Comparison of different grid abstractions for pathfinding on maps

Abstract

Pathfinding on a map is a fundamental problem in many applications, including robotics and computer games. Typically a grid is superimposed over the map where each cell in the grid forms a unique state. A state-space-based search algorithm, such as A* or IDA*, is then used for finding the optimal (shortest) path. In this paper we analyze the search behavior of both A* and IDA* using different grid representations, providing various new insights via analytical and empirical results.