How to make my pathfinding npc smarter?

trainmaster_65 · November 19, 2023, 1:34am

my pathfinding npc is suppose to follow me with the help of pathfinding links, but for some reason it does all of this
https://gyazo.com/731577431457ed9f0d2836c5f7f9f600

and whenever I get near the NPC, it slightly tiptoes to me and stops

Error:
Workspace.Dummy.Script:37: attempt to index nil with ‘Position’

local pfs = game:GetService("PathfindingService")
local wps = {}
local path = pfs:CreatePath()
local wpIdx = 1
local char = script.Parent
local hum = char:WaitForChild("Humanoid")
local hrp = char:WaitForChild("HumanoidRootPart")

local humrp = char.HumanoidRootPart

local function findTarget()
	local players = game.Players:GetPlayers()
	local MaxDistance = 9999999999
	local nearestTarget

	for i,v in pairs(players) do
		if (v.Character) then
			local target = v.Character
			local distance = (humrp.Position - target.HumanoidRootPart.Position).Magnitude

			if (distance < MaxDistance) then
				nearestTarget = target
				MaxDistance = distance
			end
		end
	end

	return nearestTarget
end

local function followPath(goal)
	path:ComputeAsync(hrp.Position, goal.Position)
	wps = {}
	if path.Status == Enum.PathStatus.Success then
		wps = path:GetWaypoints()
		wpIdx = 1
		hum:MoveTo(wps[wpIdx].Position)
	end
end

hum.MoveToFinished:Connect(function(reached)
	if reached and wpIdx < #wps then
		wpIdx += 1
		if wps[wpIdx].Action == Enum.PathWaypointAction.Jump then
			hum.Jump = true
		end
		hum:MoveTo(wps[wpIdx].Position)
	end
end)

path.Blocked:Connect(function(blockedWpIDX)
	if blockedWpIDX > wpIdx then
		local target = findTarget(script.Parent.HumanoidRootPart)
		if target ~= nil then
			followPath(target.Torso, target)
		end
	end
end)

game:GetService("RunService").Heartbeat:Connect(function(deltatime)
	local target = findTarget(script.Parent.HumanoidRootPart)
	if target ~= nil then
		followPath(target.Torso, target)
	end
end)

Katrist · November 19, 2023, 1:41am

You didn’t make any agent parameters. What is your pathfinding link for the ladder called?

trainmaster_65 · November 19, 2023, 1:52am

the link is called “PathfindingLink”

Katrist · November 19, 2023, 1:56am

Set AgentCanClimb to true in your agent parameters then and don’t change the cost since PathfindingLinks automatically have a cost of 1.

Code:

local pfs = game:GetService("PathfindingService")
local wps = {}
local path = pfs:CreatePath({
	AgentCanClimb = true,
})

local wpIdx = 1
local char = script.Parent
local hum = char:WaitForChild("Humanoid")
local hrp = char:WaitForChild("HumanoidRootPart")

local humrp = char.HumanoidRootPart

local function findTarget()
	local players = game.Players:GetPlayers()
	local MaxDistance = math.huge
	local nearestTarget = nil

	for i,v in players do
		if (v.Character) then
			local target = v.Character
			local distance = (humrp.Position - target.HumanoidRootPart.Position).Magnitude

			if (distance < MaxDistance) then
				nearestTarget = target
				MaxDistance = distance
			end
		end
	end

	return nearestTarget
end

local function followPath(goal)
	path:ComputeAsync(hrp.Position, goal.Position)
	table.clear(wps)
	
	if path.Status == Enum.PathStatus.Success then
		wps = path:GetWaypoints()
		wpIdx = 1
		hum:MoveTo(wps[wpIdx].Position)
	end
end

hum.MoveToFinished:Connect(function(reached)
	if reached and wpIdx < #wps then
		wpIdx += 1
		if wps[wpIdx].Action == Enum.PathWaypointAction.Jump then
			hum.Jump = true
		end
		hum:MoveTo(wps[wpIdx].Position)
	end
end)

path.Blocked:Connect(function(blockedWpIDX)
	if blockedWpIDX > wpIdx then
		local target = findTarget(script.Parent.HumanoidRootPart)
		if target then
			followPath(target.Torso, target)
		end
	end
end)

game:GetService("RunService").Heartbeat:Connect(function(deltatime)
	local target = findTarget(script.Parent.HumanoidRootPart)
	if target then
		followPath(target.Torso, target)
	end
end)

trainmaster_65 · November 19, 2023, 2:14am

i’m still getting the same issue

Katrist · November 19, 2023, 2:15am

Did you set up your pathfinding link right?

trainmaster_65 · November 19, 2023, 2:16am

Like this right?
asdasdasdasdasd
asdasdasdasdasdasd

Katrist · November 19, 2023, 2:18am

Yes, could you send another video?

trainmaster_65 · November 19, 2023, 2:20am

https://gyazo.com/9d214948c162041a93091d26426fe5b4

metatablesnow · November 19, 2023, 3:48am

Fixed it!
I think it was because the function wasn’t waiting for it to be done moving.
I had to do task.wait, because hum.MoveToFinished:Wait() wouldn’t work for some reason.
It still twitches a little bit though.

local pfs = game:GetService("PathfindingService")
local wps = {}
local path = pfs:CreatePath({
	AgentCanClimb = true,
})
local wpIdx = 1
local char = script.Parent
local hum = char:WaitForChild("Humanoid")
local hrp = char:WaitForChild("HumanoidRootPart")

local humrp = char.HumanoidRootPart

local db = false

local function findTarget()
	local players = game.Players:GetPlayers()
	local MaxDistance = 9999999999
	local nearestTarget

	for i,v in pairs(players) do
		if (v.Character) then
			local target = v.Character
			local distance = (humrp.Position - target.HumanoidRootPart.Position).Magnitude

			if (distance < MaxDistance) then
				nearestTarget = target
				MaxDistance = distance
			end
		end
	end
	
	return nearestTarget
end

local function followPath(goal)
	db = true
	path:ComputeAsync(hrp.Position, goal.Position)
	wps = {}
	if path.Status == Enum.PathStatus.Success then
		wps = path:GetWaypoints()
		wpIdx = 1
		print(wps[wpIdx].Position)
		hum:MoveTo(wps[wpIdx].Position)
		task.wait(0.5)
		db = false
	end
end

hum.MoveToFinished:Connect(function(reached)
	if reached and wpIdx < #wps then
		wpIdx += 1
		if wps[wpIdx].Action == Enum.PathWaypointAction.Jump then
			hum.Jump = true
		end
		hum:MoveTo(wps[wpIdx].Position)
	end
end)

path.Blocked:Connect(function(blockedWpIDX)
	if blockedWpIDX > wpIdx then
		local target = findTarget(script.Parent.HumanoidRootPart)
		if target ~= nil then
			followPath(target.Torso, target)
		end
	end
end)

game:GetService("RunService").Heartbeat:Connect(function(deltatime)
	local target = findTarget(script.Parent.HumanoidRootPart)
	if target ~= nil and db == false then
		followPath(target.Torso, target)
	end
end)

EDIT:
The twitching and stuff might be able to be entirely gone if you found the path, made the dummy get to the end of the path, then make the path again, and repeat.

trainmaster_65 · November 19, 2023, 6:30am

how do i make it find the path?

metatablesnow · November 19, 2023, 8:49am

Sorry if I worded it a bit weird, but you could just change your current code to make the debounce turn to false after looping through the waypoint table and moving to each, so then it would make another path.
I don’t really know how to explain it, sorry.

trainmaster_65 · November 19, 2023, 5:13pm

can u show an example through code? i’m not really an expert scripter

metatablesnow · November 19, 2023, 9:31pm

You could try something like this,

local pfs = game:GetService("PathfindingService")
local wps = {}
local path = pfs:CreatePath({
	AgentCanClimb = true,
})
local wpIdx = 1
local char = script.Parent
local hum = char:WaitForChild("Humanoid")
local hrp = char:WaitForChild("HumanoidRootPart")

local humrp = char.HumanoidRootPart

local db = false

local function findTarget()
	local players = game.Players:GetPlayers()
	local MaxDistance = 9999999999
	local nearestTarget

	for i,v in pairs(players) do
		if (v.Character) then
			local target = v.Character
			local distance = (humrp.Position - target.HumanoidRootPart.Position).Magnitude

			if (distance < MaxDistance) then
				nearestTarget = target
				MaxDistance = distance
			end
		end
	end

	return nearestTarget
end

local function followPath(goal)
	db = true
	path:ComputeAsync(hrp.Position, goal.Position)
	wps = {}
	if path.Status == Enum.PathStatus.Success then
		wps = path:GetWaypoints()
		for i,v in pairs(wps) do
			wpIdx += 1
			if i < #wps then
				if wps[i].Action == Enum.PathWaypointAction.Jump then
					hum.Jump = true
				end
				hum:MoveTo(wps[i].Position)
				hum.MoveToFinished:Wait()
			else
				db = false
			end
		end
	end
end

path.Blocked:Connect(function(blockedWpIDX)
	if blockedWpIDX > wpIdx then
		local target = findTarget(script.Parent.HumanoidRootPart)
		if target ~= nil then
			followPath(target.Torso, target)
		end
	end
end)

game:GetService("RunService").Heartbeat:Connect(function(deltatime)
	local target = findTarget(script.Parent.HumanoidRootPart)
	if target ~= nil and db == false then
		followPath(target.Torso, target)
	end
end)

trainmaster_65 · November 20, 2023, 5:27am

the npc is definitely smarter and can get to me a lot easier, however now it’s stuttering like this:
https://gyazo.com/0ca7e4e95b1fba92fb079366a754c438

a thing like HumanoidRootPart:SetNetworkOwner( nil ) won’t work either

metatablesnow · November 21, 2023, 12:51am

I can’t really see any studdering?

Juicy_Fruit · November 21, 2023, 2:02am

I think he means that weird little dance/strut animation while walking but i could be wrong lol

trainmaster_65 · November 21, 2023, 2:37am

yeah, it struggles to catch up with me too

metatablesnow · November 21, 2023, 3:27am

I think the little run animation is something your doing,
to fix the catching up issue,
check if the players CFrame has changed ever waypoint, if it changed, recalculate the path.

trainmaster_65 · November 21, 2023, 4:32am

I know i’m asking for a lot, but can u show an example through code? this is the last thing I need help with