RCBot2: suggestions, As the topic sez... some suggestions for future RC Bot releases Options

[der.zoomer]

Hej there, I've been around here for a time as guest, and I really like RC Bot2 for TF2.
It works like a charm (most of the time tho...)

And to improve this bot, I have some suggestions here:


Arena Mode:
- Bot check time until capture point is available
else they would all rush to the capture point and stand there
- on my dedicated server (same binaries) they dont seem to capture points, even theyre doing it on a listen server with SAME waypoints and scripts

Snipers:
- make them sound sensitive to visible players again, they just stand on their sniper pathnodes and dont move/shoot even if there are enemy guys all over the place


Soldier:
- he shouldn't use his shot gun so often


Heavy:
- fix this god damn heavy aiming, the heavy has like 0 recoil and can hit a target with 100% accuracy (every bullet hits, even if the minigun has a large spread fire cone)
- heavy should check for distance to the nearest enemy (needs testing, because there are classes that you should take out in favour of others)


Spy:
- spies should try to melee attack enemies from behind with knife when possible
- when spies try to cap (CP, CTF, PL) they should remove their disguise


Medic:
- make medics heal more, than attacking, make them sensitive to "call for a medic" event and let them stick with this guys as soon as he is healed or even buffed
- let medics use their ubercharge when their current healing target is being attacked: event player_hurt


waypointing:
- let bots check for visibility between path nodes on calculating paths to the target
ie. when a door is closed, this path is blocked and they'll choose another path or another target
could be a problem with doors where you can see thru though... but that will eventually render setarea and givetype areaonly useless. (needs testing, because of defense points/sentry points/teleporter exit points)
this is implemented by using the "givetype openslater" waypoint type, but bots can see through EVERY door! (even though they are closed) so it doesn't work, an engine bug maybe
- a waypoint type for an alternate route would be nice, so the bots dont attack only by one path, maybe with priorities, so 1 is main path, 2 a good alternative and 3 an alternative, but less good than 2 or even 1 but possible....
I've implemented "route" waypoint types for next version, they are simple additions, so we'll see how they do after a lot of testing

Misc:
- gravity seem not to affect bots, they jump and fall like 4x faster than usual players
this is an engine bug
- when bots see a dispenser (and need supplies) they should use it
this is implemented but happens rarely


nice to have:
- bot and equipment support (use hats, other inventory you usually earn with achievements/find items)
- bot should learn how real players move around in that map

[Root]

Hi Cheeseh!
Good to know that RCBot is still under development and developer is active!
I'd like to request a few things in DoD:S. Those are should not be hard to implement (I already tried, and a few of those are working, but not properly sometimes). Seems like too many random seed are used in code

• Automatically +duck bots which is shooting by BAR/STG44 and thompson/MP40 (sometimes) to reduce recoil (or at least it looks more realistic). This should looks like that in bot_dod_bot.cpp
  
  CODE
  
  bool CDODBot :: handleAttack ( CBotWeapon *pWeapon, edict_t *pEnemy )
  {
          // ... Previous code there
          // It's when bot should attack
          if ( bAttack && (m_fShootTime < engine->Time()) )
          {
              primaryAttack(); // shoot
              m_fShootTime = engine->Time() + fDelay;
  
              // Check for current weapon
              if ((pWeapon->getID()==DOD_WEAPON_BAR)||(pWeapon->getID()==DOD_WEAPON_MP44)
              ||  (pWeapon->getID()==DOD_WEAPON_M1)||(pWeapon->getID()==DOD_WEAPON_C96)
              &&  (distanceFrom(pEnemy) > 700 ))
              {
                  // +duck if enemy is far away for 700 units?
                  duck();
              }
              else if (distanceFrom(pEnemy) < 500)
              {
                  m_pButtons->tap(IN_DUCK);
              }
          }
  }
  
• Make bots less prone! They prone too offten I guess.
• Dont undeploy MG/Rocket when enemy is around. I seen how bots are deploying/undeploying their weapons for a few times without shooting at enemy. So they looping their deploying until death or when enemy goes far away.
• Make snipers more accurate. Snipers are easy to kill since they mostly stay at a same place. To make snipers more balanced, better accuracy is necessary.
• Make bots not 'floating around' that much when they run somewhere. I seen many many times (especially on donner map) when bots are goes in dangerous place 'back forward' (i.e. looking back). In other words they just run at _me_ and dont look/shoot at me at all (sorry for my english, its hard to translate into english, so I hope you understand)
• Add more commentaries into RCBot2 source code so it will be better to understand and fix whatever/make requests (at least for me)
• Fix bomb defusing. While bots are defusing bomb, they should only defuse bomb and ignore enemies at all, or defusing may stop and both objective and a bot will be killed. Also if more three players are defusing, no more players should defuse a bomb. Otherwise defusing will stop for all those 3 players and one more.
• Fix generic bugs with bots (when player disconnected, bots are getting kicked for 'Server is hibernating', and when they reconnect, they just run around and dont do anything, also fix a few crashes related to this thing and when bots are added before player connected, et cetera). I guess a few of them were discussed there.

I will try to make a video when I'll have more time, so it would be easier to you to understand what I meant.
Thank you so much and keep up good work! It's appeciated.