Pathing & Movement

[TheXWolf]

(Before anyone barks at me for not posting in the alpha forums; it's mainly because I want a public opinion and I'm not simply whining about a bug.)

So I've searched around but haven't noticed in the IV forums any news on pathing. I really like that even though this game is 2d, the units don't only make
90 degree turns, which annoys me in games; here they're smooth transitions and curves. But I've also noticed that everyone (guards, staff, inmates etc)
have a bad habit of ignoring the type of ground around them. Has Chris or anyone @ IV said anything about implementing this?

I know there are people who don't care too much about who goes where and with areas like grass you would want the movement to be random,
but when you have say; a straight line of concrete tiles in front of a building, and guards choose to ignore it, walking through grass or dirt wasting time
getting where they're trying to go, doesn't it bother you? I know I'm probably just being overly precise, but I was wondering if there were plans to
tweak this or if there's a general consensus at all.

[Xoligy]

Tweeking does not happen till beta phase.

Does it annoy me whenshort cuts are used? sure, but its alpha they are only adding new features beta is when they tweek.

[Daiky]

Suppose I want to make my paths in grass and have it surrounded with tiles, how will that work? I want them to walk on the grass, not the concrete, but there is no property of the floor tiles that says it is only to be used for paths. I think it's all nice and efficient that they walk in straight lines... it's not like it's an amusement park where visitors don't want to get their shoes dirty :p

[Aevoryll]

Honestly, I have been watching where the pathing bugs occur and I think, though it may be a lot of coding (I am NOT a programmer), the fix would be rather simple. Like you suggest, limiting movement from all types to just horizontal and vertical would solve most of these issues. However, I'm not sure if an option like that will be implimented.

[Novbert]

(Before anyone barks at me for not posting in the alpha forums; it's mainly because I want a public opinion and I'm not simply whining about a bug.)

So I've searched around but haven't noticed in the IV forums any news on pathing. I really like that even though this game is 2d, the units don't only make
90 degree turns, which annoys me in games; here they're smooth transitions and curves. But I've also noticed that everyone (guards, staff, inmates etc)
have a bad habit of ignoring the type of ground around them. Has Chris or anyone @ IV said anything about implementing this?

I know there are people who don't care too much about who goes where and with areas like grass you would want the movement to be random,
but when you have say; a straight line of concrete tiles in front of a building, and guards choose to ignore it, walking through grass or dirt wasting time
getting where they're trying to go, doesn't it bother you? I know I'm probably just being overly precise, but I was wondering if there were plans to
tweak this or if there's a general consensus at all.

I thought it already works like that. In my latest prison the guys (guards and prisoners alike) all used the concrete pavement between the grassy fields to get to and back from the kitchen - but maybe this only happened because the doors of the kitchen and the cell blocks were aligned with a straight line inbetween.
Could you share some screenshots of your setup in which the problem appears?

[TheXWolf]

First let me say that after updating to 13 (I haven't played since 11, and maybe there have been some pathing updates...
I've noticed guards are especially more aware of the ground. Also, btw, I said I like that they don't make sharp terms,
not that I want them to.

limiting movement from all types to just horizontal and vertical would solve most of these issues.

As a programmer, I know that pathing is a royal pain the the hind end, and that making them choose
one type of ground over the other isn't that hard, but it's tedious.

I thought it already works like that. In my latest prison the guys (guards and prisoners alike) all used the concrete pavement between the grassy fields to get to and back from the kitchen - but maybe this only happened because the doors of the kitchen and the cell blocks were aligned with a straight line inbetween.
Could you share some screenshots of your setup in which the problem appears?

However, I've noticed that it's more the staff that screws up, cooks in particular; I had one bypass concrete into dirt despite the fact the concrete was not only closer
to the destination, but lined up with the doorway. It would seem he picked the shortest route.

Tweeking does not happen till beta phase.

Many (even small) companies choose to tweak randomly during phases, IV has done so already numerous times.
As I said before, this was merely an thread on opinions and I'm not by any means complaining. I enjoy the way they move,
and the way the game overall plays. I'm happy the guards are as smart as they are.

[paktsardines]

But I've also noticed that everyone (guards, staff, inmates etc)
have a bad habit of ignoring the type of ground around them. Has Chris or anyone @ IV said anything about implementing this?

Yes, this has been discussed already _in the developer forum_ where, coicidentally, had he said anything about it, it would be the most likely place to find it.

Sorry, but I don't understand your reasoning for posting here. The people in the Developer forum are far more likely to have your answers. You can still get your 'public opinion' there, just from a more informed public.

[TheXWolf]

Sorry, but I don't understand your reasoning for posting here. The people in the Developer forum are far more likely to have your answers. You can still get your 'public opinion' there, just from a more informed public.

Ok as I said I didn't bother to look at the dev forums yet because I wanted a broader opinion. Here's the problem, in comparison, not that many people as post here.
Informed public doesn't mean much to me, because I wanted a public opinion. (Public and informed have a habit of being mutually exclusive.)
As Daiky said:

Suppose I want to make my paths in grass and have it surrounded with tiles, how will that work? I want them to walk on the grass, not the concrete, but there is no property of the floor tiles that says it is only to be used for paths.

I just feel like this is a better place to post. I honestly never check there.

[xander]

So you specifically want an uninformed opinion? What use could that possibly serve?

xander

[TheXWolf]

My own, what's it to you? The difference between these forums and the others, here you have IV fans that don't have the game.
A public, unbiased, speculative decision...I'm gonna stop posting on this topic cus I see the people that do nothing put post here all
day are on their rag cus I'm not doing something uniformed again.

[xander]

I see the people that do nothing put post here all day are on their rag...

Yeah, okay, you are officially on my "Idiots to ignore list." Bye.

xander