Implement recast navigation

[Albertos]

I’m looking for someone who would like to implement the recast navigation from GitHub into PlayCanvas.

With this I want to create a template that other users can use in their project. I think it would be great if pathfinding was finally possible in PlayCanvas.

GitHub - isaac-mason/recast-navigation-js: A WebAssembly port of Recast...

Unfortunately, I don’t have the necessary basic knowledge to start with this, so perhaps a first start or a similar project with another GitHub intergration (to use as an example) can help as well.

Thanks!

[Brent_Reddick]

This would be awesome!

[isaacmason]

Hi! I’d be happy to help with this

What’s the current playcanvas story for using dependencies from npm? I recall seeing a tweet teasing support for npm packages but I don’t know if that’s released?

I also added an example to the repo for using the library without a bundler via a CDN, which could help here: recast-navigation-js/examples/no-bundler/index.html at main · isaac-mason/recast-navigation-js · GitHub

That example uses three.js for rendering, and uses some utilities in @recast-navigation/three for getting positions and indices from three.js meshes, but the core library isn’t tied to three.js at all. A playcanvas implementation of the debug drawer could easily be created as well.

[yaustar]

NPM support coming sometime later this year. For the moment, they need to generate a UMD version with the dependencies to use within the editor

[Albertos]

Hi @isaacmason and welcome!

Thanks a lot for your reply!

@isaacmason

What’s the current playcanvas story for using dependencies from npm? I recall seeing a tweet teasing support for npm packages but I don’t know if that’s released?

As @yaustar already mentioned, this is not available yet unfortunately.

@isaacmason

I also added an example to the repo for using the library without a bundler via a CDN, which could help here: recast-navigation-js/examples/no-bundler/index.html at main · isaac-mason/recast-navigation-js · GitHub

That example uses three.js for rendering, and uses some utilities in @recast-navigation/three for getting positions and indices from three.js meshes, but the core library isn’t tied to three.js at all. A playcanvas implementation of the debug drawer could easily be created as well.

It’s probably not that difficult, but even though I can do some coding, I’m not a developer.

That’s why I was hoping for some help.

[isaacmason]

Thanks for the info @yaustar! And no worries @Albertos.

Right now recast-navigation-js only has an ESM build.

If ESM isn’t supported and it’s not on the roadmap, I can consider adding a UMD build.

[isaacmason]

Though it looks like using ESM dependencies is at least possible with importmap?

[SOLVED] How to use PlayCanvas with importmap

Hello, guys! What should I change in my example: Error message: importmap is invalid, please check your importmap script. It must be a valid JSON. Sandbox: PlayCanvas as ESM with importmap <!-- Since import maps are not yet supported by all browsers, its is necessary to add the polyfill es-module-shims.js --> <script async src="https://unpkg.com/es-module-shims@1.7.3/dist/es-module-shims.js"></script> <script type="importmap"> { "imports": { …

PlayCanvas as ESM with importmap

[yaustar]

That post was for engine only. ESM modules support is on the road map and is currently being worked on for a release or beta test over the next few months

For now, I would use a UMD build or browserify it

How to js import into other scripts

For anyone landing on this topic, we are actively working on native ES Modules support, you can track progress in the Github PR below.

[isaacmason]

Thanks for the clarification noted

For now I’ll wait until ESM is supported to create a playcanvas demo, unless anyone specifically wants help with this before then.