Package de.bsommerfeld.pathetic.api.pathing.heuristic

Class SquaredHeuristicStrategy

java.lang.Object
de.bsommerfeld.pathetic.api.pathing.heuristic.SquaredHeuristicStrategy
All Implemented Interfaces:
IHeuristicStrategy
public class SquaredHeuristicStrategy extends Object implements IHeuristicStrategy
A performance-optimized heuristic strategy using squared distance metrics.

This implementation evaluates nodes using a weighted sum of squared distances:

  • Squared Manhattan distance
  • Squared Octile distance
  • Squared perpendicular deviation from the start-target line
  • Squared vertical height difference

By avoiding sqrt operations and working in squared space, this heuristic is significantly faster than LinearHeuristicStrategy, while maintaining consistency and admissibility if weights are tuned appropriately.

Ideal for high-performance pathfinding in large 3D environments.

  • Constructor Details

    • SquaredHeuristicStrategy

      public SquaredHeuristicStrategy()

  • Method Details

    • calculate

      public double calculate(HeuristicContext context)
      Description copied from interface: IHeuristicStrategy
      Calculates the heuristic value (estimated cost) from the current position to the target.

      This method computes an estimate of the remaining cost to reach the target from the current position. The heuristic should be admissible (never overestimate the actual cost) to ensure optimal pathfinding results.

      Common heuristic functions include:

      • Manhattan distance for grid-based movement
      • Euclidean distance for free movement
      • Octile distance for diagonal movement
      • Combined metrics considering elevation and terrain
      Specified by:
      calculate in interface IHeuristicStrategy
      Parameters:
      context - the context containing information about the current position, target position, and other relevant pathfinding data
      Returns:
      the estimated cost from the current position to the target, must be non-negative
      See Also:

    • calculateTransitionCost

      public double calculateTransitionCost(PathPosition from, PathPosition to)
      Description copied from interface: IHeuristicStrategy
      Calculates the actual transition cost between two adjacent positions.

      This method determines the cost of moving from one position to another. The cost should reflect the actual difficulty or expense of the movement, taking into account factors such as:

      • Distance between positions
      • Terrain difficulty
      • Elevation changes
      • Movement penalties

      The transition cost is used to calculate the G-cost (actual cost from start) in the A* algorithm.

      Specified by:
      calculateTransitionCost in interface IHeuristicStrategy
      Parameters:
      from - the starting position of the movement
      to - the destination position of the movement
      Returns:
      the cost of moving from the 'from' position to the 'to' position, must be positive for valid movements
      See Also: