Pathing

[provocating]

I am curious, I know some servers in the past have worked on the pathing issues, like eqpvp.com, how is this accomplished? Is there a utility to create the path file or is it done by hand?

[jdoran]

I create them in game. There are (or were if they are not there) #path commands to add, remove, and display nodes. I go as far as I can from a node, but stay within LOS and have no obstacles between the node and I. Then I drop down a new node.

The nodes appear as ninjas. I added a command to make a named node wave at me. Otherwise I use it as stock.

[provocating]

There is an interesting thread on p1999 about this.

http://cdn.project1999.com/forums/showthread.php?t=104534

[jdoran]

Nilbog does not mention obstacles like water, or lack of LOS. I'm pretty sure the pathfinding code looks for the closest node with LOS and no obstacles, and plots a straight line (in 3D) to the next waypoint. This is what causes the "hopping" some mobs are seen to exhibit: The interpolated point is in the air, and gravity causes them to fall.

I'll sometimes test a path by spawning a neutral mob, running to the other waypoint, and then using #damage to aggro the mob. For extra tough spots, like Crescent Reach, I log a second character in and chase the mob as it runs from path node to path node.