Pathfinder 2023.3

What's New

This version of Pathfinder uses version 20.0.2+9 of the OpenJDK Java VM.

Custom Avatar Animations

Custom animations can be used in a variety of scenarios, ranging from egress to general circulation. They can depict actions as diverse as occupants giving and receiving CPR, occupants limping through a corridor, or occupants simply conversing on a sidewalk.

We've made importing and using custom animations as seamless as possible, while still maintaining the flexibility customers have come to expect from Pathfinder.

To get started, users can download custom animations in the FBX file format from a variety of online sources, though Pathfinder has been extensively tested with animations from Mixamo. Once the animation has been downloaded, simply import it using the Animations dialog (found under Model -> Manage Animation Database). Next, choose the animation type - Move animations are used when an occupant is moving, and Idle animations are used when the occupant is stationary. Finally, associate the animation with a set of tags, so it can be matched later to an occupant's profile.

Once the animation has been imported, it can now be used with any avatar, including those that ship with Pathfinder and those imported by you. Simply match it to the occupant's Idle or Move Animation profile property using the associated tags. This can be done in the Edit Profiles dialog (Model -> Edit Profiles -> Animation).

Alternatively, use the Change Profile Property behavior action to change the animation dynamically during the simulation.

Next, run your simulation, and see your custom animations in action in Pathfinder Results.

For more information, see the Pathfinder User Manual, <strong>Importing Custom Animations</strong>.

Look-at and Look-ahead Behavior Actions

Using the Look At behavior action, occupants can be directed to orient their body toward another occupant. This feature uses the occupant tagging system introduced in Pathfinder 2023.2. After using the Look At action, occupants will perform subsequent actions with their body oriented toward the other occupant. The accompanying Look Ahead action directs the occupants to look forward once again.

In the video above, you can see the Look At and Look Ahead features in action. Toward the end of the video, the two friends use the expanded trigger capability introduced in 2023.2 to cause one friend to "see" and wave at the other, then he stops, and they have a brief chat. They both use the Look At action to make sure they're facing each other. When finished, they both Look Ahead, and he continues on his way.

The behavior used by the friends' triggers is as follows:

For more information, see the Pathfinder User Manual.

New Trigger Awareness Requirements

This release expands on Pathfinder 2023.2's trigger enhancements by adding additional awareness requirements. For instance, potential occupants can now be made to only consider a trigger if they have seen it (or any other from its template) 4 times or have been in the awareness region for at least 10 seconds. In the example below, occupants will only move to the refuge rooms if they have seen at least three firefighters in their vicinity.

To access the additional requirements, in Pathfinder, select the trigger, and edit the Awareness Requirements.

For more information, see the Pathfinder User Manual.

Changes since Pathfinder 2023.2.0816:

Animations

• Added support for Custom Avatar Animations. Animations can be applied to any Avatar and changed as part of an Occupant's Behavior. Animations can be imported in the Animations Database dialog. Documentation

Simulator Output

• Added the ability to output results files to an additional JSON format. Documentation
• Added a Cumulative *_out.json file that combines other JSON output files into a single JSON object. Documentation
• Added a new *_dt.csv output file that records simulation performance over time. This can be used to help debug performance bottlenecks in the simulation.

Tags

• Added additional Trigger awareness requirement options, including Minimum Awareness Count and Minimum Awareness Time.Documentation
• Added the ability to limit Social Distancing to specific Occupants by Tag. Documentation

Behaviors

• Added Look-At and Look-Ahead Behavior Actions to control Occupant orientation. Documentation

Other Updates

• Updated import libraries for IFC and DWG files.
• Improved simulator performance in certain geometrically-complex models.
• Improved backwards compatibility of the FDS integration.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed a crash that could occur when selecting an Occupant in the debug window while the simulation was running.
• Fixed a bug that could cause the simulation to crash when Assisted Evacuation Occupants pass through a Door in formation.
• Fixed a runtime crash when a disabled Door is selected as an Exit.
• Fixed a visual artifact on tool buttons after canceling sticky mode while using the Light Theme.
• Fixed a bug that could cause the paste action to remain disabled even if there is valid data on the system clipboard.
• Fixed a bug where Pathfinder might generate incorrect txt input files for models using multiple Vehicle shapes.
• Fixed a localization issue in Pathfinder bug reporter dialog.
• Fixed a bug where simulation snapshots could only be resumed from their original location.
• Fixed a bug where resuming a simulation snapshot would overwrite the Trigger and Occupant Target CSV files rather than appending to them.
• Fixed a bug where duplicate object names could be entered.
• Fixed an issue where the Check for Updates dialog would direct users of localized builds to a non-localized update path.

Changes to Results:

Animations

• Added support for Custom Avatar Animations.
• Improved performance by caching Animations and Avatars.

Video Export

• Added a command line argument to export videos of 3D results.