RCBot 0.8 Release Options

[Cheeseh]

Well it's been a long time waiting for a proper release, I've been proper busy then in and out of hospital and I'm back, better give you this while I have the time to do it.

The main changes here is that the bots don't need to use sv_cheats anymore, it kinda hacks its way around.

Two Files in this release:

HPB_Bot2.dll for files in home folder
HPB_Bot2o.dll for files in parent folder of mod folder (for dedicated servers mainly)

Changes

CODE

0.80
===
all: bots don't need sv_cheats!
all: deleted rcbot_sv_cheats_warning command and other cheat related commands as they are not needed now
all: waypoint version now 4 : Waypoints made in this version won't work in older versions!
all: added rcbot welcome message (tool tip)
all: waypoint author and modifier info saved in new waypoint
all: added welcome message showing author and modifier of waypoints, author is only saved once
all: fixed far away squad members stopping when leader stops moving
all: new cvar to allow tooltips
all: tooltips for waypoints
all: new squad cvar to increase/reduce frequency of bot squads
all: player joining crash fix (teds suggestion)
all: added 'rcbot util teleport' command
all: added 'rcbot util set_teleport' command
all: added 'rcbot util god' command
all: added 'rcbot util noclip' command
all: added waypoint type 'teleport' (cheat) makes bots teleport from the teleport waypoint to the next waypoint
all: rcbot waypoint drawtype 4 will show automatically generated danger (red = dangerous) waypoints of a bots team, rcbot debug nav 1 and rcbot debug bot  must be used first.
dod:s added timeout for snipers and machine gunners if they cant deploy or zoom
dod:s allow bots to crouch when reloading at crouch or machinegun waypoints
dod:s All bot classes can snipe or deploy mg if they pickup an mg or sniper rifles
dod:s bots respond to need mg voice command
dod:s bots try to use secondary melee weapon in dod:s
dod:s MGs move up after 'move up mg' voice command
dod:s MGs move up when they see friendly killed
dod:s bots shoot breakables only if not seen enemy for a short time
tf2: hwguys don't rev minigun if they have the flag
tf2: bots don't investigate sounds in tf2 if they have the flag
tf2: bots can't hear spies attacking with knife behind them unless they know there are spies nearby
tf2: bots listen to footsteps and investigate teammates attacking
tf2: fixed bots spychecking observers
tf2: engineers less probability of changing class when they die if they have many buildings
tf2: spies try more alternative routes
tf2: engineers are more successful at building nearby teammates buildings
tf2: fixed some soldiers not rocket jumping

Please Test

Download

[madmax2]

A few more observations on the teleport waypoint. The crouch wpt at the destination did significantly increase the teleport rate, but not to 90%. And there is a side effect to a crouch wpt at the destination, bots may land near but not on the crouch wpt. So, if it is to close to a wall or other object, bots may get stuck in it. Also, the terrain may contribute to the problem too? After a few trys I found a couple places that worked well with a crouch wpt at the destination. Flat areas or floors in buildings may be best when using a crouch wpt at the destination. If the destination is a normal wpt, it seems less likely bots will teleport in to walls nearby. Also, jump tagging the crouch wpt may reduce this side effect, but I need to check that again?

Another side effect to using the crouch wpt at the destination, is bots seem to take much longer to move off the crouch wpt as compared to a normal wpt, maybe 20 seconds longer? And while crouched there, enemies can pass by and they don't see each other (blind bots )! It seems about the time they are going to stand up & start moving they will start shooting at each other . This won't be obvious with a normal wpt at the destination, as bots start moving shortly after landing on a normal destination wpt.

Adjusting the entry wpt to the crouch/teleport wpt may help some, placing it near the teleport wpt? I was thinking of placing the teleport wpt in a more isolated location, such as a spawn area, without any other wpts/paths nearby for the bots to see, would get them all teleporting? Perhaps have them circle back to the teleport wpt would help too? But I can't just plop a normal teleport wpt down just anywhere and expect a high rate of teleports, not the way it works now... On the other hand, there may be situations where you only want some of the bots to teleport, but then other wpts/paths should be added in that case.

I think I see this working best for teleporting from spawn areas to forward defensive positions. And the way it works now is almost good enough. I think it needs to work well enough so the destination wpt doesn't need to be crouch tagged to get a high teleport rate. I don't know if slowing their approach to the teleport wpt would be the best way to improve it, or if there is a better way?