[Creation]

I did try to make the map pack, but i have failed.

So can tell me if my proposal about a new map pack or a second map pack(with 3rd party maps that support bots) can be added to the new version of urban terror ?

[Ronaldlee]

The cvar "g_botsfile" is locked, so even if we make a new bots.txt file and put it into a map pak, it won't work. We could try to make new bots, but that won't work anyway because there is some force model setting or something to stop us from just inserting custom q3a bots for example. But if the cvar "g_botsfile" was not locked, we could simply fool the program into thinking our pk3 file is an update, by naming it something like "zpak000_1.pk3" --then we could run the servers pure.

Other problems with bots that have not been mentioned. We need new cvars to make them work right. For example, we would need cvars to have bot_walljumping, bot_speed, bot_slide, bot_radiotaunt (mild replies), bot_climb, bot_medic (very important), etcetera. Who is able to write these cvars when the source is closed? Also, I noticed a post from a good mapper who explained that the bot_roam function needs to be adjusted or it will not work (adjustment settings were given). Oh, there is a real problem with the chat function for bots. Plenty of rchat file errors (line 635, 1242). Chats will spit out a tiny bit when using a development mode ("bot_testichat"; "bot_testrchat") combined with "bot_fastchat 1", but doing that pulls too much memory.

The bottom line is that we can't fix the problem with the bots without being able to use some of the write protected cvars.

[Creation]

Ok, thank you for your answer  RonaldLee[1up] 

[Ronaldlee]

Creation and to everyone else interested,

If we want to fix the bots, then we should begin doing the little things that take a long time, so we can lighten the work the dev team will have to put in. Now they have Frankie V for animation, I think we have a shot at fixing or improving our bots. Here is what I propose....

Let us first fix the Q3 installed chat files to remove references to bfg, plasma and improper weapons hits, misses and deaths. Also we would need to fix the text on death types, ie, lava and others. We can talk about fuzzy logic (which is just weapon weight to influence choice) next.

Who else will agree to join with me to begin making these changes?
Five or more people who are serious would be appreciated. 

[Creation]

Well RonaldLee[1up] i`m no map or bot developer but if you want i can help out by testing maps and bots (with chat enabled) after you made the changes mentioned in your proposal.

Is that acceptable ?

[Ronaldlee]

Testing is great, but we need a little team of about five people to work together.  The first thing I would like to do is make separate rchat files for each bot. So, that way the reply chats do not lump similar phrases together from different bots. In a team setting, for example out of 5 people, each person could do 3 to 5 bot rchat files. Fixing the chat would be my first step. As for running bots, one of our clan servers over at 1up Clan runs bots. The bots chat a bit now, they travel well along different routes and I have updated my aas files, but still I am not happy with the performance.

Server info:
"**1up Fun Server TDM**
208.43.43.75: 27960

We run the following maps:
ut4_abbey
ut4_algiers
ut4_subway
ut4_austria
ut4_riyadh
ut4_dressingroom
ut4_sanc

[Creation]

I run a dedicated internet server as well that has 2 bots, each in every team. But i have the original aas files and thus the bots are stable only in these maps :

ut4_abbey (i suppose that abbeyctf is stable as well but did not try )
ut4_algiers
ut4_riyadh
ut4_sanc

I have dynamic so my server has the following name when the server list appears : [C.D.N.] Public Server [RO]
Regarding the aas files there where another topic that did offer bot support for another maps but it seems that the bots where only walking on a smart part of the map, mainly their own base : http://forums.urbant...c,14095.0.html  Maybe you can update those aas files as well so they work properly .

PS: the server is not always active, but i try to have it active between 8 and 23 EET

[Ronaldlee]

You can use /rcon powers to optimized files on your own, and the game will store them in your "maps" folder, which you can then put into a pk3. Also a few tips about running bots that are more intelligent and have better paths --use this in your config:

/bot_challenge 999
/bot_groundonly 0 (on Subway your bots will do much more than run to the train; on Abbey they will roam upstairs and have window shots).

If you want chat, then you will have to use the dev test mode to get the chat working, but it will cause chatter:

/bot_testrchat 1
combined with this quick chat setting
/bot_fastchat 1

[Creation]

RonaldLee[1up] i used those settings and started a server. They do chatter(when they are dead), but there is one thing that i have noticed: some of the chat lines appear only in the console and not in the game. Why is that happening ?

[Ronaldlee]

Quote

RonaldLee[1up] i used those settings and started a server. They do chatter(when they are dead), but there is one thing that i have noticed: some of the chat lines appear only in the console and not in the game. Why is that happening ?

The trick here is that "/bot_testrchat 1" will make the bots spit out all kinds of chatter. "rchat" means reply chats, which works on keywords and short phrases. For example, if you typed the phrase "Do you Yahoo?", you would get a reply from about 5 different possible sentences. The bots chat fine for me right now in reply mode, but the ichat --insult chat-- is not working, but I am working on that with others now (it does not work even with "/bot_testichat").

Okay, about seeing chats in the console. If you are on the computer that is running the server and playing from that, then you will see these chats in the full list. If someone connects to that server they should not see that. I am not having the dead chat problem. I would say to make sure you have all possible chat options enabled, not just team chat. Anyway, I am working on making a separate rchat file for about 5 to 7 different bots, then the insult (ichat) file will be updated to work with the weapons from UT instead of the q3a settings currently in use that don't work. From that point we will just keep moving forward. One thing at a time because we still are going to need to find someone to help us fix the entity definitions files; otherwise bots will be limited to only about 6 or 7 maps.