Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from the Hive Mind Team! 🎄🐜
As the year winds down, we’re buzzing with excitement to share the latest updates on our Hive Mind project! It’s been a productive couple of weeks filled with problem-solving, new features, and festive cheer.
Movement Issues – Finally Squashed!
Our ants are officially free to roam! We’ve solved the long-standing issue where they got stuck because the OnMovementComplete event wasn’t triggering correctly. By implementing a timeout timer and resetting movement when ants get stuck, we created a failsafe. However, since switching to an interface-based approach where each ant now handles its own movement completion, the timeout rarely (if ever) gets called anymore. 🎉
Speeding Up the Simulation
We’ve introduced a handy simulation speed control, making it easier to adjust how fast or slow things unfold in the world.
For the free camera, we added a movement speed adjustment based on its height—move closer to the ants, and the camera slows down to give you precise control. Zoom out for the bigger picture, and you’ll zip around the map with ease!
Behavior Tree Overhaul
To streamline ant decision-making, we completely revamped the behavior tree, removing redundant code and organizing it more logically. The result? Smarter, faster ants that are better at prioritizing tasks like resting and eating.
Enhanced Resting System
Ants now have more options when it comes to recharging their energy. We added more resting spots, and if the Global Manager doesn’t know any, ants will keep searching until they find one. Once a resting spot is discovered, the Global Manager shares its location with the colony, so any ant with critical energy can benefit.
Each resting spot has its own resting bonus, influenced by factors like cover and safety. Better spots mean faster recovery for our hardworking ants!
Jumpstarting the Food Component
We’re excited to introduce our first food type: blueberries! When an ant’s food level becomes critical, it will head to a known food source. If no food is known, ants will continue their search until one finds a source, sharing the location with the colony just like the resting system.
For the next sprint, we’ll expand this feature by adding:
- An eat task to replenish hunger.
- A food consumption animation.
- Food destruction logic, where the mesh disappears once eaten.
Switching to Landscapes
To prepare for the addition of water components like puddles, we’ve decided to replace our flat solid mesh with a more dynamic landscape mesh. This change will allow us to create more immersive environments for the ants, like water sources and other terrain features.
What’s Next?
Looking ahead, we’ll focus on:
- Finishing the food component with eating mechanics and animations.
- Starting on the water component, essential for hydration mechanics.
- Transitioning to the combat component, bringing more interaction and challenges to the simulation.
- Adding a nest mesh, allowing ants to burrow underground for added depth (literally and figuratively).
As we wrap up this sprint and the year, we’re thrilled with the progress made.
We wish you a joyful holiday season filled with warmth, happiness, and lots of holiday cheer! 🎅✨
Stay tuned for more updates in the new year as we continue to evolve the Hive Mind world. Until then,
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 🎁🎄
With love,
The Hive Mind Team 🐜❤️
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