Unity and Blackboard AI [Tactical RTS] - Best Route?

Hia Guys,

I am heading up a project [game] that will be utilising Unity, some of the team are v familiar with the engine some are new. We are already using plugin tools that are helping enormously.

We need a very decent AI. It will be for an RTS game, more real time tactical than anything else. With squads or units each 2-15 men, up to company size [300ish] per side. What would be the best route for building the AI? I have seen several of the Unity plugin AI's that cover some areas.

The AI would need to factor in real time, things like morale/fatigue/command/experience/bravery/mental state/fear/etc.

We have the AI states etc already mapped out, what I am looking for is advice on whether to build from scratch or utilise something already done and modify that?

Any thoughts, comments ideas are most welcome.

Regards in advance - S

 

Just adding a bit more info.....

The title is being designed both as a game and a serious games project as we will be utilising a 3rd side, within the AI, that is essentially civilian but which can be a 3rd belligerent side or insurgents in Asymmetric warfare.

I have worked on several squad based games tactical sims, both games and for the military, this was utilising an existing old engine. I am wondering what is the best way forward for developing the AI. Would it or are there any AI's that are already developed as plugins/scripts etc that we could modify? We will be modelling morale/fatigue/command/cover/experience/fear/bravery/hunger etc. OR, would it be best to develop our own AI from scratch?

I am asking as there seems a dearth of decent RTS/Squad type AI's for unity? Or developed as plugins for Unity. John Anderson originally wrote the AI in the older engine, but was constrained at that time from creating what he wanted by limits in hardware. [This was in 1996-7]

http://web.archive.org/web/19990820...iew/zones/strategy/craig/articles/cc2int.html

http://archive.gamedev.net/archive/reference/programming/features/blackboard1/index.html

The two links above show some of the thinking behind the AI. I was wondering if you had any ideas or thoughts on this within the Unity framework? What I need to do is improve this and am looking for the best, simplest way of doing so.

Any comments or thoughts, much appreciated.

Regards - S

 

Not my area of expertise. @TonyLi hangs around here and has built several AI assets for the store. He may be able to get you oriented in the market.