Path Finding using Tactical Information

Path finding has focused primarily on collision free paths that are smooth and short. However, in todays computer games, it is often desired to stay out of sight of enemies and, as a result, close to obstacles. In this paper we propose a method that uses an existing roadmap and produces a set of corridor polygons from which a path is generated. Weights calculated from tactical data can be specified both on the nodes of the roadmap and on points in the corridor polygon. These weights influence the way the path is generated. Experiments show that the corridor polygons cover the free space well. They also show that the final path of the character stays close to the obstacles and avoids dangerous areas.