3D Mesh Pathfinding

[kryptonite]

Alright so assume I want to code an advanced pathfinding using not the commonly used "waypoints" method, but a much more accurate "3D-Mesh Navigation" method. I want to be able to read the mesh nodes and find the best path possible, but I am not sure how to build these nodes optimally. An example of meshes I'm looking to build are found here - http://www.ai-blog.net/archives/000152.html

[Zaita]

Look at the A* (A-Star) algorithm.

[kryptonite]

Sorry if I'm wrong, I haven't looked at in a while, but how in the heck is that going to help me? A* is just a really loose and customizable code for pathfinding using nodes, but if I remember right it definitely doesn't tell you how to build those nodes.

[Zaita]

Whenever you run the A* algorithm for pathfinding, you're always running it on some kind of a graph, whether it's a square grid, a waypoint graph, a navigation mesh, or what have you.

In most cases, navigation meshes have performance similar to waypoint graphs. In cases where they cover the same area with fewer nodes (such as Figure 6), a navigation mesh can actually be significantly faster.