NPC chase script

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#1

Download file:
NPC chase test.rbxl (34.7 KB)

The code will loop through the players and check who is the closest distance away from the NPC. The NPC will chase the closest player using the pathfinding service (made to work in a maze) I’m new to scripting and I’m wondering if there’s a better way to write the code.

local NPC = workspace.NPC
NPC.PrimaryPart:SetNetworkOwner(nil)

local pfs = game:GetService("PathfindingService") -- Pathfinding service
local runService = game:GetService("RunService")

local hum = script.Parent:WaitForChild("Humanoid") -- npc humanoid
local torso = script.Parent:WaitForChild("Torso") -- npc torso


local players = game:GetService("Players")
local distance
local closestPlayer, closestDistance = nil, math.huge


function checkPlayerDistance() -- Function will loop through the players and get the nearest player
	local children = players:GetChildren()

	for i,v in pairs(children) do
		if v then
			distance = (v.Character:FindFirstChild("HumanoidRootPart").Position - torso.Position).magnitude

			if distance <= closestDistance then
				closestDistance = distance
				closestPlayer = v
			end
		end
	end

	return closestPlayer 
end

runService.Heartbeat:Connect(function() -- NPC will follow the nearest player

	local returnedPlayer = checkPlayerDistance()

	local path = pfs:CreatePath()
	path:ComputeAsync(torso.Position, returnedPlayer.Character.HumanoidRootPart.Position)

	local waypoints = path:GetWaypoints()
	
	local function npcStuck()
		local pos1 = torso.Position
		wait(1)
		local pos2 = torso.Position
		
		if (pos1 - pos2).magnitude < 1 then
			
		end
	end

	if waypoints and waypoints[2] then
		local pos = waypoints[2]	
		hum:MoveTo(pos.Position)
	end

	closestDistance = math.huge
end)
3 Likes
#2

runService.Heartbeat:Connect(function()

I would change that to a:
while true do loop
No need to compute on every hearbeat

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#3

Hey thanks for the reply, I’ll try it out. I’m just wondering how it benefits the code. I don’t doubt that you’re right, I’m just trying to learn. Thanks again

#4

while true do will wait for the thread to finish unlike how heartbeat starts one every frame even if there’s already running ones. (At least I think so)

2 Likes
#5

Hey thanks for the answer, appreciate it