Hey, so I’m currently working on a zombie wave game which has set spawn points for the enemies to spawn at, Currently I’m testing things and I’m only using one room and have no map, but I’m looking to add a map and I’m questioning how I could move or set new spawn points for the enemies depending where the player is on the map any help is much appreciated.
Depending on what you want, you could either change the locations of your existing spawn points, or you could put spawn points throughout the map and only make the ones within a certain distance of the player active. It’s hard to be more specific without knowing how you are setting things up.
Here few methods, more procedural or manually placed. Generally spawn point should be not visible for player, this is first.
In many games, you have placed manually spawn points (whatever they calling it) then game check, this is in right place (near player and not visible for player). If place is correct - it can spawn ai if necessary.
Also you can spawn and activate procedurally you spawn points in some distance from player, but this can be really hard coded and make bugs with spawns in undesirable places.
Here is great tutorial how L4D (and L4D2) spawn enemy (and not only, doc worth read anyway) https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/apps/valve/2009/ai_systems_of_l4d_mike_booth.pdf
In short words how this system works in l4d (and many other games):
- on design stage select areas where ai can spawn. You can place here spawn actor [S] or volume on bigger place - in this case you must later find random point to create here spawn actor [S].
- gameplay - if spawn is necessary, check all [S] point in desired distance from player - if any - go point 3
- check that [S] point is visible for player. You can use traces - line or sphere. If not visible - you can spawn AI
- spawn ai in selected [S] place
This is short idea how it should work. As I understand, you know how to do rest.