Ogre at the Uni. of So. Cal

psamty · Post by **psamty** » Thu Aug 26, 2004 4:16 pm

After I put on a show-and-tell for three instructors at my university, we've decided to use Ogre as the base for the 'Game AI' class here at USC.

Why thats even more kickass is the ugly alternative (Quake 2 <blech>).
Just thought you'd like to know that Los Angeles is tuned in to you guys...

Also, since their grades depend on it, the kids are going to have to finish at least a relatively robust pathfinding library, which is good news for anyone who needs it...

Kezzer · Post by **Kezzer** » Thu Aug 26, 2004 5:17 pm

That's excellent news, OGRE is stretching out farther than ever to the community

Post by **Kencho** » Thu Aug 26, 2004 5:43 pm

Sounds like exploiting the students...

Post by **sinbad** » Thu Aug 26, 2004 5:46 pm

Thanks for the heads up, I guess we can chalk up another Uni then

Be sure to post some links if the projects get publicly released.

AssiDragon · Post by **AssiDragon** » Thu Aug 26, 2004 6:44 pm

I've worked with Quake2 and apart from a few notorious problems it aint that bad.

Good luck with that though

psamty · Post by **psamty** » Thu Aug 26, 2004 7:31 pm

Kencho wrote:Sounds like exploiting the students...

Considering all the students in the class are wannabe game programmers, probably not

Good to know we can count on you guys for support. I've been trying to push it for the Advanced Graphics Lab too (which is kind of a misnomer, it deals more with shaders than actual graphics pipelines) --> the instructor for that class writes the shaders for the Medal of Honor series --> and Im really hoping we can get some more pretty graphics demos (not that anyone can top sinbad

)

john_sheu · Post by **john_sheu** » Thu Aug 26, 2004 8:12 pm

psamty wrote:
Kencho wrote:Sounds like exploiting the students... and Im really hoping we can get some more pretty graphics demos (not that anyone can top sinbad )

Nah, nfz tops all in my book

psamty · Post by **psamty** » Wed Sep 01, 2004 2:05 am

I feel I must commend how much easier to use Ogre has become. I just got a class of 20 to d/l and install it within 30 mins. When I started using it, it took me well over a few hours to get it running.

As we'd say in Arabic: akhsanta (Bravo)

Post by **tuan kuranes** » Sat Sep 04, 2004 4:05 pm

Why thats even more kickass is the ugly alternative (Quake 2 <blech>).

Hope every AI people hear you ( cf http://fear.sourceforge.net )

the kids are going to have to finish at least a relatively robust pathfinding library, which is good news for anyone who needs it...

First and more complete on the subject :

amit http://theory.stanford.edu/~amitp/GameProgramming/
with a beautiful c++ stl (but simple) implementation.
http://theory.stanford.edu/~amitp/GameP ... g/path.cpp

Some thoughts (need registering, but worth the time.):

Toward More Realistic Pathfindinghttp://www.gamasutra.com/features/20010 ... er_pfv.htm
Cubic Splines ( between path nodes )http://www.gamedev.net/reference/articl ... cle914.asp
Achieving Frame Rate Independent Game Movement (network game, time independant pathfinding)http://www.gamedev.net/reference/articl ... le1604.asp
3D Pathfinding http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20020 ... th_pfv.htm
Intelligent Path-Finding http://www.gamasutra.com/features/19990212/sm_01.htm

Hierarchical (easy way to be faster and smarter):

Hierarchical Encoded Pathhttp://citeseer.ist.psu.edu/jing98hierarchical.html
Hierarchical Optimization of Optimal Path Findinghttp://citeseer.ist.psu.edu/huang96hierarchical.html
unfindable paper that looks very promising on the subject : Near Optimal Hierarchical Path-Finding http://www.jogd.com/Vol1issue1.html#Anc ... RACT-30946
Directionnal A* (character direction influence) http://www.cs.virginia.edu/~gfx/courses ... anning.ppt

Some code :

The Fastest from all, along with a Path Test Tool : http://www.intrafoundation.com/pathfinder2d.asp
Group path (but manual in Czech language) : http://pathlib.hildebrand.cz/pathlib.html
lifelong planning :
http://www.cc.gatech.edu/fac/Sven.Koeni ... pplet.html

Books :

http://www.aiwisdom.com/byresource_gpg3.html

For vehicle, the one that beats all (impressive demo, nice code):

Opensteer http://opensteer.sourceforge.net/

Tactical AI:

Half-life AI by its author (small pathfinding part, but all AI components detailed and the success of AI is in his waypoint analysis, very good) http://ai.eecs.umich.edu/people/laird/g ... /Liden.ppt
All FPS pathing problems in a presentation http://www.cs.virginia.edu/~gfx/courses ... anning.ppt

Terrain analysis :

on age of empire, long but very interesting. http://www.gdconf.com/archives/2000/pottinger.doc

Some criticism (and ideas) :

Pathfinding is not A-star http://www.renderware.com/sales_sheets/ ... inding.pdf
Open the eyes of your NPC http://www.renderware.com/sales_sheets/ ... eption.pdf
A nice 2000 state of the art : http://www.tcnj.edu/~games/papers/Fisher.html

If you have to read only some, read the Amit page, the Half-Life presentation and the Age of Empire Terrain Analysis doc.

psamty · Post by **psamty** » Sun Sep 05, 2004 1:55 am

tuan kuranes wrote: <---------- stuff removed -------------------->
If you have to read only some, read the Amit page, the Half-Life presentation and the Age of Empire Terrain Analysis doc.

Kickass!! However, Im not the instructor and do not control the course info. Interestingly, however, of the last three pages you pointed out, the Amit page is included as required reading, and the instructor was on the Age of Empires team

, which means that'll definitely play in... thanks!!

scroogie · Post by **scroogie** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 11:34 pm

Im just curious, did the aforementioned project ever release something?
Im currently searching for some implemented AI project, because everything I read so far is somehow very abstract. The FEAR Library, which is mentioned here, too, actually has some working bots, but the results have been somehow disappointing for me.