Huge Update!
by Twisted Jenius · 06/11/2010 (2:18 pm) · 11 comments
The Universal AI Starter Kit update 1.4 is out right now! Let's jump right in.
One cool change that this update has, is that you are able to specify the amount of ammo each bot's weapon can have. For instance, you'd probably want a bot's grenade launcher to have less ammo than, lets say, a machine gun. This new feature gives you the power to control how much ammunition the AI's different weapons have. You can also give them unlimited ammo right out of the gate. Of course all of these settings are separate from the player's settings, and don't have to affect the amount of ammo that the player has.
This update has greatly improved flexibility, making it now much more programmer friendly, modular, and easier for you to tailor to your projects and needs. Numerous functions (such as math and loading related ones) have been slightly changed to make them able to be useful for non-AI features.
Another improvement I made is to the bot's ability in multiplayer. Now the bots are more focused on who they should be following in situations with multiple valid targets. This has to do with both targeting and moving. The bot chooses the best target and deliberately goes after it, until the current target is dead or the most valid target changes during the course of gameplay.
We also have an upgrade to the pathing system. Now the bots are able to pause at any node along their path for a specified amount of time. You can specify how long you want a bot to pause. It will remain near that point for this time period, ready to attack anything that it sees and then continue along its path once the allotted time has expired. In the case of NPCs, instead of attacking, it could stop and talk to the player. This could be good for scripted events as well as other elements of gameplay.
This update may be the biggest update yet and I'm actually going to be doing 3 more blogs in addition to this one over the next couple of weeks in which I will tell you about other new additions to the kit. So keep an eye out for those.
These blogs will be talking about more elements of this update. This includes 2 new behaviors (pet and critter), a completely redone and more flexible behavior system, 2 new tutorials (team and pet), new team and pet features, other new document upgrades, and an "assisting" feature.
If you haven't been following our other blogs you may have missed some of the new features we've added over the last 8 months since the kit was released. Fortunately we finally got around to updating the product page so now you can see everything in one place. The kit has matured and is now very polished, stable, well documented, and programmer friendly. The UAISK is known for being very easy to use, feature rich, and working right out of the box, thus making customization an option as opposed to a necessity. Plus as always, it works for T3D (binary and professional), TGEA, and TGE, and requires no source code changes.
Since a lot of people seemed to be concerned with how many bots they can use at the same time, I decided to make a video showing a larger battle. This test shows two teams of 16 bots (32 bots total) doing battle three separate times.
One of the most impressive parts about this video is how it was made. I was able to setup the respawn key in less than 2 minutes, setup the AI markers in less than 10 minutes, and filmed it all in one take with no editing required (other than adding the text). In fact the times I just gave are probably twice what it really took me, but I didn't actually look at the clock when I was doing it so I was generous with the numbers.
Update Blog #1 - Huge Update!
Update Blog #2 - New Behaviors!
Update Blog #3 - AI to the Rescue!
Update Blog #4 - AI Documentation
One cool change that this update has, is that you are able to specify the amount of ammo each bot's weapon can have. For instance, you'd probably want a bot's grenade launcher to have less ammo than, lets say, a machine gun. This new feature gives you the power to control how much ammunition the AI's different weapons have. You can also give them unlimited ammo right out of the gate. Of course all of these settings are separate from the player's settings, and don't have to affect the amount of ammo that the player has.
This update has greatly improved flexibility, making it now much more programmer friendly, modular, and easier for you to tailor to your projects and needs. Numerous functions (such as math and loading related ones) have been slightly changed to make them able to be useful for non-AI features.
Another improvement I made is to the bot's ability in multiplayer. Now the bots are more focused on who they should be following in situations with multiple valid targets. This has to do with both targeting and moving. The bot chooses the best target and deliberately goes after it, until the current target is dead or the most valid target changes during the course of gameplay.
We also have an upgrade to the pathing system. Now the bots are able to pause at any node along their path for a specified amount of time. You can specify how long you want a bot to pause. It will remain near that point for this time period, ready to attack anything that it sees and then continue along its path once the allotted time has expired. In the case of NPCs, instead of attacking, it could stop and talk to the player. This could be good for scripted events as well as other elements of gameplay.
This update may be the biggest update yet and I'm actually going to be doing 3 more blogs in addition to this one over the next couple of weeks in which I will tell you about other new additions to the kit. So keep an eye out for those.
These blogs will be talking about more elements of this update. This includes 2 new behaviors (pet and critter), a completely redone and more flexible behavior system, 2 new tutorials (team and pet), new team and pet features, other new document upgrades, and an "assisting" feature.
If you haven't been following our other blogs you may have missed some of the new features we've added over the last 8 months since the kit was released. Fortunately we finally got around to updating the product page so now you can see everything in one place. The kit has matured and is now very polished, stable, well documented, and programmer friendly. The UAISK is known for being very easy to use, feature rich, and working right out of the box, thus making customization an option as opposed to a necessity. Plus as always, it works for T3D (binary and professional), TGEA, and TGE, and requires no source code changes.
Since a lot of people seemed to be concerned with how many bots they can use at the same time, I decided to make a video showing a larger battle. This test shows two teams of 16 bots (32 bots total) doing battle three separate times.
One of the most impressive parts about this video is how it was made. I was able to setup the respawn key in less than 2 minutes, setup the AI markers in less than 10 minutes, and filmed it all in one take with no editing required (other than adding the text). In fact the times I just gave are probably twice what it really took me, but I didn't actually look at the clock when I was doing it so I was generous with the numbers.
Update Blog #1 - Huge Update!
Update Blog #2 - New Behaviors!
Update Blog #3 - AI to the Rescue!
Update Blog #4 - AI Documentation
About the author
Developer of The Universal AI Starter Kit and Twisty's Asylum Escapades.
#2
06/11/2010 (3:37 pm)
Thanks, I didn't plan the mid-air shot right next to the camera but I also thought it was pretty cool. 
#3
06/11/2010 (4:09 pm)
Twisted, I just wanted to say thanks for all your hard work on this. I have been a user for ALONG time and this thing just keeps getting better. You saved me a TON of time, I started out creating my own little AI system and figured it would take me YEARS just to implement that part of my private little project. Anyway, just wanted to say thank you. So far this is one of the best purchases I have made for Torque. 
#5
06/11/2010 (11:32 pm)
Thanks for the support Ron and Kees, I'm glad you both like the update. 
#6
06/12/2010 (1:23 am)
Im one more, really like your kit. I use it for my projects, and it works really well. Ron said everything i also have to say :) 
#7
06/12/2010 (3:53 am)
Awesome update! Team support is great (and so is the ability to have a bot pause per node)! I'm looking forward to the next blogs. 
#8
06/12/2010 (10:09 am)
For anyone who hasn't bought the kit yet....What are you waiting on. Twisted has great support and the AI is awsome. Keep up the great work and thanks again for all your help Jenius......
#9
Be sure to check out the other blogs that I will be posting over the next week or so. They will be providing even more details for you about what you'll find in the newest update. This is both helpful to familiarize current owners with all the new additions and to inform future owners about what they will get.
06/12/2010 (10:56 am)
Once again thanks for all the awesome comments guys!Be sure to check out the other blogs that I will be posting over the next week or so. They will be providing even more details for you about what you'll find in the newest update. This is both helpful to familiarize current owners with all the new additions and to inform future owners about what they will get.
#11
Ron Said : " So far this is one of the best purchases I have made for Torque. "
Agreed 200%
06/14/2010 (1:39 pm)
I have to agree with everyone here, great job Twisted and just in time for my senior project. which I could not have done without you! Thank you sir!Ron Said : " So far this is one of the best purchases I have made for Torque. "
Agreed 200%
Torque Owner Daniel Buckmaster
T3D Steering Committee