This C# application when provided with a start and end location allows paths to be calculated through the wow landscape. The path creation can be viewed in wireframe 3D in realtime.
The path generator is PPather which uses an A*ish algorithm. PPather knows about the wow world because it loads up (in chunks) the models and landscape that make up the part of the world you are searching. Starting at the start search spot it adds up to 8 spots around the current spot N,NE,E,SE,S,SW,W,NW, it then determines whether those spots can be reached or are blocked by landscape or models. Spots which can be reached are scored and added to the A* queue. The spot with the lowest score is the one next evaluated by A*, it also gets up to 8 spots around it added which are then scored...The evaluation continues in this manner moving closer to the end point due to the spot/path with the lowest score being evaluated first until eventually the destination is reached. The score is the distance to get to the current spot from the start spot + (the distance to the destination multiplied by a heuristic). Using a larger heuristic makes the shortest path less likely to be found, but the algorithm may path faster.
Pather was written by Pontus Borg around the start of 2008. I wrote the 3D viewer June 2009.
(Link to a good workthrough of A*:
A* Pathfinding for Beginners , also see
A* search algorithm - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
You could use this application to play with the PPather A* algorithm to see if you can improve it / or just understand it.
This also might inspire you to include PPather in your own bot instead of the waypoint system.
I have included a link to a video (at the end of the post) so you can see what it does without downloading it.
Compilation
To run the application yourself which is probably of most interest to bot developers. Compile it by Downloading:
* Visual Studio C# 2008 (
Visual C# 2008 Express Edition)
* Micorsoft XNA Game Studio Express 3.0B (
Download details: Microsoft XNA Game Studio 3.0)
* Application link
PathTest.zip
(
Virustotal. MD5: 1e1045fa564661457758ccb45cca376e)
* You will need the latest version of Wow installed.
if when you load the solution you get "This project type is not supported" then you didn't install XNA.
Usage
Select from and to then click search.
The different algorithms will make a small difference to the path created.
The view window can be navigated using W,A,S,D,X,Space,+,-,Mouse Button Down Drag,Both mouse buttons down
Screenshot
Video link
http://www.youtube.com/v/tKxaTVUnfmI&hl=en&fs=1&vray crack