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UsingSteeringSystem.md

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Using the Steering System in Untold Engine

The Steering System in the Untold Engine enables entities to move dynamically and intelligently within the scene. It provides both low-level steering behaviors (e.g., seek, flee, arrive) for granular control and high-level behaviors (e.g., steerTo, steerAway, followPath) that integrate seamlessly with the Physics System.

Why Use the Steering System?

The Steering System is essential for creating dynamic and realistic movement for entities, such as:

  • A character chasing a target.
  • An enemy avoiding obstacles.
  • A vehicle following a predefined path.

The high-level behaviors are recommended because they are designed to work closely with the Physics System, simplifying implementation while maintaining smooth motion.

How to Use the Steering System

Examples:

  1. Steer Toward a Target Position:
steerTo(entityId: entity, targetPosition: targetPosition, maxSpeed: 5.0, deltaTime: 0.016)
  1. Steer Away from a Threat:
steerAway(entityId: entity, threatPosition: threatPosition, maxSpeed: 5.0, deltaTime: 0.016)
  1. Follow a Path: Guide an entity along a series of waypoints.
followPath(entityId: entity, path: waypoints, maxSpeed: 5.0, deltaTime: 0.016)
  1. Pursue a Moving Target:
steerPursuit(entityId: chaserEntity, targetEntity: targetEntity, maxSpeed: 5.0, deltaTime: 0.016)
  1. Avoid Obstacles:
avoidObstacles(entityId: entity, obstacles: obstacleEntities, avoidanceRadius: 2.0, maxSpeed: 5.0, deltaTime: 0.016)

What Happens Behind the Scenes?

  1. Low-Level Behaviors:
  • Calculate desired velocity based on the target or threat position.
  • Generate steering forces by comparing desired velocity with current velocity.
  1. High-Level Behaviors:
  • Use low-level behaviors to calculate steering adjustments.
  • Apply these forces to the entity’s physics system for smooth, realistic motion.
  • Align the entity’s orientation to face its movement direction.
  1. Physics Integration:
  • Forces are applied through the Physics System, ensuring that movement respects mass, velocity, and acceleration.

Tips and Best Practices

  • Prefer High-Level Behaviors: They simplify complex movement patterns and automatically handle integration with the Physics System.
  • Use Low-Level Behaviors for Custom Logic: When precise control is required, combine low-level behaviors for unique movement styles.
  • Smooth Orientation: Use alignOrientation or integrate orientation alignment directly into high-level functions.
  • Tune Parameters: Adjust maxSpeed, turnSpeed, and slowingRadius for different entity types (e.g., fast-moving cars vs. slow-moving enemies).

Common Issues and Fixes

Issue: Entity Doesn’t Move

  • Cause: The Physics Component is missing or paused.
  • Solution: Ensure the entity has a PhysicsComponents and it’s not paused.

Issue: Jittery Movement

  • Cause: Conflicting forces or large delta times.
  • Solution: Tune maxSpeed and ensure deltaTime is passed correctly.

Issue: Entity Ignores Obstacles

  • Cause: Avoidance radius is too small or obstacles are not registered.
  • Solution: Increase the avoidanceRadius and verify obstacle entities.