PC Developer Discussions: Alpha 17
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faatal
Fun Pimps Staff
A* is not the hard part for us, since we are using a 3rd party library. Our complexity is in the scanning system that looks at the world and makes the layers of nodes linking each grid cell to its 4 neighbors plus any extra links for jumping. We have to deal with multiple grids, that move around the world and each can be partially updated. There are partial blocks and moving (door) blocks. There are links through blocks if you could stand next to the blocks, since you can destroy anything, so anything could be a path if it is reachable. Costs also have to account for double blocks, since a path goes through a low and high block. Tall buildings can have grids with 100k-200k nodes.
faatal
Fun Pimps Staff
We do have diagonals, but that is a post process step after A* makes a path.1) I can expand on it, I've got a reasonably good understanding of it.
2) It's not really a case of how far a Z can see, it depends on the total movement cost of getting to you.
Essentially every block within a certain area has a point cost to move across it. The lighter the block (including air blocks) the fewer points it costs to move there. There's an exception for doors which cost less than they should to make doors more likely to be attacked. If the total point cost of walking around the maze is less than the total cost of breaking through the wall then they will walk around.
Hidden blocks are calculated as well.
Pretty smart for something whose prefrontal cortex is dribbling out of their nose.
Anyone interested in the new pathfinding system should watch this...
The Gronk
Colon Pounder
I'm just trying to keep it simple for the non code-monkeys.
Honestly? I thought you would have varied the update time depending on distance from the nearest player. Pin-point accuracy isn't really necessary when the Z is far away. I've no idea if the reduction in system resource usage would be worth the extra time and code though. Always got to plan for worst case scenario which in this case would be lots of zombies very close with obstructions in the way, something like a maze perhaps?
Blake_
Captain Obvious
Yes it is necessary to update it. Humoring you here. Imagine a big fat Dishong tower and a zombie that just spotted you halfway inside through a crack on the floor 80 blocks away. He would then just come through the stairs, rooms and obstacles in your general direction right? Nope, banging at a wall spinning around is what he would probably do. Faatal could just only use that general direction optimization thing in a flat biome with no obstacles because a flat forest doesn't have obstacles, or does it? .Voxel game mate, there is no easy way out of this and AI is a pain in the btt so big that you will need to splint your fingers everyday just to have a simple "go there and make a sandwitch" notion added to a zombie. I'm actually quite comfortable that he will achieve great things. I mean, his name literally means "God is gracious" lol. :02.47-tranquillity:I'm just trying to keep it simple for the non code-monkeys.
Honestly? I thought you would have varied the update time depending on distance from the nearest player. Pin-point accuracy isn't really necessary when the Z is far away. I've no idea if the reduction in system resource usage would be worth the extra time and code though. Always got to plan for worst case scenario which in this case would be lots of zombies very close with obstructions in the way, something like a maze perhaps?
CplCritter
New member
The cooler looks awesome in my opinion (regardless of where the phantom electricity is coming from).
I'm not a huge fan of the increased damage per one-shot kill with a firearm. Melee weapon, sure - adrenaline could account for the extra damage. Regardless of my opinion, I'm excited to get in there and test it out! I'm sure there will be more than one situation where I will be thankful for the stacking damage percentages... Boss fight strategies are running through my head now.
Big +1 for the aiming fatigue. That will help balance out the OPness of firearms.
4sheetzngeegles
Well-known member
Aiming Unlock??
I have a few questions, Regarding: Skill List, Specific example Deadeye.
Reading it Shows a gain of 50% aiming time reduction, and 30% reload reduction.
So does that mean that all of the Vanilla playthroughs shall start off with,
a programmed intentional aiming deficit, that will/must be overcome after continuous use?
How is the new aiming achieved, is it through, extending the use of the natural yaw
that already exists, in the hands, in the game, now?
If aiming is handicapped in such a way, does it also apply to the crosshair, bushpunch
or rock gather, or is it localized to firearms?
Last will this deficit/handicap be hard coded in or just, limited to Vanilla players.?
I have a few questions, Regarding: Skill List, Specific example Deadeye.
Reading it Shows a gain of 50% aiming time reduction, and 30% reload reduction.
So does that mean that all of the Vanilla playthroughs shall start off with,
a programmed intentional aiming deficit, that will/must be overcome after continuous use?
How is the new aiming achieved, is it through, extending the use of the natural yaw
that already exists, in the hands, in the game, now?
If aiming is handicapped in such a way, does it also apply to the crosshair, bushpunch
or rock gather, or is it localized to firearms?
Last will this deficit/handicap be hard coded in or just, limited to Vanilla players.?
CplCritter
New member
You called? Ha - kidding.
Yes, that is what I gathered from it too. Be ready to run in slow motion like the intro to Baywatch while carying your forest-worth of lumber on your back!
Why is it that the ONLINE community is so toxic, I tried to play online on multiple different servers and none of the servers would accept someone to comer play with them when they were new. Ive only played solo play for the past 4 years, and went to try online and no one would accept. This is why the game has no potential outsidfe of playing with friends. Trash community. 
SxR
New member
It's a kill or be killed scenario in game. People will usually prefer to keep to themselves. Trust is a big component for the serious players.Why is it that the ONLINE community is so toxic, I tried to play online on multiple different servers and none of the servers would accept someone to comer play with them when they were new. Ive only played solo play for the past 4 years, and went to try online and no one would accept. This is why the game has no potential outsidfe of playing with friends. Trash community.
Personally I lucked out when I said I was a first time player, I made two really great friends by it.
ZombieHorde
New member
Sounds inefficient if it's not done during the A* calculations?
In theory, pathfinding would be better if using a parallel processor, right? Only reason it's not done that way is because in most games the GPU is throttled to max and little CPU usage. In 7 days, though, that's not the case. So can I ask, have you managed to convert the A* code to use the GPU?
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