectives .............................................................................................................................. 2 1.3 Thesis Contributions......................................................................................................................... 2 1.4 Thesis Outline .................................................................................................................................... 3 Chapter 2 Video Games and Artificial Intelligence ................................................................................ 5 2.1 Introduction to Video Games ......................................................................................................... 5 2.2 Video Game Artificial Intelligence ................................................................................................. 8 2.2.1 Human Level AI ..................................................................................................................... 10 2.2.2 Comparison to Academic and Industrial AI ....................................................................... 11 2.3 Game Engine Architecture ............................................................................................................ 13 2.3.1 The Game Engine ................................................................................................................... 13 2.3.2 Basic Engine Architecture and Components ...................................................................... 15 2.3.3 Game Engine Operation and the Game Loop ................................................................... 16 2.3.4 Performance Constraints ....................................................................................................... 18 2.3.5 Memory Constraints ............................................................................................................... 20 2.3.6 The Need for Concurrency ................................................................................................... 21 2.4 The Video Game Artificial Intelligence System.......................................................................... 21 2.4.1 Game Agent Architecture ...................................................................................................... 22 iii 2.4.2 The Game Agent Update....................................................................................................... 24 2.4.3 The AI System Architecture and Multi-Frame Distribution ............................................ 26 2.4.4 The Role of Pathfinding in a Game AI System .................................................................. 27 2.5 Summary ........................................................................................................................................... 29 Chapter 3 Graph Representations of Video Game Environments ................................................... 31 3.1 The Navigational Graph Abstraction ........................................................................................... 31 3.2 Waypoint Based Navigation Graphs ............................................................................................ 33 3.3 Mesh Based Navigational Graphs ................................................................................................. 34 3.4 Grid Based Navigational Graphs .................................................................................................. 37 3.5 Summary ........................................................................................................................................... 39 Chapter 4 The Requirements and Constraints of Video Game Pathfinding .................................... 41 4.1 The Pathfinding Search Problem .................................................................................................. 41 4.2 Pathfinding Search Problem Requirements................................................................................. 43 4.2.1 Path Optimality ....................................................................................................................... 43 4.2.2 Path Smoothing ....................................................................................................................... 44 4.3 Pathfinding Search Problem Constraints ..................................................................................... 45 4.3.1 Performance Constraints ....................................................................................................... 46 4.3.2 Memory Constraints ............................................................................................................... 48 4.4 Pathfinding in Dynamic Environments ....................................................................................... 49 4.5 Selecting a Suitable Search Algorithm .......................................................................................... 52 4.6 Summary ..........................................................................................................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Pathfinding in Computer Games
    The ITB Journal Volume 4 Issue 2 Article 6 2003 Pathfinding in Computer Games Ross Graham Hugh McCabe Stephen Sheridan Follow this and additional works at: https://arrow.tudublin.ie/itbj Part of the Computer and Systems Architecture Commons Recommended Citation Graham, Ross; McCabe, Hugh; and Sheridan, Stephen (2003) "Pathfinding in Computer Games," The ITB Journal: Vol. 4: Iss. 2, Article 6. doi:10.21427/D7ZQ9J Available at: https://arrow.tudublin.ie/itbj/vol4/iss2/6 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Ceased publication at ARROW@TU Dublin. It has been accepted for inclusion in The ITB Journal by an authorized administrator of ARROW@TU Dublin. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License ITB Journal Pathfinding in Computer Games Ross Graham, Hugh McCabe, Stephen Sheridan School of Informatics & Engineering, Institute of Technology Blanchardstown [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] Abstract One of the greatest challenges in the design of realistic Artificial Intelligence (AI) in computer games is agent movement. Pathfinding strategies are usually employed as the core of any AI movement system. This report will highlight pathfinding algorithms used presently in games and their shortcomings especially when dealing with real-time pathfinding. With the advances being made in other components, such as physics engines, it is AI that is impeding the next generation of computer games. This report will focus on how machine learning techniques such as Artificial Neural Networks and Genetic Algorithms can be used to enhance an agents ability to handle pathfinding in real-time.
    [Show full text]
  • Steps Towards a Science of Heuristic Search
    STEPS TOWARDS A SCIENCE OF HEURISTIC SEARCH BY Christopher Makoto Wilt MS in Computer Science, University of New Hampshire 2012 AB in Mathematics and Anthropology, Dartmouth College, 2007 DISSERTATION Submitted to the University of New Hampshire in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science May, 2014 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED c 2014 Christopher Makoto Wilt This dissertation has been examined and approved. Dissertation director, Wheeler Ruml, Associate Professor of Computer Science University of New Hampshire Radim Bartˇos, Associate Professor, Chair of Computer Science University of New Hampshire R. Daniel Bergeron, Professor of Computer Science University of New Hampshire Philip J. Hatcher, Professor of Computer Science University of New Hampshire Robert Holte, Professor of Computing Science University of Alberta Date ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Since I began my doctoral studies six years ago, Professor Wheeler Ruml has provided the support, guidance, and patience needed to take me from “never used a compiler” to “on the verge of attaining the highest degree in the field of computer science”. I would also like to acknowledge the contributions my committee have made to my development over the years. The reality of graduate school is that it requires long hours and low pay, but one factor that makes it more bearable is good company, and I have the University of New Hampshire Artificial Intelligence Research Group to thank for making those long days more bearable. The work in this dissertation was partially supported by the National Science Founda- tion (NSF) grants IIS-0812141 and IIS-1150068. In addition to NSF, this work was also partially supported by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) grant N10AP20029 and the DARPA CSSG program (grant HR0011-09-1-0021).
    [Show full text]
  • View the Manual
    A Important Health Warning: Photosensitive Seizures A very small percentage of people may experience a seizure when exposed to certain visual images, including flashing lights or patterns that may appear in video games. Even people with no history of seizures or epilepsy may have an undiagnosed condition that can cause “photosensitive epileptic seizures” while watching video games. Symptoms can include light-headedness, altered vision, eye or face twitching, jerking or shaking of arms or legs, disorientation, confusion, momentary loss of awareness, and loss of consciousness or convulsions that can lead to injury from falling down or striking nearby objects. Immediately stop playing and consult a doctor if you experience any of these symptoms. Parents, watch for or ask children about these symptoms—children and teenagers are more likely to experience these seizures. The risk may be reduced by being farther from the screen; using a smaller screen; playing in a well-lit room, and not playing when drowsy or fatigued. If you or any relatives have a history of seizures or epilepsy, consult a doctor before playing. © 2019 The Codemasters Software Company Limited (“Codemasters”). All rights reserved. “Codemasters”®, “EGO”®, the Codemasters logo and “Grid”® are registered trademarks owned by Codemasters. “RaceNet”™ is a trademark of Codemasters. All rights reserved. Uses Bink Video. Copyright © 1997-2019 by RAD Game Tools, Inc. Powered by Wwise © 2006 - 2019 Audiokinetic Inc. All rights reserved. Ogg Vorbis Libraries © 2019, Xiph.Org Foundation. Portions of this software are copyright ©2019 The FreeType Project (www.freetype.org). All rights reserved. All other copyrights or trademarks are the property of their respective owners and are being used under license.
    [Show full text]
  • Grid 2 Ps3 Cheat Codes Grid 2 Ps3 Cheat Codes
    grid 2 ps3 cheat codes Grid 2 ps3 cheat codes. Completing the CAPTCHA proves you are a human and gives you temporary access to the web property. What can I do to prevent this in the future? If you are on a personal connection, like at home, you can run an anti-virus scan on your device to make sure it is not infected with malware. If you are at an office or shared network, you can ask the network administrator to run a scan across the network looking for misconfigured or infected devices. Another way to prevent getting this page in the future is to use Privacy Pass. You may need to download version 2.0 now from the Chrome Web Store. Cloudflare Ray ID: 6651d062fee215f8 • Your IP : 188.246.226.140 • Performance & security by Cloudflare. GRID cheats & more for PlayStation 3 (PS3) Get the latest GRID cheats, codes, unlockables, hints, Easter eggs, glitches, tips, tricks, hacks, downloads, trophies, guides, FAQs, walkthroughs, and more for PlayStation 3 (PS3). CheatCodes.com has all you need to win every game you play! Use the above links or scroll down see all to the PlayStation 3 cheats we have available for GRID. Genre: Racing, Sports Car Auto Racing Developer: Codemasters Publisher: Codemasters ESRB Rating: Everyone Release Date: June 30, 2008. Hints. We have no tips for GRID yet. If you have any unlockables please submit them. GRID 2 Walkthrough. The race returns in the highly-anticipated sequel to the critically acclaimed, BAFTA award-winning Race Driver: GRID which set new standards for damage, AI, visuals and introduced Flashback, the time rewind feature now adopted by many racing titles.
    [Show full text]
  • Branch and Bound Algorithm to Determine the Best Route to Get Around Tokyo
    Branch and Bound Algorithm to Determine The Best Route to Get Around Tokyo Muhammad Iqbal Sigid - 13519152 Program Studi Teknik Informatika Sekolah Teknik Elektro dan Informatika Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jalan Ganesha 10 Bandung E-mail: [email protected] Abstract—This paper described using branch and bound Fig. 1. State Space Tree example for Branch and Bound Algorithm (Source: algorithm to determined the best route to get around six selected https://informatika.stei.itb.ac.id/~rinaldi.munir/Stmik/2020-2021/Algoritma- places in Tokyo, modeled after travelling salesman problem. The Branch-and-Bound-2021-Bagian1.pdf accessed May 8, 2021) bound function used is reduced cost matrix using manual calculation and a python program to check the solution. Branch and Bound is an algorithm design which are usually used to solve discrete and combinatorial optimization Keywords—TSP, pathfinding, Tokyo, BnB problems. Branch and bound uses state space tree by expanding its nodes (subset of solution set) based on the minimum or I. INTRODUCTION maximum cost of the active node. There is also a bound which is used to determine if a node can produce a better solution Pathfinding algorithm is used to find the most efficient than the best one so far. If the node cost violates this bound, route between two points. It can be the shortest, the cheapest, then the node will be eliminated and will not be expanded the faster, or other kind. Pathfinding is closely related to the further. shortest path problem, graph theory, or mazes. Pathfinding usually used a graph as a representation. The nodes represent a Branch and bound algorithm is quite similar to Breadth place to visit and the edges represent the nodes connectivity.
    [Show full text]
  • Annual Report & Accounts 2020
    DRIVEN BY AMBITION ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2020 w FOR OVER 30 YEARS CODEMASTERS HAS BEEN PUSHING BOUNDARIES 2020 WAS NO DIFFERENT. WE’VE ONLY JUST STARTED. STRATEGIC REPORT Our Highlights 02 Company Overview 02 Chairman’s Statement 04 Market Overview 06 Chief Executive’s Review 10 Our Strategy 14 Strategy in Action 16 12 Months at Codemasters 18 DiRT Rally 2.0 24 F1 2019 26 F1 Mobile Racing 28 GRID 29 Financial Review 30 Principal Risks and Mitigations 34 GOVERNANCE Board of Directors 36 Corporate Governance Statement 38 Audit Committee Report 42 Remuneration Committee Report 44 Directors’ Report 47 Statement of Directors Responsibilities 48 Independent Auditor’s Report to the Members of Codemasters Group Holdings plc 49 Codemasters produces FINANCIAL STATEMENTS iconic games and is a world leader in the Consolidated Income Statement 56 Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income 57 development and Statement of Changes in Equity 58 publishing of racing titles. Consolidated Statement of Financial Position 59 Consolidated Cash Flow Statement 60 Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements 61 Company Statement of Financial Position 96 Company Statement of Changes in Equity 97 Notes to the Company Financial Statements 98 Company Information 102 S trategic R eport G IN POLE POSITION overnance Codemasters is a world-leader in the F inancial development and publishing of racing games across console, PC, streaming, S and mobile. It is the home of revered tatements franchises including DiRT, GRID and the F1® series of videogames. In November 2019, the Group acquired Slightly Mad Studios and added the award-winning Project CARS franchise to its portfolio alongside Fast & Furious Crossroads.
    [Show full text]
  • Memory-Constrained Pathfinding Algorithms for Partially-Known Environments
    University of Windsor Scholarship at UWindsor Electronic Theses and Dissertations Theses, Dissertations, and Major Papers 2007 Memory-constrained pathfinding algorithms for partially-known environments Denton Cockburn University of Windsor Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/etd Recommended Citation Cockburn, Denton, "Memory-constrained pathfinding algorithms for partially-known environments" (2007). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 4672. https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/etd/4672 This online database contains the full-text of PhD dissertations and Masters’ theses of University of Windsor students from 1954 forward. These documents are made available for personal study and research purposes only, in accordance with the Canadian Copyright Act and the Creative Commons license—CC BY-NC-ND (Attribution, Non-Commercial, No Derivative Works). Under this license, works must always be attributed to the copyright holder (original author), cannot be used for any commercial purposes, and may not be altered. Any other use would require the permission of the copyright holder. Students may inquire about withdrawing their dissertation and/or thesis from this database. For additional inquiries, please contact the repository administrator via email ([email protected]) or by telephone at 519-253-3000ext. 3208. Memory-Constrained Pathfinding Algorithms for Partially-Known Environments by Denton Cockbum A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies through The School of Computer Science in Partial Fulfillment of the
    [Show full text]
  • Race Driver: GRID: EVALUATION SUMMARY
    Race Driver: GRID: EVALUATION SUMMARY About Race INDIVIDUAL SCORES RYG’s RATING* Driver: GRID Developed and published by Codemasters, Race Driver: 48% GRID is a racing-simulation game and forms a part of the TOCA Touring Car Series. Many critics praised GRID for its realism, particularly on car damages. This version of DiRT was bundled within a Racing Megapack distributed UNACCEPTABLE by Codemasters. 44% 52% N/A Medium: Disc Version Versions Tested: 1.00 and 1.30 * RYG’s Rating is an aggregate of the Individual Scores AREAS OF CONCERN About SecuROM Pre-Purchase & DRM Notification Activation DRM: SecuROM documentation absent from Publisher’s DRM: Hardware activation; Disc required to play GRID; Resale SecuROM is developed by Sony DADC and remains one websites, Gaming Package, Manual, Readme and EULA. prohibited. of the oldest DRM series in the Video Gaming market. Publisher: As above. Publisher: As above. This version implemented by Codemasters is a hardware- based DRM with blacklisting capabilities. EULA Manual Game Patches & Updates DRM: EULA absent from Sony DADC. DRM: No notification of DRM upgrade. About Publisher: As above; Written based on UK laws; Publisher: As above; No EULA provided; Cannot roll back to Incomprehensible and inconsistent; No warranties/refunds previous version if errors arise. Codemasters provisions for consumers outside UK; Ownership bias; Internal Disputes Resolution non-existent. Uninstallation DRM: DRM Removal tool not provided in game; Many files Codemasters Software Company Limited is a UK-based Personal Backup and registry keys remain. video games developer and publisher overseeing about BOTH: Not permissible as per EULA and DRM implemented.
    [Show full text]
  • Samsung Lanserer Gamefly Streaming – Fremtidens Videospill
    18-08-2015 17:14 CEST Samsung lanserer GameFly Streaming – fremtidens videospill Oslo18. august, 2015 – Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. presenterer fremtidens high-end videospill med lanseringen av GameFly Streaming, en abonnementsbasert tjeneste som bringer nyskapende spill inn i folks stuer, uten behov for konsoller, kabler eller plater. GameFly Streaming strømmer populære spill som Batman Arkham Origins, Lego Batman 3, GRID 2 og HITMAN Absolution over internett, slik at de kan spilles direkte på Samsungs Smart TV-er. Den patenterte GameFly-teknologien integreres i Samsung Smart TV-er for å sikre en pålitelig og responsiv opplevelse, selv om nettverksforholdene varierer under en spilløkt. – GameFly Streaming er virkelig en game-changer, sier Marko Nurmela, visepresident for marked og kommunikasjon i Samsung. Ved å opprette et abonnement kan alle fra nybegynnere til seriøse spillere gjøre om sin Samsung Smart TV til neste generasjons spillkonsoll. Det er på tide å si farvel til alle bokser, ledninger og DVD-er som hoper seg opp i stuen. Med GameFly trenger du kun en kompatibel Samsung Smart TV og en spillkontroll for å nyte den beste spillopplevelsen. Det er flere ulike spillpakker tilgjengelig for GameFly Streaming-kundene; ´Hardcore-pakken` med spill som Mafia 2 og Red Faction, ´Lego-pakken` med titlene Batman (1,2 og 3) og Lord of the Rings, samt en ´All Around-pakke`. Månedlig abonnement koster 69,99 kroner for Hardcore-pakken, 69,99 kroner for Lego-pakken og 59,99 for All Around-pakken. Fakta: Kompatible TV-er • 2015 Smart TV-er (J5500 og nyere) • 2014 Smart TV-er (H5500 og nyere) Anbefalte spillkontroller • Logitech F310, F710 • Xbox 360 kontroll med ledning Krav til tilkobling • Internett-båndbredde • 8Mbps for HD streaming • 4Mbps for SD streaming.
    [Show full text]
  • Metadefender Core V4.17.3
    MetaDefender Core v4.17.3 © 2020 OPSWAT, Inc. All rights reserved. OPSWAT®, MetadefenderTM and the OPSWAT logo are trademarks of OPSWAT, Inc. All other trademarks, trade names, service marks, service names, and images mentioned and/or used herein belong to their respective owners. Table of Contents About This Guide 13 Key Features of MetaDefender Core 14 1. Quick Start with MetaDefender Core 15 1.1. Installation 15 Operating system invariant initial steps 15 Basic setup 16 1.1.1. Configuration wizard 16 1.2. License Activation 21 1.3. Process Files with MetaDefender Core 21 2. Installing or Upgrading MetaDefender Core 22 2.1. Recommended System Configuration 22 Microsoft Windows Deployments 22 Unix Based Deployments 24 Data Retention 26 Custom Engines 27 Browser Requirements for the Metadefender Core Management Console 27 2.2. Installing MetaDefender 27 Installation 27 Installation notes 27 2.2.1. Installing Metadefender Core using command line 28 2.2.2. Installing Metadefender Core using the Install Wizard 31 2.3. Upgrading MetaDefender Core 31 Upgrading from MetaDefender Core 3.x 31 Upgrading from MetaDefender Core 4.x 31 2.4. MetaDefender Core Licensing 32 2.4.1. Activating Metadefender Licenses 32 2.4.2. Checking Your Metadefender Core License 37 2.5. Performance and Load Estimation 38 What to know before reading the results: Some factors that affect performance 38 How test results are calculated 39 Test Reports 39 Performance Report - Multi-Scanning On Linux 39 Performance Report - Multi-Scanning On Windows 43 2.6. Special installation options 46 Use RAMDISK for the tempdirectory 46 3.
    [Show full text]
  • A Faster Alternative to Traditional A* Search: Dynamically Weighted BDBOP
    Int'l Conf. Artificial Intelligence | ICAI'16 | 3 A Faster Alternative to Traditional A* Search: Dynamically Weighted BDBOP John P. Baggs, Matthew Renner and Eman El-Sheikh Department of Computer Science, University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL, USA A path-finding algorithm requires the following: a start Abstract – Video games are becoming more computationally point, an end point, and a representation of the environment complex. This requires video game designers to carefully in which the search is to take place. Today, the two main allocate resources in order to achieve desired performance. methods environments are represented in video games are This paper describes the development of a new alternative to with square grids and navigation meshes. Square grids take a traditional A* that decreases the time to find a path in three- specific section of space in the environment and map the dimensional environments. We developed a system using Unity space to a matrix location. The matrix has to be large enough 5.1 that allowed us to run multiple search algorithms on to contain the number of squares needed to represent the different environments. These tests allowed us to find the environment. Navigation meshes were developed in the 1980s strengths and weaknesses of the variations of traditional A*. for robotic path-finding and most games after the 2000s have After analyzing these strengths, we defined a new alternative adopted these navigation meshes. In [3], a navigation mesh is algorithm named Dynamically Weighted BDBOP that defined as “…a set of convex polygons that describe the performed faster than A* search in our experiments.
    [Show full text]
  • Pathfinding in Strategy Games and Maze Solving Using A* Search Algorithm
    Journal of Computer and Communications, 2016, 4, 15-25 http://www.scirp.org/journal/jcc ISSN Online: 2327-5227 ISSN Print: 2327-5219 Pathfinding in Strategy Games and Maze Solving Using A* Search Algorithm Nawaf Hazim Barnouti, Sinan Sameer Mahmood Al-Dabbagh, Mustafa Abdul Sahib Naser Al-Mansour University College, Baghdad, Iraq How to cite this paper: Barnouti, N.H., Abstract Al-Dabbagh, S.S.M. and Naser, M.A.S. (2016) Pathfinding in Strategy Games and Pathfinding algorithm addresses the problem of finding the shortest path from Maze Solving Using A* Search Algorithm. source to destination and avoiding obstacles. One of the greatest challenges in the Journal of Computer and Communications, design of realistic Artificial Intelligence (AI) in computer games is agent movement. 4, 15-25. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/jcc.2016.411002 Pathfinding strategies are usually employed as the core of any AI movement system. In this work, A* search algorithm is used to find the shortest path between the source Received: July 25, 2016 and destination on image that represents a map or a maze. Finding a path through a Accepted: September 4, 2016 Published: September 8, 2016 maze is a basic computer science problem that can take many forms. The A* algo- rithm is widely used in pathfinding and graph traversal. Different map and maze Copyright © 2016 by authors and images are used to test the system performance (100 images for each map and maze). Scientific Research Publishing Inc. The system overall performance is acceptable and able to find the shortest path be- This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International tween two points on the images.
    [Show full text]