PathEngine SDK 5.11 Released, Licenses Added

The creators of AI pathfinding middleware PathEngine SDK have announced the release of the software's latest version, adding a tiled 3D content process that will accommodate 'worlds of effectively unlimited size' beyond its traditional level-based application. According to PathEngine officials, the 5.11 update offers the possibility of incremental and parallel per-tile processing for quick updates after content changes. PathEngine's tiled 3D content process is based on the application of a horizontal tiling to the existing 3D content processing functionality. The set of source data elements in each tile is processed independently, with the resulting ground pieces then combined back together for run-time pathfinding. In addition to introducing the tiled 3D process, this release also includes optimizations to the software's existing 3D content process, with reductions in processing times for most data sets. Release 5.11 also introduces prototype functionality for automatic generation of 'off-mesh connections' as well as a number of “important” bug-fixes. The PathEngine SDK is built around an implementation of points-of-visibility pathfinding on three-dimensional ground meshes. The approach enables PathEngine to provide both pathfinding and collision in tight integration against a single agent movement model that takes agent shape into account and supports overlapping geometry, with dynamic obstacles directly integrated into this movement model. Additionally, PathEngine has also added to its list of clients by signing ArenaNet for Guild Wars 2, NextPlay for Firenze, and also yedang online, MAIET entertainment, Ani-park. The PathEngine toolkit is currently being used in titles such as the Asian MMORPG Granado Espada, as well as Ironlore Entertainment's Titan Quest and B-Alive's Wildlife Park 2.