3D Pathfinding without a grid or nodes question andsuggestions

[nscpr]

I am currently developing an RTS game and
wish to incorporate pathfinding into the movable units.

The problem is that all pathfinding algorithm resources
require some sort of grid to work off in order to determine
which nodes to traverse. Working in 3D does not allow the
use of a "grid" and in any case using a grid would make
my units move in "blocks" and not smoothly as is required
for the game.

My question is, can someone please lead me to a resource
or algorithm that I may have missed that will allow for
detection of obstacles (obviously using modelsUnderRay)
and provide a method for getting around the obstacles on
the map, remembering the fact that the user inputs the intended
destination with a mouse click (which I have done) and NOT
with the arrow keys.
Any suggestions to achieving this will also be appreciated.

I am working in 3D but I only use the x and y co-ordinates
as the terrain of the maps are flat, and therefore z remains 0.:confused;

[necromanthus]

[url]http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/webforums/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=268&threadid=1148737[/url]
have fun

[nscpr]

thank you for your speedy reply but unfortunately the most important links in
that topic
namely
[url]http://www.station-zero.com/medion/demos/pathfind.htm[/url]
[url]http://www.station-zero.com/medion/demos/pathfind.zip[/url]
seem to have been taken off the net.
It sounds like a very good tutorial and it would be a shame if it doesn't
exist somewher else.
If anyone has these 2 files please let me know
thank you

[Skavengur]

I've been looking for a similar tutorial. This isn't exactly what you're
looking for, but this book may help - Oreilly's AI for Game Developers. All the
examples are in C++, but they are easily understandable if you know lingo. It
has a really great example of obstacle avoidance in a continuous environment
(not tiled). I think it would apply to your situation nicely. It also has
several other great examples of flocking, ect.