AStar Game Component for XNA and PC

This A* XNA Component is designed from the ground up, to take full advantage of the XBoxs threading capabilities. The A* component contains an A* Manager, with three A* path finding engines, allowing for 3 simultaneous path searches, while also maintaing excellent performance and low G.C.(Garbage Collection). Performance is achieved and maintained, due to key concepts incorporated into the A* component, like the Cheap List[3] methology. Also the Closed List[4] is eliminated all together, since an array with Enum types are used to quickly update the status of A* nodes inside the core A* algorithm. The A* XNA component also contains the A*-Graph, which allows for directly tracking blocked/unblocked nodes; a vital part of the pathfinding formula. Furthermore, the A*-Graph accepts point-value setting, to influence different parts of the map; for example, higher point-values represent rough terrain, and lower point-values represent passable terrain. The A*-Graph is automatically used in the core A* algorithm, influencing the overall pathfinding search results.

Main Features: A* Manager, cordinating requests internally with the A* engines. 3-Thread engine design, using all 3 processors on the Xbox-360. Designed to maintain a low GC (Garbage Collection). Optimized A* engine using concepts like the Cheap List to reduce search times. A* Graph, tracking Blocked/Unblocked path nodes. Designed to run on Windows and Xbox-360 platforms. Can be Late-Bind to the TemporalWars 3D engine.