Optimalisasi Visual Rendering pada Pathfinding dalam Aplikasi Permainan Edukatif “Nokidnap” Menggunakan Algoritma A*

Abstract

In the current digital era, the development of gaming applications has become the primary focus of the entertainment industry. The continuous growth of the video game market drives developers to innovate and deliver outstanding features. One such feature that significantly impacts the quality of gameplay is pathfinding, which not only determines direction or distance but also creates a more engaging and dynamic gaming experience. In this context, the A* (A-Star) algorithm emerges as a crucial choice due to its accuracy and high performance. However, this algorithm is not without limitations, particularly when facing environmental complexity and performance adjustments. Therefore, this research aims to optimize visual rendering in pathfinding within the educational gaming application “NoKidnap” using the A* algorithm. “NoKidnap” is a gaming application specifically designed to enhance children's cognitive skills and agility, particularly for children aged 7-11 years. The focus of pathfinding usage in this application is to facilitate players in navigating the main character, Leafy, towards predetermined goals while enhancing player engagement and appeal. It is hoped that the findings of this research will contribute to the development of more interactive and engaging educational gaming applications for young users and be beneficial to the game development industry.