Example Scenarios

Step by Step Guides

This section provides practical step-by-step examples for setting up the Runtime NavMesh Baker in different scenarios.

Tip: The package includes 2 example scenes that match these 2 scenarios.

Example 1: Static Scene with Runtime Baking

Use this setup when you have a large but mostly static scene (e.g., an open map with buildings/props) where you just want AI to navigate near the player, without baking a giant navmesh in advance.

Steps

Add the Service
- From the menu, go to GameObject → Runtime NavMesh Baker → Add NavMeshBakerService.
- This automatically creates a NavMeshBakerService in your scene.
Create a Profile
- Right-click in the Project window → Create → Runtime NavMesh Baker → Bake Profile.
- Assign this profile to the service.
- Recommended starting settings:
  - Bake Mode = Continuous AABB
  - Base Bounds Size = (20, 20, 20)
  - Move Threshold = 3m
Assign a Center Target
- Drag your Player GameObject (or Main Camera) into the Center Target field.
Add a Dynamic Surface
- Select your level root or terrain object.
- From the menu, choose GameObject → Runtime NavMesh Baker → Add DynamicNavMeshSurface.
- Configure Collect Geometry (RenderMeshes or PhysicsColliders).
Play & Test
- Enter Play mode.
- The navmesh will automatically bake around the player as they move.
- AI agents can now spawn and pathfind in the baked region.

Example 2: Procedural / Streaming World

Use this setup when you have a procedural or streaming environment (e.g., procgen terrain, modular tiles, or streamed chunks).

Steps

Add the Service
- Use GameObject → Runtime NavMesh Baker → Add NavMeshBakerService to add the service.
Create a Profile
- Right-click in the Project window → Create → Runtime NavMesh Baker → Bake Profile.
- Assign the profile to the service.
- Recommended starting settings:
  - Bake Mode = Grid Cells
  - Cell Size XZ = (32, 32) (match your tile size)
  - Cell Height = 20
  - Rings = 1 (3×3 cells)
  - Cell Rebake Interval = 0.25s
  - Hysteresis = 0.15
Assign a Center Target
- Drag your Player GameObject (or Camera) into the Center Target field.
Mark Surfaces as Dynamic
- Add DynamicNavMeshSurface to any tile, chunk, or prefab that should participate in baking.
- Surfaces automatically register/unregister with the service when spawned/destroyed.
Spawn Procedural Content
- Ensure new objects are on a layer included in the profile’s Layer Mask.
- Place them under a DynamicNavMeshSurface so they’re collected at bake time.
Play & Test
- Enter Play mode.
- As the player moves, navmesh cells stream in/out around them.
- AI can immediately pathfind in newly spawned areas.

Example 3: One-Shot Full Scene Bake

Use this setup when you want to bake the entire scene once at runtime and never rebake again. This is ideal for large handcrafted maps where:

You don’t want to pre-bake in the editor (e.g., long bake times or editor crashes).
You only need one complete navmesh without streaming or continuous updates.

Steps

Add the Service
- From the menu: GameObject → Runtime NavMesh Baker → Add NavMeshBakerService
- This creates a NavMeshBakerService in your scene.
Create a Profile
- Right-click in the Project window → Create → Runtime NavMesh Baker → Bake Profile
- Assign this profile to the service.
- Recommended starting settings:
  - Bake Mode = Continuous AABB
  - Base Bounds Size = Match the extents of your full map (e.g., (2000, 200, 2000))
  - Rebake Interval = 0 (disables rebaking)
  - Auto Start = On
Mark Surfaces as Dynamic
- Add DynamicNavMeshSurface to your terrain, level root, or any GameObject that should contribute geometry.
- Configure Collect Geometry (RenderMeshes or PhysicsColliders).
Trigger the Bake Once
- In the inspector, select your NavMeshBakerService and press Bake Now.
- At runtime, the service will build the entire navmesh in a single pass.
- After completion, no further bakes are scheduled.
Play & Test
- Enter Play Mode.
- Once the one-shot bake finishes, AI agents can spawn and navigate across the full map.
- No ongoing baking will occur.

Notes

Startup Delay — For very large scenes, allow time for the one-shot bake to complete before spawning agents. Use the OnBakeCompleted event to synchronize spawns.
Memory Usage — A one-shot bake may produce a large navmesh data set; ensure your platform can handle the memory footprint.
No Streaming — This mode trades streaming efficiency for simplicity. Use Grid Cells mode (Example 2) if you need dynamic or infinite worlds.
Hybrid Approach — You can combine one-shot baking for a static base map with continuous baking for spawned/dynamic content.

Common Pitfalls & Tips

Use the Create Menu Always prefer GameObject → Runtime NavMesh Baker → … to add services and surfaces — this ensures default settings are sensible.
Don’t Forget Dynamic Surfaces If nothing bakes, check that your level or tiles have DynamicNavMeshSurface components.
Match Cell Size to Tiles In grid mode, set Cell Size XZ equal to your tile or chunk size. This keeps baking aligned with content.
AI Agents Need a NavMesh If you see warnings like Failed to create agent because there is no valid NavMesh, ensure a bake has finished before spawning agents. You can enqueue an initial bake via the service’s inspector.
Balance Concurrency Keep Max Concurrent Bakes low (1–2) to avoid CPU spikes.
Use Area Costs Wisely Set traversal costs in the profile to make AI prefer roads, avoid hazards, etc.

Next Steps

See the Service page for advanced API (manual bakes, events).
See the Profile page for detailed field explanations.
Check the Upgrading page if migrating from the legacy NavMeshBaker.

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Last updated 12 days ago