AStar

An other A* library. You can use the node or map mode you like(gird, point, mesh or infinite map).

The library don't need to init a map and don't care the size of your map. We just tell the algo how to get node, neighbors and estimate cost.

Base algorithm logic referenced a-star-lua

Use

A example for grid map

local AStar = require 'astar'

local map = {}
local cached_nodes = {}

-- Node must be able to check if they are the same
-- Cannot directly return different tables for the same coord
-- The library doesn't change nodes, so you able to reuse your node or create a C struct for faster
local function get_node(x, y)
  local row = cached_nodes[y]
  if not row then row = {}; cached_nodes[y] = row end
  local node = row[x]
  if not node then node = { x = x, y = y }; row[x] = node end
  return node
end

local neighbors_offset = {
  { -1, -1 }, { 0, -1 }, { 1, -1 },
  { -1, 0 }, { 1, 0 },
  { -1, 1 }, { 0, 1 }, { 1, 1 },
}
-- Return all neighbor nodes. Means a target that can be moved from the current node
-- add_neighbor_cb: function(new_node, cost)
--    cost is optional, call map:get_cost to get cost if no cost value
function map:get_neighbors(node, from_node, add_neighbor_cb, userdata)
  for i, offset in ipairs(neighbors_offset) do
    add_neighbor_cb(get_node(node.x + offset[1], node.y + offset[2]))
  end
end

-- Cost of two adjacent nodes.
-- Distance, distance + cost or other comparison value you want
function map:get_cost(from_node, to_node, userdata)
  return math.sqrt(math.pow(from_node.x - to_node.x, 2) + math.pow(from_node.y - to_node.y, 2))
end

-- For heuristic. Estimate cost of current node to goal node
-- As close to the real cost as possible
function map:estimate_cost(node, goal_node, userdata)
  return self:get_cost(node, goal_node)
end

local finder = AStar.new(map)
local start, goal = get_node(1, 1), get_node(3, 4)
local userdata = { 'mydata' }
local path = finder:find(start, goal, userdata)

if path then
  for _, node in ipairs(path) do
    print(node.x, node.y)
  end
else
  print("Not found path")
end

And you can try to run the main.lua by Love2d

Better path

This article tells us how to generate a smooth path with a turning radius.