My AI logic was correct. The Move To node was firing. But the AI just stood there doing nothing.
This post is part of my daily learning journey in game development.
I’m sharing what I learn each day — the basics, the confusion, and the real progress — from the perspective of a beginner.
On Day 35 of my game development journey, I learned how AI movement works using NavMesh in Unreal Engine 5.
What I tried / learned today
I learned that AI movement in Unreal Engine depends completely on NavMesh (Navigation Mesh). NavMesh shows where AI characters are allowed to walk. In the viewport, green areas mean walkable paths for AI.
I learned some useful debug shortcuts:
- Press ; to open AI Debug View
- Press P to visualize the NavMesh
To make AI movement work, I:
- Added a NavMeshBoundsVolume
- Scaled it to cover the playable floor area
- Rebuilt navigation so the NavMesh updates
Once the NavMesh was visible, I used the AI Move To node to move the AI character. Only after this setup did the AI actually start moving.
What confused me
At first, I was confused why the AI wasn’t moving at all.
I didn’t realize:
- NavMesh was completely missing
- Green walkable areas were not generated
- AI stops moving if it reaches a non-walkable area
- AI needs a proper AI Controller to receive movement commands
Everything looked correct in Blueprint, but movement still failed.
What worked or finally clicked
I finally understood that AI cannot move without NavMesh. If there’s no green area, there’s no valid path. Debug views helped me instantly see what was wrong instead of guessing.
I also learned that:
- NavMeshBoundsVolume must fully cover the floor
- Navigation must be rebuilt after level changes
- NavMesh works only on geometry with proper collision
Once those were correct, AI movement felt predictable and reliable.
One lesson for beginners
- AI movement always depends on NavMesh
- Use debug tools before debugging logic
- NavMeshBoundsVolume placement matters
- Green NavMesh means a valid path
- Always check floor collision
Slow progress — but I’m building a strong foundation.
If you’re also learning game development,
what was the first thing that confused you when you started?
See you in the next post 🎮🚀
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