Bot Research

[Lagg_Alot offline]

I know that most people are not interested in Bots. After all Bots are stupid, the AI Scripts have spam errors that will lag a server to hell. But for players like myself that would like to make maps Bot enabled. It helps to have a little insight into what causes the problems at hand. I have set out with the belief that the saying "That is just the way it is" is not acceptable. So I have tested, have learned first how to read the scripts and then how to write some scripts for the AI. Here are a few facts that I have discovered.
First lets clear up some beliefs. I was told that the editor can save a mission into a .vl2 file. This is not true at least on my computer. So unzipping the .vl2 if your mission is in .vl2 format can be helpful (use Winzip or similar program to unzip a .vl2 file it is free even though they ask you to pay. The evaluation program is free and works just fine forever). At this time go to the mission file in the mission folder (in your Operating System, not in the game) and right click on it and view it's properties. (Note; Make sure the box that say's READ ONLY is not checked !). If it is simply uncheck it and hit APPLY then hit OK. other wise you can save mission till the cows come home and the editor will not over write a file that is marked Read Only by the Operating System.
To make a map Bot enabled, it helps if you are finished placing all the items (turrets, generators, trees, inventories, flags/flipflops etc.). The next thing to do is SAVE the mission. It also is necessary that the SPAWN GRAPH has been completed and saved. Then open the AI Editor and BUILD OBJECTIVES, then after you have built the objectives. "YOU MUST SAVE THE MISSION AGAIN!". If you find that the "save mission option" is not available at this time (always has been the case for as long as I can remember). You have to play tag with the editor and click on something in the game (like one of the AIObjectives) and then click "APPLY". The editor will now think that you have changed something in the mission and the "Save Mission Option" will now be available. Now you can and must SAVE MISSION. Now go back to the AI Editor and Build the NAV Graph (Note; sometimes this can take a while, no your computer has not crashed). When finished the next step is to Build the LOS Graph (Note; DO NOT SAVE MISSION IN BETWEEN THE NAV AND LOS GRAPHS). When the LOS Graph is finished then SAVE THE MISSION. You have to exit completely out of Tribes 2 and restart for the Bots to work in that mission. I hope this helps somebody in their quest to make Bots in their map, or a map that did not come with Bots.

[Lagg_Alot offline]

After you have Bots in your map, now is the time to check them out. Are they going for the flag/flipflop, mortaring turrets (or mountain sides, more on this problem later)? If your bots are just standing there and never move, something is wrong. Here are some of the problems that you may encounter and a few solutions that have helped me.
The terrain file MUST BE SET to "8 meters per square" for the NAV graph to work. Any map that was build with a different terrain setting will Not Support Bots.
Bots are working fine, except for a few that get stuck in the base. This one had me stumped for a while and I have discovered the problem.
The problem is that the "AIObjective" that the Bot is trying to complete is Un Navigated. (Sentry Turrets have always been trouble some for the bots. most of them are placed on the ceiling or high on the walls). It is not that they are off the floor that is the problem. It is that they are imbedded into the walls or ceiling that is confusing the game. Because the game thinks that the Sentry Turret is below the surface of the Interior instance it removes it from the NAV Graph. Any item that is not on the NAV Graph the Bot will not use the NAV Graph to get to it. Therefore the Bot will try to walk in a straight line to the objective. If you place the Sentry Turrets outside of the wall (not embedded) it will look bad but the Bots will work better. Or you can delete the AIObjective to attack that turret. Or not use Sentry Turrets in your map. A good way to see if an AIObective is not on the NAV graph is to (while in observer mode and bots are in the game, just open the editor and then open the AI Editor. You will see the Nav Graph and you can watch the Bots follow them or not) Note: Do Not make changes to the mission and hit save while bots are in the map. You will get all kinds of problems later on if you do that.
Placed AIDeployEquipment Objectives and the Bot can seem to do it. This one is simple yet annoying, the Bot uses the "Y Axis" as the aiming point to deploy equipment. Just stick the "Y" into the wall or ground or ceiling (if not to high) and the Bot will deploy just fine. (Does not cause problems to embed the DeployEquipment Objectives into the wall or terrain). Maybe after a few adjustments and you will get used to it to.
Bot Mortaring the side of a hill? Bots do not use LOS (Line Of Sight) when attacking equipment. Their are a few ways to fix this lets start with the easiest one first. Delete the AIObjective to Mortar that Item. Dynamix did just that in a few of their missions (Minotaur, Riverdance...) Now the harder way, Edit the map again and place turrets and sensors in spots that are low and in the open. The Bot will range a target from a distance of 220 meters by default and start shooting. If there are no obstacles in the way it should work out fine. If you do this you will have to make appropriate changes to the objectives to include the new location of the item that you moved. Then you can draw the NAV and LOS graphs over again.The hardest way, edit the AIScripts.cs files to make the Bots work better. ( I have done all 3, sometimes all in the same mission).
Bots will not for any reason fly up out of water. So if you got a turret or flag on a platform that is sticking out of the water, you can just forget about it. Also the interior instances (Base, Turret Platform, bridge...) has to have Nodes on them. (The little Green Dots) That what the Bots use to navigate with. Some custom interiors have spots that do not get the Green Nodes on them. Bots cannot go there. Small passages and shoots that do not get Nodes or at least the Yellow Lines (The Bridges that connect Nodes) can be troublesome.

[Capto Lamia offline]

[Lagg_Alot offline]

The problems with bots is they can't walk up steep terrain, they get stuck in water if there is a building in the water or above the water (I put in bold type beause nobody seems to remember this). Buildings that are to high off the ground are not good. You cannot just add bots to any map and expect them to work well. Some of the Buildings in the game will not work because the NAV Graph does not get drawn properly on these buildings (like the big Bunkers on the Hill in Katabatic, the bases in Scarabrea, Broadside, Starfallen, Sub-Zero and many others. Don't blame me I did not make those Interiors. When someone creates an Interior using Worldcraft or Hammer Editor they have to make the Floors and Walls thick enough and the Halls wide enough for the Nav Graph to recognize and draw properly.

[Lagg_Alot offline]

[CleverClothe offline]

[Capto Lamia offline]

Dead no just dormant. Maybe soon to be looking for a new job as my current one is with a company that may be going out of business.

But I can help you with some of your console spam if you like

Captolamia@adelphia.net is my new email address.



As for working on anything for T2 currently no.

I am waiting to see what develops for T3 (heard a rumor that its being developed now, I do not know by who)

[Q-Ice offline]

Well Capto....would be nice to have you back with Lonewolf, but if not then good luck with finding a new job. We will hopefully see you for Tribes3maps.com.

[Lagg_Alot offline]

[Go4It offline]

That may be the problem, I have this one bot that always humps a wall in the base so I put a create there an now the bot gets out of the base, now I gotta see if it does it's job an destroys the Sentry Turret! I know they destroy the invemtory stations, but haven't noticed the turret yet!

[Lagg_Alot offline]

If you raise the weight to destroy the sentry turret to higher than 3400. You will not have to sit there all day waiting to see who goes for the Sentry Turret or not. The first Heavy Bot out the door will be the one, (if he makes it out the door). Moving the Objective Marker does not fix the problem, I tried that. You have to move to Sentry Turret out of the wall or cieling. Funny thought the Repair Sentry turret does not have any problems with it.

[CleverClothe offline]

Hey Capto, are you going to finish this?:

[Visual Echo offline]

[Lagg_Alot offline]

[Capto Lamia offline]