Master AI Patrol and Chase with Unreal Engine 5

Master AI Patrol and Chase with Unreal Engine 5

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Setting up the Unreal Engine 5
    1. Adding the navigation mesh bounce volume
  3. Creating the enemy AI
    1. Setting up the enemy folder and blueprint class
    2. Adding the enemy mesh and animation
    3. Implementing enemy movement
  4. Implementing enemy sensing
    1. Setting up the pawn sensing component
    2. Adding enemy chase functionality
    3. Resetting the enemy after chase
  5. Fine-tuning the enemy behavior
    1. Adjusting peripheral vision and sight radius
    2. Optimizing animation and sensing intervals
  6. Conclusion

Unreal Engine 5 AI Patrol and Chase Tutorial

In this tutorial, we will be creating an enemy AI that patrols the map and chases the player when the player gets close. Before we begin, make sure You have the Unreal Engine 5 set up. If you need help with the setup process, you can find detailed courses on my Website, pixelhelmet.com.

1. Introduction

In this tutorial, we will explore the process of creating an AI enemy character in Unreal Engine 5. We will start by setting up the navigation mesh bounce volume, which defines where the AI can move within the map. Then, we will Create the enemy AI, add the enemy mesh and animation, and implement the enemy's movement behavior.

2. Setting up the Unreal Engine 5

To enable AI movement in the Unreal Engine 5, we need to add a navigation mesh bounce volume. This volume defines the area where the AI can walk around inside your map. To add the navigation mesh bounce volume, follow these steps:

  1. Click on the "Volumes" tab in the toolbar.
  2. Select the "Navigation Mesh Bounce Volume" from the dropdown menu.
  3. Drag the volume to the desired location on the map.
  4. Adjust the size of the volume by increasing the X, Y, and Z parameters in the details panel.

By increasing the size of the volume, you can expand the area where the AI can move. However, be cautious not to make the volume too large, as it may lead to navigation issues and getting stuck on objects.

3. Creating the enemy AI

Now that the navigation mesh bounce volume is set up, we can proceed with creating the enemy AI character. Follow these steps to create the enemy AI blueprint:

  1. Right-click on the project hierarchy and create a new folder named "Enemy."
  2. Right-click on the "Enemy" folder and select "Blueprint Class."
  3. Choose the "Character" blueprint class and name it "BP Enemy."

After creating the blueprint, we need to add the enemy mesh and animation. Follow these steps to add the mesh and animation:

  1. Open the "BP Enemy" blueprint.
  2. Click on the "Mesh" component and select the desired enemy mesh from the skeletal mesh asset.
  3. Align the enemy mesh with the capsule collider to ensure proper collision detection and visual representation.
  4. Adjust the size of the capsule collider to fit the enemy character accurately.

Next, we need to implement the enemy's movement behavior. Follow these steps to enable the enemy to move around randomly:

  1. Delete the existing standard events in the event graph.
  2. Right-click in the graph and create a custom event named "Move to Random Location."
  3. Use the "Get Random Location in Navigable Radius" function to find a random location within the navigation mesh volume.
  4. Use the "AI Move To" function to move the enemy to the random location.
  5. After successfully reaching the destination, call the "Move to Random Location" event again to Continue the random movement.

4. Implementing enemy sensing

To make the enemy AI aware of the player's presence, we need to add pawn sensing functionality. Follow these steps to set up pawn sensing:

  1. Click on the "Add Component" button in the "BP Enemy" blueprint.
  2. Search for "Pawn Sensing" and add it to the blueprint.
  3. Adjust the peripheral vision angle and sight radius parameters in the pawn sensing settings to define the enemy's field of vision.

After setting up pawn sensing, we can implement the enemy's chase behavior. Follow these steps to make the enemy chase the player:

  1. Add a "Sequence" node to organize the code flow.
  2. Use the "Play Animation" node to change the enemy's walking animation to a running animation.
  3. Increase the max walk speed of the enemy character to make it chase faster.
  4. Use the "AI Move To" function again to make the enemy chase the player as the new destination.
  5. Add a "Retriggerable Delay" node to control the duration of the chase behavior.
  6. Reset the enemy's animation and walk speed to their default values after the chase.
  7. Call the "Move to Random Location" event to make the enemy resume random movement.

5. Fine-tuning the enemy behavior

To enhance the enemy AI's behavior, we can adjust a few parameters. Follow these steps to fine-tune the enemy behavior:

  1. Adjust the peripheral vision angle and sight radius in the pawn sensing component settings to define how far the enemy can see the player.
  2. Optimize the animation and sensing intervals to ensure smooth animation transitions and efficient AI sensing.
  3. Use the "Do Once" node to make sure the animations and speed changes occur only once within a specific duration.

By adjusting these parameters, you can create an enemy AI that behaves realistically and provides an immersive gameplay experience.

6. Conclusion

In this tutorial, we have learned how to create an enemy AI in Unreal Engine 5. We covered the setup process, implementation of random movement, enemy sensing, chase behavior, and fine-tuning techniques. By following these steps, you can create engaging enemy AI characters that add depth and challenge to your game. Experiment with different settings and behaviors to create unique and Memorable experiences for your players.

For more tutorials and in-depth courses on Unreal Engine 5, visit my website, pixelhelmet.com. Don't forget to subscribe and enable notifications to stay updated with the latest content. If you have any questions or need assistance with your project, you can join my Discord community for further support.

Highlights

  • Learn how to create an enemy AI that patrols and chases the player in Unreal Engine 5.
  • Set up the navigation mesh bounce volume to define the AI's movement area.
  • Create the enemy AI blueprint and add the enemy mesh and animation.
  • Implement random movement behavior for the enemy AI.
  • Set up pawn sensing to detect the player's presence.
  • Enable the enemy AI to chase the player when detected.
  • Fine-tune the enemy behavior by adjusting peripheral vision and speed settings.

FAQ:

Q: How do I set up the navigation mesh bounce volume in Unreal Engine 5? A: To set up the navigation mesh bounce volume, click on the "Volumes" tab in the toolbar, select "Navigation Mesh Bounce Volume," drag it to the desired location on the map, and adjust its size in the details panel.

Q: How can I make the enemy AI chase the player in Unreal Engine 5? A: To make the enemy AI chase the player, use the "AI Move To" function with the player as the target actor. Increase the enemy's max walk speed and play a running animation to indicate the chase behavior.

Q: Can I adjust the enemy AI's vision range and angle? A: Yes, by adjusting the parameters in the pawn sensing component settings, such as peripheral vision angle and sight radius, you can define how far the enemy AI can see the player.

Q: How can I reset the enemy AI after the chase behavior? A: Use a retriggerable delay node to specify a duration after which the enemy AI loses interest in the player and resumes its random movement behavior.

Q: Are there any optimization techniques for smoother AI animations? A: By using the "Do Once" node, you can ensure that the animation changes occur only once within a specific duration, reducing animation lag and optimizing performance.

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