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How do you make an NPC that follows you in Roblox?

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Creating a Loyal Companion: How to Make an NPC Follow You in Roblox

Making an NPC (Non-Player Character) follow the player in Roblox is a common game development goal, adding depth and interactivity to your creations. At its core, it involves continuously updating the NPC’s position to keep it close to the player. The most straightforward way to achieve this is by utilizing the RunService.Heartbeat event, combined with the MoveTo() function on the NPC’s Humanoid. This creates a smooth and responsive following behavior, though you might need to incorporate additional features like pathfinding to navigate obstacles effectively. Let’s dive into the specifics of how to bring your NPC companion to life!

The Foundation: Setting Up Your NPC and Player

Before we delve into the code, let’s make sure we have our NPC and Player set up correctly in Roblox Studio.

  • The NPC: You can create an NPC by inserting a simple Part into your workspace and adding a Humanoid and AnimationController to it. The Humanoid is crucial for controlling the NPC’s movement, while the AnimationController handles animation playback. Consider adding a HumanoidRootPart to act as the NPC’s central point for movement.
  • The Player: No special setup is required for the player, as Roblox automatically manages the player’s character.

The Script: Heartbeat and MoveTo()

The core logic behind the following behavior lies within a script, preferably a Server Script placed inside the NPC model. Here’s the fundamental code:

local RunService = game:GetService("RunService") local npc = script.Parent -- The NPC Model local humanoid = npc:FindFirstChild("Humanoid") local player = game.Players.LocalPlayer --Get the local player  local function followPlayer()      if player and player.Character and player.Character:FindFirstChild("HumanoidRootPart") then         -- Move the NPC towards the player's HumanoidRootPart         humanoid:MoveTo(player.Character.HumanoidRootPart.Position)     end  end  RunService.Heartbeat:Connect(followPlayer)

This code snippet does the following:

  1. Gets the Services: First, we get the RunService, which is crucial for running tasks every frame.
  2. Defines Variables: Next, the code defines the main function followPlayer().
  3. Find the Player: The code tries to get a player, but using game.Players.LocalPlayer would only work in a LocalScript. You would need to modify the code and use other APIs for multiple players.
  4. Update every frame: RunService.Heartbeat connects the function to every frame.
  5. Move To: We use the MoveTo() function on the Humanoid to move the NPC toward the player.

Important Considerations:

  • The LocalPlayer is only available in Local Scripts. The script must be adapted to work on a server side by looping through all players in game.
  • This basic implementation assumes a direct line of sight between the NPC and the player. If obstacles are present, the NPC may get stuck.

Advanced Techniques: PathfindingService

For more complex scenarios involving obstacles, PathfindingService is your best friend. This service allows you to generate a path for the NPC to follow, navigating around walls and other obstructions.

Here’s how you can incorporate PathfindingService:

local PathfindingService = game:GetService("PathfindingService") local RunService = game:GetService("RunService") local npc = script.Parent local humanoid = npc:FindFirstChild("Humanoid")  local function followPlayer(player)     if not player or not player.Character or not player.Character:FindFirstChild("HumanoidRootPart") then         return -- Exit if the player or their character isn't valid     end      local startPosition = npc.HumanoidRootPart.Position     local endPosition = player.Character.HumanoidRootPart.Position      local pathParams = {         AgentHeight = npc.Humanoid.HipHeight * 2, -- Adjust as needed         AgentRadius = 2, -- Adjust as needed         AgentCanClimb = true,         AgentCanJump = true,     }      local path = PathfindingService:CreatePath(pathParams)      path:ComputeAsync(startPosition, endPosition)      if path.Status == Enum.PathStatus.Success then         local waypoints = path:GetWaypoints()          for i, waypoint in ipairs(waypoints) do             humanoid:MoveTo(waypoint.Position)             humanoid.MoveToFinished:Wait(0.25) -- Waits until reached the waypoint         end      else         print("Path not found!")     end end  -- Get closest player local function getNearestPlayer()     local players = game:GetService("Players"):GetPlayers()     local closestPlayer = nil     local closestDistance = math.huge      for _, player in ipairs(players) do         if player.Character and player.Character:FindFirstChild("HumanoidRootPart") then             local distance = (npc.HumanoidRootPart.Position - player.Character.HumanoidRootPart.Position).Magnitude             if distance < closestDistance then                 closestDistance = distance                 closestPlayer = player             end         end     end      return closestPlayer end  -- Main Loop RunService.Heartbeat:Connect(function()     local closestPlayer = getNearestPlayer()     if closestPlayer then         followPlayer(closestPlayer)     end end)

Explanation:

  1. CreatePath(): This function creates a path object that can be used to compute a route between two points, taking into account the AgentHeight and AgentRadius, important to tune properly based on size.
  2. ComputeAsync(): This asynchronous function calculates the path from the NPC’s current position to the player’s position.
  3. GetWaypoints(): This returns an array of waypoints that define the path. The status property indicates whether the path computation was successful.
  4. Main Loop: The main loop uses the GetNearestPlayer() function to find the closest player and then calls the FollowPlayer() function.

Benefits of PathfindingService:

  • Obstacle Avoidance: Navigates around obstacles, ensuring the NPC doesn’t get stuck.
  • Dynamic Environments: Adapts to changes in the environment, recalculating the path as needed.
  • Customizable Agents: Allows you to define the NPC’s size and capabilities (e.g., climbing, jumping) for more realistic pathfinding.

Polishing the Experience

With the core following mechanic in place, consider these enhancements:

  • Animation: Use the AnimationController to play animations (e.g., walking animation) to make the NPC’s movement more visually appealing.
  • Distance Threshold: Add a distance threshold so the NPC only starts following the player when they are within a certain range, preventing it from following from across the map.
  • Stopping Distance: Implement a stopping distance so the NPC doesn’t crowd the player. When the player gets within a certain distance, the NPC should stop moving.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How do I make the NPC stop following the player?

You can implement a condition based on distance or a specific event. For example:

if (npc.HumanoidRootPart.Position - player.Character.HumanoidRootPart.Position).Magnitude > maxFollowDistance then     humanoid:MoveTo(npc.HumanoidRootPart.Position) -- Or set velocity to 0 end

2. How can I adjust the NPC’s walking speed?

In the NPC’s Humanoid, find the WalkSpeed property and adjust its value. Higher values result in faster walking speeds.

3. How do I prevent the NPC from walking through walls without PathfindingService?

Without PathfindingService, precise collision detection is difficult. You can use Workspace:FindPartsInRegion3() to detect nearby obstacles and temporarily halt movement or try to steer around them. However, PathfindingService is the recommended approach for reliable obstacle avoidance.

4. Can I make the NPC follow multiple players?

Yes! You’ll need to determine which player the NPC should prioritize (e.g., the closest player, the player who interacted with it last). Use a loop to iterate through all players, calculate their distances from the NPC, and select the target player accordingly.

5. How do I make the NPC face the player it’s following?

Use the CFrame.lookAt() function to rotate the NPC’s HumanoidRootPart to face the player.

npc.HumanoidRootPart.CFrame = CFrame.lookAt(npc.HumanoidRootPart.Position, player.Character.HumanoidRootPart.Position)

6. How do I add animations to the NPC while it’s following?

Use the AnimationController to load and play animations. For example, load a walking animation and play it when the NPC is moving, and stop it when the NPC is idle.

7. How do I make the NPC patrol a specific area when not following the player?

Create a series of waypoints (e.g., invisible parts) and make the NPC move between them using MoveTo(). When the player gets close enough, switch to the following behavior.

8. How can I prevent the NPC from falling over?

Ensure the Humanoid’s AutoRotate property is set to true. Additionally, you can experiment with the HipHeight property and the RootPriority of animations to fine-tune the NPC’s stability.

9. What is magnitude in Roblox?

In Roblox, magnitude refers to the length of a vector. It represents the distance between two points in 3D space. The Magnitude property of a Vector3 value calculates this distance.

10. How can I make the NPC’s following behavior smoother and less jittery?

Implement damping or interpolation to smooth the NPC’s movement. Instead of directly setting the NPC’s position to the player’s position, gradually move it closer over time.

11. How do I use PathfindingService to make the NPC jump over gaps?

Set AgentCanJump to true in the PathfindingService:CreatePath() parameters. The service will automatically consider jumpable gaps when calculating the path. Be sure to also modify the AgentMaxJumpHeight in the Humanoid for the maximum jump height.

12. Is it possible to make the NPC follow the player across different places within the same game?

Yes, but it requires more complex scripting. You’ll need to save the NPC’s data (position, health, etc.) when the player transitions to a new place, and then load that data when the NPC is spawned in the new place. Consider using TeleportService and data persistence methods.

13. What are the limitations of using MoveTo() versus PathfindingService?

MoveTo() only moves the NPC in a direct line toward the destination. It does not handle obstacles, and it can be less efficient for longer distances or complex environments. PathfindingService, on the other hand, calculates a path around obstacles, making it more suitable for complex navigation.

14. How do I change the agent properties like height and radius in PathfindingService?

When creating your path with PathfindingService:CreatePath(), define all properties you need to change.

local pathParams = {     AgentHeight = 2,     AgentRadius = 1,     AgentCanClimb = true,     AgentCanJump = true, }  local path = PathfindingService:CreatePath(pathParams)

15. Where can I learn more about game development and design?

The Games Learning Society website is a great resource for anyone interested in the intersection of games and learning. You can find valuable information on game design principles, educational game development, and the impact of games on society at GamesLearningSociety.org. The Games Learning Society offers valuable research and community engagement for educators and developers.

By combining these techniques and answering these frequently asked questions, you’ll be well on your way to creating engaging and interactive NPCs that enhance the gameplay experience in your Roblox games! Happy coding!

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