The Old Navigation Issue

The initial mesh design for the ant nest turned out to be unsuitable for our navigation system. While the NavMesh worked perfectly on the surface, it failed to recognize the underground floors. As a result, ants kept falling through the terrain, making precise movement impossible.

The New Top-Down Approach

To address this issue, i have adopted a top-down view for the ant nest. This change brings several advantages:

• Better visibility of tunnels and ant movement.
• Clearer overview of what’s happening inside the nest.
• Easier navigation and simulation adjustments.

With this new approach, i ensure that all nest structures remain fully functional while also improving the game play experience.

New Navigation System: Grid & Splines

With the new structure in place, the navigation system has been updated to use:

• A grid-based system for precise movement inside chambers.
• Splines for smooth movement through tunnels.

By combining these methods, ants will now navigate the nest efficiently and realistically.

Camera & Visibility Improvements

In the simulation, there will be control over both the nest and the outside terrain:

• Outside the nest, the camera moves freely, giving a full view of the terrain.
• To improve visibility, ants will have a floating marker with color indicating its current role and state.
• When zooming into a specific area outside the nest, foliage will fade out to clearly display ants foraging, fighting, or maybe even relaxing.

Blender Progress: Structure & Aesthetics

I’ve also made significant progress in Blender, refining the workflow and getting things done more efficiently. Below is a glimpse of the new nest structure from a top-down perspective:

Once all chambers and tunnels are fully connected and edges are aligned, I will generate depth for consistency in Unreal Engine. Than the next step will be to populate the nest with:

• Natural elements such as stones, rocks, and small twigs to create an organic feel.
• Function-specific meshes for each chamber, including:
  • Food storage
  • Resting areas
  • Entrances
  • Nursery

What’s Next?

Now that the workflow is streamlined, I can focus on expanding the nest structure and integrating the movement. I am excited to see how this all comes together in Unreal Engine!

Stay tuned for the next update, and as always, thank you for following the Hive Mind journey! 🐜🔥