[A* System For The Grendel Engine]

I have not gotten the program to work yet and tried multiple types of code. Can someone lend a hand here?

[A* System For The Grendel Engine]

1 hour ago, corona2222 said:

something that helped me understand what was happening to debug and optimize my pathfinding (not A* in my games case) was to render the path points being explored / found in different colours so I could visually see the path, and changed my 'GetPath()' code to be re-entrant so the path is built over a period of time so that I could see the path gradually getting built and the choices it was making and where the (complicated set of rules )code was going wrong. this may help.

Thanks for the info. I believe it doesn't work correctly cause of the lack of nodes but I will make a line rendering system for the engine anyway. Also need to make a node-grid file generator somehow.

[A* System For The Grendel Engine]

Tested the code but the result wasn't as expected. I tested it with a small amount of nodes but it should probably work better with more.

[A* System For The Grendel Engine]

Alright I've finished some code.

struct st_path
{
	int numCorners;
	D3DXVECTOR3* corners;
};

class CAStarNode
{
public:
	int id;
	D3DXVECTOR3 position;
	int numNeighbours;
	CAStarNode* neighbours;
	bool open;
	bool closed;
	CAStarNode* parent;
	
	float gCost, hCost, fCost;

	CAStarNode()
	{
		id = 0;
		gCost = 0;
		hCost = 0;
		fCost = 0;
		open = false;
		closed = false;
		numNeighbours = 0;
	}




};

class CAStarGrid
{
protected:
	IDirect3DDevice8* directDevice;
	CAStarNode* nodes;
	int numNodes;

	D3DXVECTOR3* lines;
	int numLineIndices;
public:

	CAStarGrid()
	{
		directDevice = NULL;
		numNodes = 0;
		numLineIndices = 0;
	}
	
	bool InitGrid(IDirect3DDevice8** device, std::ifstream& file)
	{
		directDevice = *device;

		file >> numNodes;

		nodes = new CAStarNode[numNodes];

		for(int i=0; i < numNodes; i++)
		{
			nodes[i].id = i;
			file >> nodes[i].position.x >> nodes[i].position.y >> nodes[i].position.z;
			
		}

		

		int numConnections = 0;
		
		for(int n=0; n < numNodes; n++)
		{
			file >> numConnections;
			nodes[n].numNeighbours = numConnections;
			nodes[n].neighbours = new CAStarNode[numConnections];
			
			for(int i=0; i < numConnections; i++)
			{
				int nod = 0;
				file >> nod;
				nodes[n].neighbours[i] = nodes[nod];
			}
			
		}
		return true;
	}
	
	bool GetPath(D3DXVECTOR3 start, D3DXVECTOR3 end, st_path& finalPath, float maxStartLimit, float maxEndLimit)
	{
		CAStarNode startNode = GetNearestNode(start);
		if(Distance(startNode.position, start) > maxStartLimit)
			return false;
		CAStarNode endNode = GetNearestNode(end);
		if(Distance(endNode.position, end) > maxEndLimit)
			return false;
		
		for(int n=0; n < numNodes; n++)
		{
			nodes[n].open = false;
			nodes[n].closed = false;
		}
		
		startNode.open = true;
		
		bool found = false;
		while (!found)
		{
			CAStarNode currentNode = startNode;
			
			if(CheckEnd(currentNode.neighbours, currentNode.numNeighbours, endNode))
			{
				endNode.parent = &currentNode;
				found = true;
				break;
			}
			
			currentNode.closed = true;
			
			CAStarNode* neigh = currentNode.neighbours;
			int neighCount = currentNode.numNeighbours;
			
			for(int i=0; i < neighCount; i++)
			{
				if(neigh[i].closed)
				{
					continue;
				} else {
					float gCost = currentNode.gCost + Distance(currentNode.position, neigh[i].position);
					float hCost = Distance(neigh[i].position, endNode.position);
					
					if(!neigh[i].open)
					{
						neigh[i].fCost = hCost + gCost;
						neigh[i].parent = &currentNode;
						
						neigh[i].open = true;
					} else {
						float newFCost = gCost + hCost;
						
						if(neigh[i].fCost > newFCost)
						{
							neigh[i].fCost = newFCost;
							neigh[i].parent = &currentNode;
						}
					}
				}
			}
		}
		
		finalPath = CreatePath(startNode, endNode);
		
		return true;
	}
	
	st_path CreatePath(CAStarNode start, CAStarNode end)
	{
		st_path result;
		result.corners = new D3DXVECTOR3[40];
		
		CAStarNode currentNode = end;
		int current = 0;
		while(currentNode.id != start.id)
		{
			result.corners[current] = currentNode.position;
			
			currentNode = *currentNode.parent;
			current++;
		}
		result.numCorners = current;
		D3DXVECTOR3* temp = new D3DXVECTOR3[current];
		int c = 0;
		for(int i=current - 1; i >= 0; i--)
		{
			temp[i] = result.corners[c];
			c++;
		}
		// std::reverse(result.corners[0], result.corners[current]);
		result.corners = temp;
		delete[] temp;

		return result;
	}
	
	CAStarNode GetNearestNode(D3DXVECTOR3 position)
	{
		CAStarNode result;
		float dist = 1000;
		for(int n=0; n < numNodes; n++)
		{
			float d = Distance(position, nodes[n].position);
			
			if(d < dist)
			{
				result = nodes[n];
				dist = d;
			}
		}
		
		return result;
	}
	
	bool CheckEnd(CAStarNode* neighbours, int numNeighbours, CAStarNode endTarget)
	{
		for(int i=0; i < numNeighbours; i++)
		{
			if(neighbours[i].id = endTarget.id)
				return true;
		}
		return false;
	}
	
};

Gonna improve it later after I've done testing it. Any thoughts?

[A* System For The Grendel Engine]

Isn't it different on a 3D environment with multiple floors though?

[A* System For The Grendel Engine]

But I still need to make an A* pathfinding system like how I described it. Maybe a bit like Half-Life's nodegraph system. Good thing they have it in the SDK.

[A* System For The Grendel Engine]

6 minutes ago, PRince404 said:

Meerjel, What do you think of Renderware? Wouldn't it be better to just use an existing Engine that was catered for that specific generation?

https://archive.org/details/renderwaregraphics3.7sdkandstudio2.01

https://github.com/Smooth-E/install-renderware

I know you're enjoying making one from scratch but I think you can should make that engine for modern system rather than for an old 6 Gen system.

I could use Renderware but I've done a lot of progress on my engine already. I don't know if it'll be a waste if I quit with it. But on other hand I can use it for my Series S games since Unity is dying.

So Renderware works as it should now? Then I can use that.

[A* System For The Grendel Engine]

Hello. The Grendel Engine (In A Creation) has had a lot of development done with the first NPC programmed in. Now it should follow a path.

I'm currently stuck in thoughts about my engine's pathfinding which is gonna be an A* system. My plan is to use a connection system for optimization but are stuck on how to implement it. The nodes are scattered around the level and are connected via links to visible and nearby nodes and it creates a path for the NPC to follow from the nearest node (From the NPC) to the point that is nearest the end node. Then when close enough the NPC moves straight to the point (Instead of the end node's own position). This tutorial gave me some insight on it but I need to convert it to use D3DXVECTOR3 coordinates instead.

Anyone has anything to say to help me here? It's needed for now.

 

Meerjel01

[Business With the OG Xbox]

My thoughts was that I would tell people to wait with the pirating until it's no longer payable and hope people would respect it or try make it a law and call free copies of the game stealing.

An older idea was to put up a high enough donation pool to release the game and still get payed for making it.

I could release it for free but I don't know if I'll get rewarded enough for it.

[Business With the OG Xbox]

The game, In A Creation, is still in my head and will continue development even if my Xbox Series S games are of higher priority.

 

Currently in question how to implement the A* system into the engine in an optimized way (Tho I still have an idea for how) and are about to add my first physics object into the game to check if it'll lag.

I shouldn't use this topic anymore since it was a question if homebrew games can sell originally. But I'll reveal as little as possible anyway!

[Meerjel01’s XTL Tutorials]

From my character collider code. Take a newDirection vector variable and use this for your triangles. (AABB character vs world triangle collision)

D3DXVECTOR3 TriangleCollision(CTri triangle, D3DXVECTOR3 dir, D3DXVECTOR3 lastPos, D3DXVECTOR3 currentPos) {
	D3DXVECTOR3 vNorm = GetNormal(triangle);
	colliding = false;

	triIsGround = false;
	triIsCeiling = false;
	triIsWall = false;

	if(CPyhsics::TriangleIntersectAABB(boundingBox, triangle)) {
	
		colliding = true;

		triIsGround = CPyhsics::GetGrounded(vNorm, D3DXVECTOR3(0, -1, 0), 0.5);
		triIsCeiling = CPyhsics::GetGrounded(vNorm, D3DXVECTOR3(0, 1, 0), 0.5);
		triIsWall = !triIsGround && !triIsCeiling;
		
		if(triIsGround)
			grounded = true;

		D3DXVECTOR3 tempV = NegateVector(vNorm);

		tempV *= D3DXVec3Length(&MultiplyVector(dir, vNorm));
		D3DXVECTOR3 wallDir = dir - tempV;

		D3DXVECTOR3 closestPtn = CPyhsics::GetClosestPointOnTriangle(currentPos, triangle);

		if(currentPos.y > closestPtn.y)
			return dir;

		D3DXVECTOR3 newPos = lastPos + wallDir;
		
		D3DXVECTOR3 newDir = newPos - lastPos;

		return newDir;
	}
	return dir;
}

Call it without using + or - btw.

[Meerjel01’s XTL Tutorials]

Know triangle collision? No? Here then!

static bool AABBTriangleSAT (D3DXVECTOR3 testAxis, Caabb box, D3DXVECTOR3 v0, D3DXVECTOR3 v1, D3DXVECTOR3 v2) {
	float p0, p1, p2;
	p0 = D3DXVec3Dot(&v0, &testAxis);
	p1 = D3DXVec3Dot(&v1, &testAxis);
	p2 = D3DXVec3Dot(&v2, &testAxis);


	float r = box.extents.x * abs(D3DXVec3Dot(&u0, &testAxis)) +
		box.extents.y * abs(D3DXVec3Dot(&u1, &testAxis)) +
		box.extents.z * abs(D3DXVec3Dot(&u2, &testAxis));

	return max(-largest(p0, p1, p2), smallest(p0, p1, p2)) > r;
}

static bool TriangleIntersectAABB(Caabb box, CTri triangle) {
	D3DXVECTOR3 v0 = triangle.p0;
	D3DXVECTOR3 v1 = triangle.p1;
	D3DXVECTOR3 v2 = triangle.p2;

	v0 -= box.center;
	v1 -= box.center;
	v2 -= box.center;

	D3DXVECTOR3 f0 = v1 - v0;
	D3DXVECTOR3 f1 = v2 - v1;
	D3DXVECTOR3 f2 = v0 - v2;

		

	D3DXVECTOR3 ax_u0_f0, ax_u0_f1, ax_u0_f2;
	D3DXVECTOR3 ax_u1_f0, ax_u1_f1, ax_u1_f2;
	D3DXVECTOR3 ax_u2_f0, ax_u2_f1, ax_u2_f2;

	D3DXVec3Cross(&ax_u0_f0, &u0, &f0);
	D3DXVec3Cross(&ax_u0_f1, &u0, &f1);
	D3DXVec3Cross(&ax_u0_f2, &u0, &f2);
	D3DXVec3Cross(&ax_u1_f0, &u1, &f0);
	D3DXVec3Cross(&ax_u1_f1, &u1, &f1);
	D3DXVec3Cross(&ax_u1_f2, &u1, &f2);
	D3DXVec3Cross(&ax_u2_f0, &u2, &f0);
	D3DXVec3Cross(&ax_u2_f1, &u2, &f1);
	D3DXVec3Cross(&ax_u2_f2, &u2, &f2);

	if(AABBTriangleSAT(ax_u0_f0, box, v0, v1, v2) || AABBTriangleSAT(ax_u0_f1, box, v0, v1, v2) || AABBTriangleSAT(ax_u0_f2, box, v0, v1, v2) ||
			AABBTriangleSAT(ax_u1_f0, box, v0, v1, v2) || AABBTriangleSAT(ax_u1_f1, box, v0, v1, v2) || AABBTriangleSAT(ax_u1_f2, box, v0, v1, v2) ||
			AABBTriangleSAT(ax_u2_f0, box, v0, v1, v2) || AABBTriangleSAT(ax_u2_f1, box, v0, v1, v2) || AABBTriangleSAT(ax_u2_f2, box, v0, v1, v2)) {
			return false;
		}

	D3DXVECTOR3 triNormal = D3DXVECTOR3(0,0,0);
	D3DXVec3Cross(&triNormal, &f0, &f1);

	if(AABBTriangleSAT(u0, box, v0, v1, v2) || AABBTriangleSAT(u1, box, v0, v1, v2) || AABBTriangleSAT(u2, box, v0, v1, v2)) {
		return false;
	}

	if(AABBTriangleSAT(triNormal, box, v0, v1, v2))
		return false;


	return true;
}

Collision response soon..

[Meerjel01’s XTL Tutorials]

Well I can't teach by words but I can give code I guess.

static bool PointIntersectAABB(D3DXVECTOR3 point, Caabb box)
{
	return (point.x > box.center.x - box.extents.x && point.x < box.center.x + box.extents.x
		&& point.y > box.center.y - box.extents.y && point.y < box.center.y + box.extents.y
		&& point.z > box.center.z - box.extents.z && point.z < box.center.z + box.extents.z);
}

static bool AABBIntersectAABB(Caabb box1, Caabb box2)
{
	return (abs(box1.center.x - box2.center.x) < (box1.extents.x + box2.extents.x)
		&& abs(box1.center.y - box2.center.y) < (box1.extents.y + box2.extents.y)
		&& abs(box1.center.z - box2.center.z) < (box1.extents.z + box2.extents.z));		
}

These are from my Physics functions class.

[Ex-Box (PC built inside of Original Xbox) For Sale!]

 

[Ex-Box (PC built inside of Original Xbox) For Sale!]

12 minutes ago, Bowlsnapper said:

Meerjel, you freak me out man. Hope the project is going well.

 

Thank you. Currently I want to implement A* pathfinding to the engine but aren't that lucky with knowing how. Also have you played the demo?

[Ex-Box (PC built inside of Original Xbox) For Sale!]

To be honest I like it when the Xbox was weak enough for people to use their imagination for their work for it. Newer generations are losing their souls.

[Meerjel01’s XTL Tutorials]

A question for the next entry. 2D sprites in 3D or skinned 3D models? I can 2D in 3D well but Skinned models is needed to be taught about someday.

[Business With the OG Xbox]

Updated it with some lighting

In A Creation.zip

Just felt like completing this a bit.

[Business With the OG Xbox]

4 minutes ago, antonic901 said:

Maybe you could help me with XBMC rendering in some future. I will need to backport CBaseTexture class from Kodi to backport some features, but I have zero knowledge of DX8 and graphics. I tried blindly copy pasting but result of that was this:

I'm not sure if I can help unless it's simple code. I'm also busy with my own projects so the chance is even smaller. Have you seen the website I've linked to in my XTL tutorial series?

[Business With the OG Xbox]

Here it is

In A Creation.zip

Not much to look at but it's a lot of progress since the start. It's 3rd person with no camera collision (Yet) and has simple physics.

X to take a screenshot. Y to do a pose. Both triggers and black button to reset.

 

[Business With the OG Xbox]

I can try get a demo up today but I will also try not to show too much of my early progress to make people wait too long.

[Business With the OG Xbox]

I might be too proud of this. Maybe because I haven't gotten this far before?

[Business With the OG Xbox]

It's actually a video  

[Business With the OG Xbox]

W.I.P preview of the game incoming! Here it is.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HtBXQ2tnf3loRDc_599Kn3AFRS-IvP3b/view?usp=share_link

[Business With the OG Xbox]

11 minutes ago, antonic901 said:

As @Marty said, if you know coding and especially 3D engines, do you a favor and learn Unity/Unreal Engine. Make your money on modern technologies and platforms and then you will have money for living and xbox hobby projects. That's what I'm doing. WEB development for living and XBMC coding in free time.

It's okay for me even if I get little out of this cause I'm not planning on staying in the game industry my whole career. I want to be a cartoonist artist and make animations and comics. I only do games cause I feel like I need to finish my plans. Sorta getting it over with.