Vehicle pathfinding in urban terrain

[iamfritz]

On 10/26/2021 at 10:55 PM, Grenny said:

Regarding 1) You have formation paths, which already give you the option to give higher formations paralell movement direction.

 

And: do you know ANY game(that has complex 3D terrain) that is able to do higher echelon movement/tactics?

 

Regarding 2) " and not freaking out "

What do you mean by that?

Thanks for your reply.

 

Urban AI driving freak out- see below 3 x screenies of tracks that have driven irretrievably into walls. It can take 10 minutes to get units unstuck, if at all, while battles rage around us. AI accidentally driving off a bridge (rare, but has happened) I get. But clippping into a wall and getting stuck? URRRGH. The fourth image is of an Abrams turning around and pointing its engine compartment menacingly at an enemy that has engaged us. This occurs platoon wide when we are approaching our waypoint (usually Assault orders) but I start manually steering the formation just as we pass the action point. Everyone starts spinning, backing up, sometimes hauling off alone attacking the enemy. I typically lose half my platoon to engine or sideskirt shots when this happens.

 

Thanks for explaining the 1) thingie tho. I just didn't know about that. I have RTFM'd but missed that.

Edited October 29, 2021 by iamfritz
images uploaded in wroing order

[Grenny]

Quote

Urban AI driving freak out- see below 3 x screenies of tracks that have driven irretrievably into walls.

Well, that context was not clear.

So the issue is collision avoidance? From the initial post I was assuming "something" happens just when a unit reaches a wapoint...

[iamfritz]

48 minutes ago, Grenny said:

Well, that context was not clear.

So the issue is collision avoidance? From the initial post I was assuming "something" happens just when a unit reaches a wapoint...

 

49 minutes ago, Grenny said:

Well, that context was not clear.

So the issue is collision avoidance? From the initial post I was assuming "something" happens just when a unit reaches a wapoint...

Well, yes it's that, too. It occurs platoon wide when we are approaching our waypoint (usually Assault orders) but I start manually steering the formation just as we pass the action point. Everyone starts spinning, backing up, a wingman sometimes hauling off alone attacking the enemy solo. I typically lose half my platoon to engine or sideskirt shots when this happens.

[Ssnake]

I assume that this happens in internet sessions (possibly with large (and jittery) ping)?

IOW, did you see sliding units prior to them getting stuck in urban terrain?

Also, note that the pathfinding is guaranteed to work only at 10 fps or higher.

[Ssnake]

Split this off from the Wishlist thread.

[Jartsev]

1) If time acceleration is enabled, units may have big issues with driving routines in urban environment, when it comes to collision avoidance. Same applies to low frame rates

2) On assault route units do not follow roads- this is a feature, but on urban terrain very same feature might play a very mean trick on you.

3) It is known limitation of  driving routines, that vehicles may get trapped if several buildings placed in L, V or U-shaped pattern without gaps between them, sufficient for unobstructed passage

4) Generally it is advised to use column formation, and plot  routes along roads, if MOUT is considered. If  you are sending full platoons across city blocks in line, wedge or other  spread-out formation- very likely you would face a lot of issues, even if routes were navmesh-based, since pathfinding does not take in to account spatial footprint of entire unit, and individual vehicles within unit would rely on driving routines for navigation.

5) Treat unit as an area object, which has physical dimensions; it needs  sufficient space to travel, change formations, or just stay in place.

[Grenny]

3 hours ago, iamfritz said:

 

Well, yes it's that, too. It occurs platoon wide when we are approaching our waypoint (usually Assault orders) but I start manually steering the formation just as we pass the action point. Everyone starts spinning, backing up, a wingman sometimes hauling off alone attacking the enemy solo. I typically lose half my platoon to engine or sideskirt shots when this happens.

Sorry, don't see that happening