AI tutorials for TGB
by Alexander V Zubov · in Technical Issues · 10/09/2006 (9:07 pm) · 6 replies
Hi folks,
I am not a coder and it seems like TGB will suite me well since almost everything can be done via it's wonderful WYSIWYG interface. The only thing that really bothers me is that there are no AI "packs" or AI tutorials for TGB. I have a simple overhead maze game in mind, but since I have no clue about coding, I don't even know where to start with AI. Is GG going to do something to solve that problem or does GG look at that as "not a big deal, game developers have to learn how to code themselves"?
Thank you.
I am not a coder and it seems like TGB will suite me well since almost everything can be done via it's wonderful WYSIWYG interface. The only thing that really bothers me is that there are no AI "packs" or AI tutorials for TGB. I have a simple overhead maze game in mind, but since I have no clue about coding, I don't even know where to start with AI. Is GG going to do something to solve that problem or does GG look at that as "not a big deal, game developers have to learn how to code themselves"?
Thank you.
About the author
#2
GG does not take that stance as evidenced by the many packs we already offer (RTS pack, tank pack, etc). Many people purchase these packs for the learning experiences they provide. We have tons of demos and packs in the pipeline for all of our engines including some AI stuff so you should be seeing a lot of cool stuff in coming months. It's definitely an area we're beefing up on, not ignoring. So sit tight!
10/11/2006 (7:56 pm)
Quote:does GG look at that as "not a big deal, game developers have to learn how to code themselves"?
GG does not take that stance as evidenced by the many packs we already offer (RTS pack, tank pack, etc). Many people purchase these packs for the learning experiences they provide. We have tons of demos and packs in the pipeline for all of our engines including some AI stuff so you should be seeing a lot of cool stuff in coming months. It's definitely an area we're beefing up on, not ignoring. So sit tight!
#3
10/13/2006 (9:26 pm)
As Joshua pointed out, we have lots of demos and tutorials in the works that implement many basic game design concepts, including basic AI. In the meantime, there are lots of free resources online that teach all sorts of AI algorithms. Once you have your basic control interface for your characters pinned down you can pretty much plug any kind of AI you like into it. Basic AI techniques are pretty much universal and can be applied to any engine. When I need conceptual help I often turn to Google and Wikipedia to help me to better understand the problem I'm trying to solve. This isn't meant as a "go figure it out for yourself" reply, that's just what I tend to do. Hopefully we will have some nice basic AI examples out for you guys soon.
#4
10/14/2006 (5:56 pm)
Cool, thanks guys for replies, I appreciate it! 
#5
10/14/2006 (8:39 pm)
There are two good AI resources available here. Do a search for AIGuard and you will find them. They work really well, (not perfect) but they are a good place to learn from.
#6
http://adamwlarson.com/AIExample.zip
It basically has 6 bots spawn, they attack eachother and the player. They also dodge counter attacks. I did two ranges one to detect bots and players and one for shooting range. You can change any of the code around to get the hang of things. This is my first attempt at creating decent AI, and I probably spent 10 hours on this. I really need to implement obstacle avoidance so they don't get stuck.
10/16/2006 (3:14 pm)
I did a very simple Deathmatch mod using Torque, you can download it herehttp://adamwlarson.com/AIExample.zip
It basically has 6 bots spawn, they attack eachother and the player. They also dodge counter attacks. I did two ranges one to detect bots and players and one for shooting range. You can change any of the code around to get the hang of things. This is my first attempt at creating decent AI, and I probably spent 10 hours on this. I really need to implement obstacle avoidance so they don't get stuck.
Torque Owner Maxime Champagne
I don't think there's any in depth tutorial about AI coding. I've got myself into a little RTS of retro starship battling each other, fully automated. Maybe I can guide you into the basics of AI programming. Feel free to contact me.