Minion Agents

A Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) is a form of Real-Time Strategy game in which the player controls a powerful agent called the "Hero" in a world populated with simple, weak, fully computer-controlled agents called "Minions." In this project, I will implement the decision-making for Minion agents.

A MOBA has two teams. Each team has a base, which is protected by a number of towers. The goal is to destroy the opponent's base. In MOBAs, bases periodically spawn Minion agents, who automatically attack the enemy towers and bases. Towers and bases can defend themselves; they target Minions before targeting Heroes. Thus Minions provide cover for Heroes, who are much more powerful.

In this project, I will implement a MOBA that only has Minions (no Heroes).

Typically in a MOBA there are three routes Minions can follow to get to the enemy base—a route through the center with a large melee area, and two routes around the edges of the map—and minions would randomly follow one path. In the MOBA I am building, minions will use A* to follow the shortest path. Gates will randomly appear, sometimes blocking a route and Minions will need to plan paths along alternate routes. There will always be one route open. I will build off my previous navigation mesh and path network generation.

A recommended minion decision-making procedure is as follows. If there are towers, Minions automatically navigate to within attacking distance of an enemy tower. If there are no enemy towers, Minions automatically navigate to within attacking distance of enemy bases. Minions can shoot at towers, bases, and enemy agents. Targets are prioritized as follows: closest enemy tower, closest enemy base, closest enemy minion.

The bases will automatically spawn Minion agents, after a fixed interval of time; bases will be limited in the number of Minions that can be alive at any given time. Bases are invulnerable as long as there are towers remaining, so towers must be targeted and destroyed first.

Built With

• python