How to use StartMultiTargetPath with multiple starts to same end

General
#1

Hi,

I’ve seen that StartMultiTargetPath has an overload where you can have multiple start points that search a path to one endpoint.

I want to have several enemies (that get spawned during runtime) that should chase the player.

At the moment, each enemy has its own

  • AIDestinationSetter
  • Seeker
  • AIPath

So, I think that using StartMultiTargetPath seems a good idea in my case.

However, I am unsure about how to use it correctly.

I thought I would only use one seeker at a root GameObject and hand over the paths to the AI, but each AIPath requires a Seeker component.

So, I am unsure how to use it for multiple enemies targeting one moving endpoint.

Can someone give me some hints?

#2

Hi

While it is possible to use a single MultiTargetPath from the player to calculate a path to all following agents, I would first ask you if doing it the normal way is not completely fine from a performance standpoint? Do you have several hundred characters (or thousands) all converging on the same point?

1 Like
#3

Hi @aron_granberg

I am not that far yet in development, but it will be for mobile, so when I can squeeze out some performance, I want to do it. :slight_smile:

I am not sure how many enemies will be walking simultaneously because I need to test it with some mobile devices and what they can handle.

At the moment its my own curiosity.

While it is possible to use a single MultiTargetPath from the player to calculate a path to all following agents

It’s the other way around: Multiple agents to one player. That’s why I was thinking that using StartMultiTargetPath with multiple start points to one endpoint may fit.

#4

Premature optimization is the root of all evil.

It is possible to do what you want, but it requires a bunch of code. I would strongly recommend waiting until you see that pathfinding is actually a performance issue. Something I doubt will happen unless you have many hundreds of units calculating paths all the time.

If you want to do it, this is the probably the way to go: FloodPath - A* Pathfinding Project

#5

That’s true, yes. :slight_smile:

Thanks for pointing me to the FloodPath. At least I will have some starting point when I recognize issues with the path-finding performance.

Thanks @aron_granberg!