Artificial Intelligence in Unreal Engine 5: Unleash the power of Al for next-gen game development with UE5 by using Blueprints and C++

Artificial Intelligence in Unreal Engine 5....2

Contributors....6

About the author....6

About the reviewers....7

Preface....31

Who this book is for....32

What this book covers....33

To get the most out of this book....35

Download the example code files....36

Conventions used....36

Get in touch....37

Share Your Thoughts....38

Download a free PDF copy of this book....38

Part 1: Introducing Artificial Intelligence in Games....41

Chapter 1: Getting Started with AI Game Development....42

Technical requirements....43

Prerequisite knowledge....43

Hardware requirements....45

Software requirements....46

Introducing AI....50

Understanding AI in game development....53

Explaining AI techniques in video games....55

Pathfinding....56

Rule-based....58

Finite state machines....59

Behavior trees....60

Machine learning AI....62

Reinforcement learning....63

Generative AI....64

Summary....64

Credits....65

Chapter 2: Introducing the Unreal Engine AI System....66

Technical requirements....67

Getting to know the Unreal Engine Gameplay Framework....67

Actors and components....68

Main GF elements....70

GameplayStatics....72

Presenting the Unreal Engine AI system....73

Navigation System....74

Behavior trees....76

Mass Entity....78

State tree....80

Smart objects....82

Environment Query System....84

AI Perception System....86

AI debugging....87

Understanding advanced AI features....90

Learning Agents....90

Neural network engine....91

ML Deformer....92

ML cloth simulation....93

Summary....94

Part 2: Understanding the Navigation System....95

Chapter 3: Presenting the Unreal Engine Navigation System....96

Technical requirements....97

Introducing AI movement....97

Understanding the Navigation Mesh....98

Modifying the nav mesh....103

AI agents....109

Avoidance....110

Understanding pathfinding....111

Testing the Navigation System with a project template....114

Setting up the project....114

Analyzing the nav mesh....116

Analyzing the character controller....124

Testing the project....125

Summary....125

Chapter 4: Setting Up a Navigation Mesh....127

Technical requirements....128

Introducing Unreal Agility Arena....128

Explaining the project brief....129

Starting the project....131

Creating an AI agent....133

Creating the agent....136

Adding the navigation logic....138

Setting up a basic level....139

Creating the level....140

Adding the nav mesh....142

Adding the agent....143

Testing the gym....145

Adding navigation modifiers....146

Creating the level....146

Incorporating a modifier....148

Improving the level....153

Creating custom modifiers....156

Applying the custom modifiers....159

Testing the level....161

Working with navigation link proxies....162

Creating the level....162

Adding a Nav Link Proxy....165

Testing the gym....167

Summary....168

Chapter 5: Improving Agent Navigation....170

Technical requirements....171

Generating navigation meshes at runtime....171

Creating the level....172

Adding a moving platform....178

Making the nav mesh dynamic....185

Influencing navigation with query filters....188

Creating the level....189

Creating the query filter class....190

Modifying the agent....192

Implementing agent avoidance....193

Creating the level....194

Adding the agents....195

Activating avoidance....198

Testing a worst-case scenario....198

Summary....200

Chapter 6: Optimizing the Navigation System....202

Technical requirements....203

Understanding the nav mesh debugging tool....203

Enabling the AI debugging tools....204

Inspecting the AI debugging tool....206

Analyzing nav mesh resolution....211

Refining nav mesh generation....215

Influencing nav mesh resolution....216

Changing nav mesh resolution....219

Changing the tile size....220

Making further improvements....224

Tweaking resolution....224

Disabling mesh influence....226

Summary....232

Part 3: Working with Decision Making....233

Chapter 7: Introducing Behavior Trees....234

Technical requirements....234

Explaining behavior trees....235

Behavior tree structure....236

What is a behavior tree in Unreal Engine?....239

Behavior tree node instancing....240

Order of execution....240

Understanding behavior trees in Unreal Engine....242

The root node....243

Task nodes....243

Composite nodes....245

Decorators....248

Services....250

Understanding the Blackboard....251

Summary....254

Chapter 8: Setting Up a Behavior Tree....256

Technical requirements....256

Extending the Unreal Agility Arena....257

Updating the project brief....258

Creating the project....259

Creating the character....261

Handling the battery status....263

Implementing the character....265

Creating a behavior tree....277

Creating the AI controller....277

Creating the Blackboard....280

Creating the behavior tree....283

Implementing behavior tree tasks and services....285

Implementing the FindRandomLocation task....287

Implementing the SpeedControl service....289

Implementing the BatteryCheck service....292

Setting up a behavior tree on an agent....297

Editing the behavior tree....298

Creating the AI agent Blueprints....305

Testing an agent in a gym....312

Summary....316

Chapter 9: Extending Behavior Trees....317

Technical requirements....317

Presenting best practices for authoring behavior trees....318

Listing best practices....319

Implementing a gunner character logic....323

Implementing a Target class....333

Creating the Blueprints....335

Understanding decorators....347

Explaining the BTAuxiliaryNode class....347

Creating C++ decorators....348

Creating Blueprint decorators....349

Implementing the CheckTagOnActor decorator....350

Understanding services....354

Creating C++ services....354

Creating Blueprint services....355

Implementing the SetAmmo service....357

Understanding tasks....359

Creating C++ tasks....359

Creating Blueprint tasks....360

Implementing the PlayMontage task....361

Implementing the FindAvailableTarget task....363

Debugging behavior trees....365

Creating the Blackboard....366

Creating the behavior tree....367

Creating the AI controller....377

Debugging the behavior tree on a gym....377

Summary....382

Chapter 10: Improving Agents with the Perception System....384

Technical requirements....385

Presenting the Perception System....385

AI Perception System components....387

AIPerceptionSenseConfig types....388

Stimuli source....389

Adding perception to an agent....390

Creating the BaseSecurityCam class....390

Creating the BaseSecurityCamAIController class....393

Debugging perception....397

Enhancing the roamer behavior tree....398

Enhancing BaseDummyAIController....401

Creating security camera Blueprints....402

Creating the gym....405

Enabling perception debugging....410

Creating perception stimuli....418

Creating the target actor....418

Testing the gym....422

Summary....424

Chapter 11: Understanding the Environment Query System....425

Technical requirements....426

Introducing the Environment Query System....426

Explaining generators....428

Explaining contexts....429

Explaining tests....430

Setting up an environment query....431

Creating the gym....431

Creating the AI controller....433

Creating an environment query....433

Handling environment queries within a behavior tree....436

Displaying EQS information....441

Summary....446

Part 4: Exploring Advanced Topics....448

Chapter 12: Using Hierarchical State Machines with State Trees....449

Technical requirements....450

Introducing state trees....450

Extending state trees....454

Understanding the state tree flow....456

Data binding....456

Creating and managing state trees....458

Enabling state trees plugins....459

Implementing a noise emitter actor....462

Using advanced state tree features....481

Creating the C++ AI controller....482

Implementing the AI controller Blueprint....485

Implementing the state tree....493

Assigning the state tree to the AI controller....505

Creating the guard Blueprint....505

Testing in a gym....506

Summary....509

Chapter 13: Implementing Data-Oriented Calculations with Mass....511

Technical requirements....512

Introducing the Mass framework....512

Mass framework plugins....513

Understanding Mass elements....514

MassGameplay....516

Setting up Mass....517

Enabling plugins....518

Creating a MassEntityConfigAsset....519

Creating a spawn EQS....522

Creating the gym....524

Testing the gym....527

Spawning Blueprints....530

Creating the audience Blueprints....531

Creating a MassEntityConfigAsset....536

Enabling the automatic processor registration....540

Creating the gym....541

Summary....546

Chapter 14: Implementing Interactable Elements with Smart Objects....547

Technical requirements....548

Introducing Smart Objects....548

Presenting the main elements of the Smart Objects framework....549

Creating a Smart Object Definition data asset....551

Enabling the plugins....552

Creating the workbench definition asset....552

Implementing smart object logic....555

Interacting with smart objects....560

Creating the toss coin task....560

Creating environment queries....562

Creating the Blackboard....567

Creating the behavior tree....567

Creating the character Blueprints....575

Testing smart objects in a gym....576

Summary....577

Epilogue....579

Appendix – Understanding C++ in Unreal Engine....581

Technical requirements....581

Introducing basic concepts....582

Understanding C++ classes....583

Properties....585

Functions....587

The C++ Header Preview....587

Explaining advanced features....588

Casting....589

Interfaces....590

Delegates....591

Exploring core mechanics....595

Garbage collection....595

The reflection system....597

Summary....600

Index....602

Why subscribe?....638

Other Books You May Enjoy....639

Packt is searching for authors like you....643

Share Your Thoughts....644

Download a free PDF copy of this book....644

Tap into the cutting-edge artificial intelligence features of Unreal Engine 5 and unlock their potential to craft captivating and engaging experiences in your games and applications in this part-color guide

Key Features

• Adopt AI techniques for developing immersive gameplay experiences
• Learn how to use the Unreal Engine gameplay framework system with C++ and Blueprints
• Plan and develop AI behaviors carefully from start to finish
• Purchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free PDF eBook

Book Description

Have you ever wondered how to create engaging gameplay experiences that involve formidable AI opponents, capable of challenging and pushing players to their limits? If the answer is yes, then get ready to enter the realm of AI creation with Unreal Engine 5.

Within the pages of this book, written by a brilliant author and game development expert, you’ll find the secrets of Unreal Engine's cutting-edge AI framework. With this newfound knowledge, you’ll be able to create immersive and dynamic gaming experiences. This step-by-step guide will teach you the art of crafting intelligent and responsive virtual opponents that challenge and engage players on a whole new level. As you follow along with practical examples, the book will guide you through the creation of fully functional AI systems. You’ll be able to harness the power of behavior trees, NavMesh systems, and sensory perception models, breathing life into your virtual characters.

By the end of this book, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge you need to unleash the full potential of AI in Unreal Engine. Get ready to revolutionize your gaming creations and captivate players with AI-driven wonders that push the boundaries of what's possible!

What you will learn

• Discover the basics of AI development in video games
• Gain a deep understanding of the main actors in the Unreal Engine AI framework
• Design and develop engaging AI actors for a game
• Create dynamic and immersive AI experiences with behavior trees, navigation systems, MassEntity, and other AI features
• Debug AI systems using dedicated Unreal Engine debugging tools
• Extend the AI system with custom nodes and functions
• Understand how to cope with the AI system by employing Blueprints and/or C++
• Create games that focus on tactics, motion, and more

Who this book is for

This book is for game programmers, as well as Unreal Engine developers with little to no knowledge of AI systems in video games, who want to explore this topic in depth. Developers who are proficient in other game engines and are interested in understanding the principles of the Unreal AI framework will also benefit from this book. You’ll need basic knowledge of Unreal Engine and C++ and a strong passion for game development to get the most out of this book.