A* Pathfinder
A Hands-On Educational Demonstration of the A-Star Algorithm
The A* (A-star) algorithm is one of the most widely used and efficient pathfinding techniques in game development. With A* Pathfinder, you can explore how this powerful algorithm works through an interactive, step-by-step demonstration. Designed for both students and game developers, this tool provides a visual and intuitive way to grasp the underlying mechanics of pathfinding in games. Developed in the Modular Game Engine as a small tech-demo and integration test for the dithering and partial redraw features.
What is the A* Pathfinding Algorithm?
At its core, A* is an optimal traversal algorithm used to find the shortest path between two points on a grid or graph. It's especially important in game development for controlling non-player character (NPC) movements, navigation, and AI behavior. Whether you're guiding a character through a maze or planning routes in a strategy game, A* ensures the most efficient path is chosen.
Pathfinding in action!
How A* Works:
An extension of Dijkstra's Algorithm, A* operates by evaluating and balancing two key factors:
- The Cost to Reach a Node (G): This is the distance from the start point to the current node.
- Estimated Cost to the Goal (H): Also known as the heuristic, this is the estimated distance from the current node to the goal, often calculated as the Manhattan or Euclidean distance.
By combining these values into a total cost (F = G + H), A* intelligently prioritizes which paths to explore, ensuring it finds the most efficient route.
Learning A* Visually
Visualizing the A* process helps students and aspiring developers understand the relationship between movement cost, heuristics, and path selection. Watching the algorithm in action makes it easier to see how it evaluates potential paths and prioritizes decisions based on calculated costs. This hands-on demonstration reinforces theoretical knowledge with practical, interactive learning.
Key Features
- Single-Stepping Through Pathfinding: Press [Z] to advance the search step-by-step, allowing you to observe how costs are computed and how the path is selected.
- Rapid Solution: Hold [Z] to let the algorithm run automatically, watching how it dynamically solves the problem.
- Toggle Fullscreen and Windowed Mode: Press [Alt]+[Enter] to switch between windowed and fullscreen modes.
- Bonus Features for Game Engine Testing: Use the arrow keys to modify the background dither pattern and experiment with colors, designed for testing the Modular Game Engine's dither pattern generation and partial redraw functionality.
- Portable or Installer: Choose between the portable app for use on-the-go or a quick installation via TSetup.
Get Started with A* Pathfinder
Whether you're a student eager to master algorithms or a game developer refining NPC navigation, A* Pathfinder provides a visual, interactive way to understand one of the most important algorithms in the field.
Download TSetup installer (Win2K+/ReactOS): [Pathfind.zip] (165KB).
Download portable version (Win95+/ReactOS): [PathfindP.zip] (158KB).