AI & Pathfinding Mastery

Game AI is what makes enemies challenging and interesting to fight. It's the decision-making system that controls how NPCs and enemies behave in your game. **What is Game AI?** Game AI differs from academic AI - it's not about being smart, it's about being interesting and responsive. A good AI opponent should: • Feel responsive and challenging • React to player actions intelligently • Provide engaging gameplay • Run efficiently (since games need 60 FPS!) **Three Core AI Techniques:** 1. **Pathfinding** - Finding the best route from A to B around obstacles (A* algorithm) 2. **Finite State Machines (FSM)** - Managing behavior states (Patrol, Chase, Attack, Flee) 3. **Behavior Trees (BT)** - Hierarchical decision-making for complex behaviors These three techniques form the foundation of most game AI. You'll combine them to create intelligent, responsive enemies that feel real. **Performance Matters:** AI calculations must be fast. We use heuristics, limited search depth, and frame-rate tricks to keep games running smooth.

// Simple AI loop structure
class Enemy {
  constructor(x, y) {
    this.x = x;
    this.y = y;
    this.state = 'patrol';
    this.path = [];
  }

  update(deltaTime, playerPos) {
    // 1. Make decision
    this.decideAction(playerPos);
    
    // 2. Move along path
    if (this.path.length > 0) {
      this.followPath(deltaTime);
    }
    
    // 3. Execute behavior
    this.executeBehavior(deltaTime);
  }
}