I wanted to take this opportunity to address a couple of issues:
First up is Fences. I have attempted 2 separate tactics with fences, the results of which you can find on Operation Cobra and Operation Totalize respectively. First up was Totalize in which I generated the Navmeshes with the fences as is. The result was the navmesh navigated around the solid fences and through the tiny openings and doors. That’s all fine and good for infantry, but the vehicles would all bunch up at the gates trying to squeeze through the little space with little success. So with Operation Cobra I told the navmesh to ignore the fence and just generate through them (because in Forgotten Hope most tanks can drive through fences) unfortunately I underestimated how important fences where to Infantry traffic and the result has infantry units trying to run through fences they don't know are there. I've try repairing this on both maps by adding and removing to the navmesh to try and get the infantry to avoid the fences and the tanks to drive through them. But I encountered a third problem. Bots in vehicles will not drive through an area that is not part of the infantry mesh even if the vehicle mesh tell them they can. Instead they will drive up to where the infantry mesh ends and then do a back and forth dance until they die. For now I'm going through and making sure the fences are obstacles for both infantry and vehicles to avoid while providing wide enough openings for the tanks to move smoothly, but you'll find the results of my battle with fences on both maps.
Unfortunately with fences as an obstacle for fences, it limits the number of paths for tanks to use, Which brings me to issue two… Tanks bunching up because they all chose the same path. I’m not sure what I can do the counter this. It’s nice have a strong column of tanks move through a map but if the first tank stops for any reason it cause serious traffic jam issues that the bots have trouble resolving. I’ve tried placing waypoint at alternate paths, but there is always one path the vehicles favor, with only a couple choosing to go another route. Best I can do is to make sure that main route is as clean for them as possible and hope that more will choose the alternate paths. But I’ve seen bot tanks get stuck trying to squeeze themselves through two trees when there was a wide open path right next to them. I’m not sure what more I can do to the navmeshes to combat what is often illogical choices in paths by the bots, But I’m determined to get it right!
Anyways enough rambling, I should to get back to work. But I wanted to let you guys know that I’m working real hard to get the bots to move through the maps smoothly and logically, but sometimes they are just not smooth or logical.
