Age Of Gatherers

A collective of AI agents that explore a procedurally generated environment, collect and store resources based on their dictated role by the AI manager.

Built With

• C# - Programming language used
• A* - Pathfinding algorithim used
• GOAP - Behaviour system used
• Unity - Game Engine
• HackN'Plan - Task Management Softwear
• SourceTree - Repository softwear paired with github
• VisualStudio - For all coding purposes

Authors

• Ethan Tilley - Solo Developer - @EthanTilley_

Use

Clone repo and build it in unity or check out its itchio and download it there (maybe an old version)

Why

This project was at first a simple university assignment, but I fell in love with AI and continued it's development as a side-project.

Features

The Features I've currently implemented into the project include:

• Goal Oriented Action Planning (GOAP) for AI Behaviours for different roles (Gatherers (Berry & Wood) & Builders).
• A* (A Star) Path Searching Algorithm with my own little twist for different behaviours. (Agents don't like going up slops if it isn't necessary).
• Manager AI that decides for them when to switch to and from roles based on the corresponding storage capacity.
• Procedural terrain generation + generation of path data.
• Death Via: Old age (Age of death base on how well they take care of themselves) & Hunger
• Gravestones with a generated epitaph of agents: name, birth to death date and cause of death.

Goals With This Program

• Improve Camera movement so its more freeform
• Death system, with gravestones that have an epitaph
• Agents are uninformed of the environment and its contents until it discovers it (Incomplete information)
• Builder agents place torches that the gatherers prefer to follow during the night
• Predator that attacks villagers at night, although, avoids light (torches)
• Biome regions (Desert, Woodlands, Grasslands, etc...)
• Seed system - Generate a unique seed that can reload a level through typing the seed in
• Improve 3D models
• Builder can build houses that increase the chance of a population increase
• Pathfinding cache - short term storage of paths. (Agents reuse calculated paths)
• Hierarchical pathfinding
• Pathing request system (Simply queues pathing calculations)
• Detailed display - ie, hovering mouse over an agent will display: village role, age, hunger, goal and name
• Smarter reproduction system (currently spawns an agent when a death occurs)

Acknowledgments

• Hat tip to my lecture Iain McManus who facilitated me through this project (back when is was just an assignment) and exposed me to the beauty of AI. <3