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EDITORIAL: UNREAL BOT LEVELS

I have noticed that most of the user created deathmatch levels for Unreal are still not being designed for the Unreal Bots. This is true in a couple of senses: (1) Most levels are being designed more with human players than Bots in mind; and (2) Most levels do not have pathnodes placed in them. Allow me to expand on these problem areas.

Unreal makes possible, as if for the first time, the reality of fantastic level design. Now that is not a problem, except in one sense: DEATHMATCH. Maybe I am wrong, but deathmatch is not the place to have all kinds of special effects (i.e., lighting) and scenery (i.e., pictures, furniture, landscape, etc.). All of this should be reserved for the single player experience and thus the single player levels. In a deathmatch level, all of the special effects are not only distracting (i.e., they get in the way), but they also degrade the quality of the deathmatch experience (i.e., they slow down the game terribly). It seems like a lot of deathmatch levels are striving for "novelty" rather than concentrating on what deathmatch is all about. Other level designers seem to be experimenting with what the Unreal Editor can do. It's sort of the "could-should" problem—just because we can and could do all kinds of things in level design, should we do it in deathmatch? Now don't get me wrong, I like to see all of the neat things that level designers can do with the Unreal engine and all of its special effects, but in the single player game, not in the deathmatch game.

Now in designing levels for deathmatch, the "novelty" approach may work for human players, but it is absolutely horrible for Botmatch. This is true whether you are talking about Quake, Quake2 or Unreal. The more complicated a level is, the more difficult it is for a Bot. I have generally found that the BEST deathmatch levels for humans or Bots are those which have a sound and simple design. The Quake DAPAK and ZTN series come to mind. Why don't the Unreal level designers take a lesson from the tried and true Quake deathmatch classics? In fact, in my opinion, Quake2's THE HUNT (FBDM4) is one of the best deathmatch levels—especially for the Bots—that I have ever seen! It sure would be nice if someone converted THE HUNT to Unreal. The levels which really seem to work well with Bots are those levels which keep elevators to a minimum, use well designed ramps and stairs, make good use of teleporters, don't overuse water and lava, and place all items so that Bots can actually get to them.

There are very, very few levels out there that look and play like they were actually designed for deathmatch—especially with the Bots in mind. Almost no one is building the pathnodes into their levels, and some of those who are, are not doing it right. Of course there are some exceptions. However, the level designers need to check the pathnodes after they have placed and processed them in order to make sure that they are all connected. And, another thing, all elevators must have their own special pathnodes: liftexit and liftcenter. (And they must be placed precisely and used correctly.) The Bots will not be able to use the elevators with the pathnodes alone.

Let me take DMFortress as an unusual example. (This is the level that is modeled after the 007, GoldenEye level.) This level has been trashed in all the reviews that I have read, and it doesn't look great. (Hey, it's the author's first level, so let's give him a break.) It also was not built with pathnodes for the Bots. But after taking that level and adding pathnodes and a few more stragetically placed items, this level plays Bots better than almost any third party level yet released! It took me around 15 minutes to modify this level, and I still may go back and change some of the textures, but the Bots rock in this killer deathmatch level. (If I get DMFortress tweaked out, I will ask the author for his approval to resubmit his creation to the public.) One of the things about DMFortress is that at least the level design is sound for deathmatch. (One thing I notice about quite a few levels is that in most the stairs don't work! In far too many you have to jump up some of the steps and stairs. In DM Fortress, the stairs work perfectly.) The fact is, I have had to modify most of the user created levels in order to make the Bots play better—even the levels that supposedly had the Bot pathnodes built into them. In tweaking the levels, I don't change the architecture of the level at all. (I have not learned how to do that, yet.) I just change the item placement, delete a few obstacles for the Bots, add pathnodes and elevator nodes, and then recompile the level.

I have learned quite a lot about placing pathnodes and getting the Bots to use elevators. One thing that I will mention is regarding elevator use. If you want a Bot to use an elevator and you are designing a level, make the elevator enclosed rather than open. Also, if you want them to ride the elevator all the way to the top (they have a habit of jumping off moving elevators) put a few goodies close to the elevator exit. In fact, if there is anywhere that you really want the Bots to go, put a few goodies in that area in addition to the regular pathnodes. One other thing. In DMMorbias (an Unreal DM level) the Bots use the elevators perfectly. That is, they wait for the elevator, get on and stand still while it moves, and then get off beautifully. QUESTION: How do they do that? How do you get the Bots to behave themselves on the elevators. I am still looking for answers. If you know, email me please.

In all fairness to the third party level designers, Unreal is a new experience in level designing. The Unreal Editor is a powerful toy. (But, I do get tired of making a mistake and watching my computer crash with a GPF!) So, most of the early levels are truly experimental (some of the authors even state that), and thus the explanation for the "novelty" factor that seems to be built into most current user created levels. I understand all of that. I guess that I just look forward to some deathmatch levels that are designed for serious deathmatching, and that take into consideration the Unreal Bots. Again, there are some very good third party deathmatch levels out there, but most of them have to be "fixed" in order to play the Bots, and play them well. (For instance, another small DM level called DMObiw01 plays Bots perfectly after I put the pathnodes and elevator nodes in it, and after I tweaked the item placement.) And, some of the best Botmatch levels (after they have been "fixed") don't look very polished. But, there are enough levels out there to make a serious Botter WANT MORE! And so, my humble request to all level designers: Please make deathmatch levels that are actually designed for deathmatch—and please don't forget to make your deathmatch levels Bot friendly. Thank you!

A WHOLE NEW QUAKE III???

Here it comes, straight from John Carmack himself:

My last two .plan updates have described efforts that were not in our original plan for quake 3, which was "quake 2 game and network technology with a new graphics engine".

We changed our minds.

The new product is going to be called "Quake Arena", and will consist exclusively of deathmatch style gaming (including CTF and other derivatives). The single player game will just be a progression through a ranking ladder against bot AIs. We think that can still be made an enjoyable game, but it is definitely a gamble.

In the past, we have always been designing two games at once, the single player game and the multi player game, and they often had conflicting goals. For instance, the client-server communications channel discouraged massive quantities of moving entities that would have been interesting in single
player, while the maps and weapons designed for single player were not ideal for multiplayer. The largest conflict was just raw development time. Time spent on monsters is time not spent on player movement. Time spent on unit goals is time not spent on game rules.

There are many wonderful gaming experiences in single player FPS, but we are choosing to leave them behind to give us a purity of focus that will let us make significant advances in the multiplayer experience.

The emphasis will be on making every aspect as robust and high quality as possible, rather than trying to add every conceivable option anyone could want. We will not be trying to take the place of every mod ever produced, but we hope to satisfy a large part of the network gaming audience with the out of
box experience.

There is a definite effect on graphics technology decisions. Much of the positive feedback in a single player FPS is the presentation of rich visual scenes, which are often at the expense of framerate. A multiplayer level still needs to make a good first impression, but after you have seen it a hundred times, the speed of the game is more important. This means that there are many aggressive graphics technologies that I will not pursue because they are not appropriate to the type of game we are creating.

The graphics engine will still be OpenGL only, with significant new features not seen anywhere before, but it will also have fallback modes to render at roughly Quake-2 quality and speed.

Well, does this mean Bots finally will be built into Quake? Now THIS is what the Bot loving community has been waiting for! The fact is, the single player games get BORING very quickly. It is the deathmatch experience that makes the FPS genre fun. For those that can't get a good Internet connection or always play on a LAN, the Bots are the next best thing. In my opinion, any company that releases a FPS game from now on without some kind of Bot in it, to simulate the deathmatch experience, should be ashamed of itself. In other words, the gaming community should start demanding that Bots be a part of every FPS game from now on! It seems to me that the time has come for the game programmers to "perfect" Bot technology and make it a top priority. The company that does this will lead the industry in this area and revolutionize the meaning of "AI"—will that company be id software? What do you think?

UNREAL UPS AND DOWNS

Well, Meanstryk and Frog both sent me the answer to the elevator dilemma. It takes a little trial and error, but here are the two special pathnodes to get the Unreal Bots to use the elevator:

LiftCenter: Place this Navigation Point at the spot on a lift you want the creature to stand while using the lift. Its LiftTag should be set to the tag of the lift it is on.

LiftExit: LiftExits should be placed at the spots you want creatures to wait before getting on a lift. Their LiftTag should be set to the tag of the lift they are associated with.

Also, Epic (Steve Polge) has released the full documentation for, among other things, the pathnodes for the Bots on Unreal's Technical Support Page. (The document is called "Unreal Creature Care and Feeding.") This page is a must for anyone creating Unreal levels. It has information on just about every aspect of the Unreal Editor and map making. My thanks to Epic for supporting Unreal! And thanks to Meanstryk and Frog for giving fantastic help!

PATHNODES FOR THE UNREAL BOTS

The information on pathnodes for the Unreal Bots keeps coming in. I just got the following post from Meanstryk that gives the "how to" for those who want to add pathing to user created levels:

"Yes, I've now tested it.  You can lay down pathnodes in precompiled levels. All you need to use is the actors-->navigation-->pathnodes option in combination with a simple right-click on the 3D map (whereupon you select from the resulting menu "add pathnode here"). Once you have a logical collection of pathnodes you simply select rebuild-->lighting-->paths define to link the nodes. After the nodes you might want to look over the resulting network to make sure you don't have any unlinked nodes that should be linked.  If you do, you can usually correct this problem by placing another pathnode between them, and then defining the paths once again. Once the level is networked as you like, just save the level. I have the Bots using the elevator, but I haven't quite got them using it as well as I would like.  I need more instruction on how exactly the lift pathnodes function."

Hey, this is so easy even I can do it! I took DMScurge (which had no pathnodes at all) and in about ten to fifteen minutes had the Bots playing beautifully! But there is still a little problem—ELEVATORS! And Meanstryk again brings me to an important question: How do you get the Bots to properly use the elevators? (Watch how the Bots use the elevators in the Unreal deathmatch levels and you will see what I mean by "properly.") If you have figured out the elevators for the Bots, please let me know and I will post it here. Thanks!

UNREAL BOT UPDATE!

After much searching, and with the help of e_T and his map, DMDonut, I have finally come across a few possible answers to the Unreal Bot's basic inability to adequately play user created maps. (I have written Epic, and I have not heard back from them, so these findings are preliminary.) It would appear that for the Bots to play a deathmatch level, the level MUST have PATHNODES enabled when the level is compiled. To check this out, I used the Unreal Editor (UED) to look at an Epic map and then a third party map. When I enabled "Show Paths" under "View," the Epic deathmatch maps had pathnodes, but almost none of the third-party maps do. Without these pathnodes (i.e., routes) the Bots do not know where to go. Thus, the camping problem—the Bots stand in one area and do not do much of anything until you move into their territory. I decided to load up DMNakesh into UED and sure enough, it did not have any paths. Then I rebuilt the level and compiled it with the paths enabled. Before the paths were placed the Unreal Bots camped. After the pathnodes were placed and the level recompiled, the Bots made a noticeable improvement in the way they played the level. ALL LEVEL MAKERS PLEASE TAKE NOTE! Now, I am not a level maker, and you may need to pass along more precise information about how to place the paths, but here is what I did to add the nodes to a third-party level.

1. In UED "Open a Level" (Under "File").

2. Choose "Rebuild" (Under "Options").

3. Choose the "Lighting" Tab.

4. Choose the "Paths Define" button and let the level rebuild. This may take a few minutes. Then choose "Close."

5. Now go to any map view and under "View" choose "Show Paths." The paths for the Bots to take should now be displayed.

6. Finally, make sure you "Save the Level" (Under "File"). (If you need the original, non-pathed level, be sure that you have saved its original zip file.) Exit UED and go into Unreal's Botmatch and play the level to see for yourself if there is any change in the way the Bots play.

Let me know if this works for you. And, let me know if you notice any improvements or changes in the way the Unreal Bots play. Also, if there is anything else that can be done to optimize the maps for Bot play, please send me an email. Thanks!

ADDENDUM: You can also manually set the pathnodes in UED. Go to the 3D Map View and move through the level. If the "Show Paths" feature is enabled, the pathnodes will appear as golden apples. If there is an area that does not have any pathnodes (like corridors that link rooms, or stairs, etc.) then at that point click the right mouse button and choose "Add Path Node Here." Place the pathnodes every so often along the routes you want the Bots to travel throughout the level. Sometimes, with user created levels that were not compiled with pathnodes, you may have to manually set the pathnodes in addition to rebuilding the level according to the above instructions. (If you manually add pathnodes, be sure to do another "Paths Define" and let the level rebuild the new paths.) Doing all of this should make a big difference in the way the Unreal Bots play user created levels! Perhaps one of the best ways to learn how to path a level is to open up any of the Unreal Deathmatch levels and see how they did it.

SPECIAL NOTE: I got the following email from Rick Clark, the creator of DMrcd1 and DMrcd2: "There are two pathnodes really, the player starts and the actual pathnode entity. If you switch on Show Paths in the View window you can see that the paths connect themselves from the pathnodes and player starts. The blue means AOK for everyone and the red means only players and bots will make it through. The method I use is simple. I select the Pathnode in the Classes, then in the 3D window I point at the floor where I want the Pathnode and right click and Add Pathnode. This will put it at exactly the correct height. I do this from every player start and always in the line of sight. I run Set Paths and check all the nodes in the 3D window to make sure all the nodes are connected. If one isn't, then I usually adjust the height (for stairs and ramps) until it makes a clean path. Then of course, as you say on your page, you must save the map with the Pathnodes built. It is really just trial and error."

Okay, now the next question is, "How do you path a level so that the Unreal Bots can use an elevator effeciently?" There are special nodepath entities called "LiftExit" and "LiftCenter" that must be placed on or at the platform. But, there is apparently more to it. If you have been successful in creating an elevator that the Bots can actually use, let me know how, and I will post the steps here. Thanks!

EDITORIAL: THESE BOTS ARE UNREAL

Ever since playing through UNREAL I have been playing the Unreal Bots extensively. I have mixed feelings about them. Overall I really like them . . . on the Unreal deathmatch levels. And therein lies the problem—not a big one, mind you—just a little one.

On the Unreal deathmatch levels the Bots seem to be able to go most everywhere and get most everything—except when they camp. But, that's okay, sometimes I like to camp too. But, on third-party deathmatch levels it is a different story. (By the way, there are some nice levels already out there. Try DMRdc1, DMe1m7, and DMnakesh.) On these levels, and others, the Unreal Bots seem to excel at camping! Hmmm. I wonder. Are the Unreal Bots good at dynamically mapping out new levels? Perhaps the reason they do fairly well on the Unreal deathmatch levels is because they already have them programmed into their Bot brains?

In the third-party levels, I realized that in order to get the Bots to cover the level I had to pack the level with Bots. Then, I sort of toured the level and fought each camping Bot. This is what I found worked in DMnakesh. In a level like Dme1m7 (rather small) it was not really a problem because every time I fragged the Bot he spawned to a different spot (and so did I) so it looked like the Bot was everywhere in the level. What this appears to mean is that in the levels other than the Unreal deathmatch levels, you have to go to the Bots. They don't come to you. (Well, sometimes they do, but I don't know if they do it very well.)

Now, maybe it's me. Or, maybe I am doing something wrong. Perhaps I am setting up the Bots incorrectly. But the documentation that comes with the Bots is terrible, and worse, it's incomplete. I have also found Unreal to be a little Bot-buggy. (Is anyone else getting the GPF critical errors every so often? For me it only happens in level changes.) Once you go into the Botmatch menu from the regular Game Menu not everything works properly. When I choose "Configure Individual Bots" my system freezes. So, I am not really sure what is in there to configure regarding the individual Bots. (Can you configure their combat skills, aggressiveness, etc.? Or am I hoping for too much?) Anyway, I took a look at the unreal.ini file and if that is what the "Configure Individual Bots" menu contains on relevant Bot sections, it does not offer much in the way of Bot customization. (I guess that I have been spoiled by the Eraser the CRBot, and even 3ZB, Secant, and ACE.)

Now, those of you who know me through this page, know that I am NOT a critic. And, I certainly do NOT want to sound harsh toward the Unreal Bots. As I implied before, if we did not have any Bots until Unreal, the Unreal Bots would be absolutely fantastic! Right here, let me say some positive things about the Unreal Bots that will help to balance out this editorial. The Unreal Bots make for a fast and furious game. I like it that way! They sort of bring back that old Quake Bot deathmatching game experience (i.e., feeling) that Quake2 just does not have. The more I play the Unreal Bots, the more I really like them. (In spite of what I am saying in this editorial, I really do enjoy the Unreal Bots.) Their AI in combat is very, very good. Their skill level settings are well done. (By the way, I have played the Unreal Bots on skill levels 0-2 and noticed all of the above concerns. Maybe on skill 3 they don't have any of the little problems I have noted here? I will have to bump up their skill setting in the next game.) It is just that I wish they were the kind of "go everywhere, get everything then come and hunt you down and kill you" kind of Bots that I have become use to in Quake and Quake2. Well, maybe they really are and I just don't know it yet. Here is what it comes down to: What do you think? Are any of you having similar problems? Are your Unreal Bot experiences the same or different? Are there workable (perhaps undocumented—Speaking of undocumented, you can add Bots into an existing Botmatch game using the "addbots x" command where "x" is the number of Bots you want.) solutions to make the Bots more level conscious and to keep them from camping? Let me know! I will post well written responses to this editorial.

QUAKE2 MISSION PACK: THE RECKONING

I just played through The Reckoning, Xatrix's Mission Pak for Quake2. It is a very good eighteen level addon, but it is really just new levels. There is only one new enemy (Gekk) and most of the other enemies are simply variations of the originals. Even the last Boss is the same as in Quake2. However, I should add that it appears that the enemy AI is greatly improved in this Mission Pack. There are two new weapons, and they are superb: the Ion Ripper and the Phalanx Particle Cannon. There is also an interesting Trap that sucks the enemies into its vortex. The levels are very well done and the seven deathmatch levels included are some of the best I have ever seen. (One is actually a remake of q2dm1—a great improvement!) Overall, I enjoyed the Mission Pack, because I enjoyed Quake2, however The Reckoning is not really that much different from Quake2 to justify its rather high price. Now, what brings this Mission Pack review to this Bot Page? Simply this: This Mission Pack would be an excellent candidate for a Bot Mod!

UNREAL RULES ROYALLY!

I just got a Monster 3D card for my P166 MMX, 64 Meg system. After getting into the middle of the game, Unreal just simply became unplayable—even with almost everything turned off . . . I even had to turn off the lighting effects! Epic should have said that a 3D card is required for Unreal. Now all I can say about Unreal is AWESOME!!! I would not recommend getting Unreal unless you have a 3D card—especially if you have a low end system.

Here is a little undocumented feature you might want to try in Unreal Botmatch. You can place any item in Botmatch with the "SUMMON" command. So, for instance, in DMMorbias (the fantastic arena style level with only Eightball canons) you can place a Superhealth or an Armor in the level if you like, or you can even place another weapon in it. Great fun!

By the way, I'm on vacation, so I may not be updating my page for several days—since I finally have more time to play Unreal!

UNREAL RULES!

Well, I got UNREAL last night and all I can say is WOW!!! It is fantastic. The single player game looks like it will be a lot of fun. But, the most important thing is (at least for the purposes of this page) UNREAL HAS BOTS. (Remember, Steve Polge of "Reaper Bot" fame had a hand in these Unreal Bots.) I just finished playing the Bots and I can tell you that they are very, very well done. It takes a while to get used to the "feel" of Unreal (i.e., the weapons, controls, movement physics, Bots, etc.) but this is an excellent game. One of the things that I really like about Unreal is that it is probably one of the most configurable 3D first person shooters I have ever played.

Now I know that everyone will want to compare Unreal with Quake1, and especially Quake2, but they are just different games in the same genre. The Unreal engine appears to be "next generation" technology for sure, but the next iteration of the Quake engine will probably surpass Unreal . . . that is, until Unreal II comes out. As everyone knows, the major game engines play a great game of chess, and each new version attempts to checkmate the other. I have not played Unreal enough to say if I like it better than Quake2, but I already think that I like it at least as much. Again, Quake2 and Unreal just play differently and each has a different "feel" to them. Unreal will take me a while to get used to, but that is half the fun of playing a new game. Also, everyone will want to compare the Unreal Bots to the various Quake1 and Quake2 Bots. The Unreal Bots appear to use some kind of real player emulation and they have excellent roaming and combat AI. I am an average deathmatching Bot player and on Easy mode, in a one-on-one fire fight, I usually do very well. I did pretty well with the Unreal Bots, but I will have to practice.

Perhaps there are a few things you should know. I have a P166-MMX (64Megs of memory) with no 3D card. It plays very well on the lowest resolution and it still plays fairly well on the next couple of resolutions. On the lower end, full screen resolutions, it looks beautiful. There are advanced video options that also can be used to make Unreal a visually stunning game—even without a 3D card. (I have a friend that has a P133 non MMX with 32 Megs of memory PLUS a 3D card and he can run Unreal rather well on the lower resolutions. Of course, his 3D card makes a big difference.) One other thing, read the manual and ALL of the documentation that comes with Unreal—especially the readme.txt. For me, starting up the Bots the manual's way did not work (it froze the game). The manual says to choose Multiplayer to get to the Bots. I had to choose Game and then BOTMATCH from the Main Menu, thus bypassing the regular Multiplayer Menu.

There is already word that third party Bots for Unreal are being planned. And, yes, this Bot page and the other Bot pages out there will be eagerly following the Bot world of Unreal.

THE BOTS AND MODS CONTINUE

The world of the Quake1 and Quake2 Bots keeps moving right along. The Frog (0.09) for Quake1 has just been released. (What? You still have not tried this Bot? What are you waiting for?) Download it now on the BOT PAGE. And there are also some new MODS for Quake1 and Quake2 (some only in the works) to check out on the BOT MODS page. My friend, SkullPlate, will be closing the news updates on his page, but the page still has some valuable resources to browse through. As you can see, I can not always keep current with daily or even weekly updates to this page. I can not even begin to keep up with all of the Bot Launchers and Front Ends and their current releases—though I think I have links to all of them. Cube at Epidemic and SubHuman at The Bot Outpost do a great job in this area. But, I will do my best to keep all the links on this page current and every so often I add a link or two without mentioning it here in the NEWS section.

NEW MOD AND NEW BOT SITES!

You must check out the new Viking MOD on the BOT MODS page. (You will note that there are now quite a few Bot MODS out or in the works!) The Viking uses the Eraser Bot in this Capture the Flag/Deathmatch MOD, and it allows you to control all of the MOD'S features from an extensive in-game menu. Also, be sure and go to the BOT SITES page to see RuneRiot's Bots and Snipe442's pages. And, you should note that Metropolis is now dedicated to the Frog Bot for Quake1.

NEW FROGBOT AND NEW ERASER!

The newest version of Frog Bot (0.07) for Quake1 has just been released. The Frog now comes with rune and powerup options. (I wish ALL the Bots had this feature!) And the latest version of Eraser (0.99) for Quake2 is ready. The final version of Eraser is just around the corner! Go to the BOT PAGE for a download. Happy Botting!

GRAB THESE NEW VERSIONS!

There are new versions of Eraser (0.98) and 3ZB (1.55). For the download link, go to the BOT PAGE. Don't forget to check out your favorite Bot Launcher on the same page.

NEW VERSION OF ERASER AND ROCKET ARENA OAK!

For the latest version of Eraser (0.97) go to the BOT PAGE. And go to the BOD MODS page to check out the newest entry for Quake2: Arena Oak for Rocket Arena 2! Be aware that this version is only preliminary.

THE BEST OF THE BEST

I just wanted to say thanks to my friends at Epidemic, SkullPlate's Bot Page, and The Quake II Bot Out Post. Cube, SkullPlate, and SubHuman, you guys are the best and your pages reflect that fact. Each page fills a unique place in the Bot world. For the latest and fullest information on any of the Bots and Bot Front Ends, be sure to check out these pages—and visit them frequently. If you can't find the Bot or Bot related info you are looking for on one of these pages, it doesn't exist. Also, for the route files for the Bots (like Eraser) that use them, be sure and go to SkullPlate's Page, or the Bot Out Post. Keep up the great work gentlemen! Go to the BOT SITES page for these and other links to the world of Bot and Bot related web sites.
 

NEW VERSION OF ERASER

The latest version of the Eraser (0.96) has just been released for your Botting pleasure. Ridah is getting close to the final release of this most excellent Bot. Go to the BOT PAGE for a link to the download. Also, when was the last time you checked out the BOT MODS page? Go take a look at all of the Quake2 MODS that include or will include Bots. And of course, don't forget that Quake1 and all of its Bots and MODS are still going strong.

HELP WANTED FOR A NEW ERASER SITE

The following positions are still available at a specialist Eraser Bot site, called Erased.

Router - Someone who can make VERY high quality route files on demand.

Legal Advice - I know it sounds stupid, but if anyone with some legal training would be willing to help, it'd be fantastic.

Host - If you can offer us an unlimited amount of space as well as a good overall deal, we'll be joining you.

News Hound - Someone to update the site with the latest news as soon as there is any.

Thanks to everyone who has responded, and to all news sites that have asked for help for me. As soon as the site opens, everyone will know! If interested, pleased contact me, Archfiend

ONE MORE BOT FOR QUAKE2!

There is a new Bot on the block—Drone Bot! This brings the total number of Bots for Quake2 up to ten, plus a couple of Bot combinations. Go to the BOT PAGE to check this Bot out. (Also, be sure and browse through all the Bot Front Ends at the bottom of the page. New ones are popping up all the time.)

NEW VERSION OF CRBOT!

There is a new version of CRBot (1.14) which mostly addresses performance issues. But, I have got to say that overall, I find the CRBot one of the most enjoyable Bots to play in regular deathmatch. The CRBot as well as the Eraser, 3ZB, Secant, and the ACE, are turning into GREAT Bots. And of course Oak2 is not far behind. (Why even Famke is making real improvements.) Go to the BOT PAGE to link to the Bots. In my opinion, most of the Quake2 Bots have surpassed the Quake1 Bots. Keep up the good work gentlemen! And, again, thanks from all of us in the Bot loving community.

NEW VERSIONS OF 3ZB, OAK AND FAMKE

The latest versions of 3rd-Zigock (1.51) and Oak2 (0.33) are out. Also, Famke (5.60) is continuing to make progress. There is also a combination of the ACE-Eraser available, but it's only for the experienced Botter. Go to the BOT PAGE for all the links.

REVIEWS PAGE UPDATED

The REVIEWS PAGE has just been updated for the Quake2 Bots. Be sure and check it out.

ACE IS TOPS!

The latest version of ACE (007) is one top Bot! This Quake2 Bot uses actual client emulation (only moves and plays like a real player), is able to navigate complex levels, has support for Capture the Flag and Teamplay . . . well, download it and read the documentation that comes with it. (This is some of the most well written documentation of any Bot—a joy to read!) What is more, ACE comes with its own setup program as well as the AutoBot FrontEnd. Speaking of Bot Launchers, there are a couple of new ones out there, so be sure and check them out too. The latest version of ACE (and all the Bots and Bot FrontEnds) can be found on the BOT PAGE. Oh yes, there is also a new version of Famke (5.60). This Bot is making good progress, and I think that it is the only Bot for Quake2 that actually does cooperative play.

WHAT'S NEW FOR QUAKE2?

The Stupid Bot has now been renamed to 3rd-Zigock and the newest version (1.49) supports Capture the Flag. And guess what? The Bots use the grapple! There is also a new Eraser (0.95) and a new CRBot (1.12), and both support Capture the Flag. (Also, the Eraser and CRBot can play Loki's Minion CTF.) There is also word that the JailBreak MOD will be supporting Bots! To round out the Bots for Quake2, don't forget about Oak2 (0.30), ACE (0.06), AcenOak (0.1), Assassin (0.0025), and Famke (5.0). For all these Bots, go to the BOT PAGE, and for the MODS, go to the BOT MODS page.

NEW VERSION OF ERASER

The newest version of Eraser (0.91) is out. Lots of tweaks and bug fixes, especially for Capture the Flag. This Bot just keeps getting better and better. And, it gets closer to the final version. One thing that I did notice was that, for me, Q2CTF1 no longer worked. The teams just stood around and did absolutely nothing. So, I bravely deleted the route file and forced the Eraser to map out another one. It worked! Now they play that level better than they did before. I just thought that I would share that little tip in case you experience similar problems. (Also, it should be noted that the source code for this version of the Eraser has been released!) To get this Bot, go to the BOT PAGE.

DON'T FORGET THE FRONT ENDS!

With the parameters of the Bots getting more and more complicated—and that is a GOOD thing . . . it means that the Bots are getting more and more features—the Bot Launchers are becoming a necessity. Who can remember all of the commands for all of the parameters on all of these full-featured Bots anyway? These Bot Front Ends are constantly being revised with each new version of the Bots, so keep checking your favorite Launcher. To find all of the Front Ends go to the bottom of the BOT PAGE.

GUEST EDITORIAL: QBALL'S THOUGHTS

I have received a letter that I feel is worth posting that expresses some significant and thoughtful views about the current state of Bot-affairs. It should be noted that I do not mind posting letters and viewpoints that will be of interest to the Bot community. Also, by posting any letter, I do not necessarily endorse everything in that letter or the particular views of the author. However, I do insist that the articles or letters be intelligently written and free of any profanity. I will reserve the right to edit any letter that I post, but I will not intentionally change the meaning of the original author. I want to thank Qball for the following post:

Randar,

I wrote this in hopes of it being posted.  If you have the space and/or inclination, I think it's very constructive to the development of the bots being made.  Thanks for your time.

This is a letter concerning all bots.  Since your site is one of the bigger sites, I hope all the creators will have a chance to see it and get something out of it.  This is all meant as constructive and I truly do appreciate all the work that the creators have put into their projects already.  I love bots and use them almost everyday.  My connection stinks so I have little chance for Internet DM.

The bots have come a long way in the movement and roaming code.  They swim, climb ladders, jump onto boxes, go through teleporters, etc.  However, the firing code still seems to be in it's infancy, as are the expectations of lots of gamers.  Some people complain about the accuracy of bots with the railgun.  Now, most bots hit with the railgun about 35% of the time, unless your running straight or jumping, then it's about 90% of the time.  The same people who wished this accuracy into existence fail to wish the other weapons accuracy down as well.  Now, when you, as a player, shoot with a projectile weapon (rocket launcher, blaster, hyperblaster) you tend to shoot the same style with all of them save the rocket launcher which you use a bit differently.  With instant release weapons (shotgun, super shotgun, m-gun, chaingun) the firing style is different, but your style is consistent.  So, if you're a good shot with the shotgun, you're most likely a good shot with the m-gun too.  If you're a good shot with the blaster, i.e.-leading your opponent well, anticipating, etc., you're probably good with the RL too.  The railgun is a bit of a mix.  Some players are better than others, but they don't shoot 3 times worse than they do with other weapons.

Bots, on the other hand, stink with the railgun but blow your head off almost every shot with the rocket launcher. They hit about 85% of the time with the hyperblaster, machinegun, shotgun, blaster, grenade launcher, etc. even if you're jumping and running around like a weasel on a caffeine overdose, but only about 35% of the time with the railgun, if you're not moving too much.  I've died more times from blaster shots than almost any other weapon.  Instead of asking the creators to make the bots with less accuracy using the railgun, let's ask them to bring the accuracy of all weapons into human perspective.  If I can't shoot well with one weapon, how can I shoot like a god with another weapon?

Thanks for listening and considering what I say.  If you want to add or argue this point, please send me some e-mail.

Qball

TWO NEW VERSIONS OF QUAKE2 BOTS

Get the latest version of the Secant Bot (1.60) in the Tangential MOD. There are significant new features and enhancements in this latest release. This Bot has made tremendous progress over the last couple of months and is a must download. The Secant is becoming a first class Bot! But, don't forget that there is more to the Tangential MOD than just the Secant. For one thing, you must try out the grappling hook—it's great! Just wait until the Bots can use it!

A new version of the CRBot (1.10) has also just been released. This Bot is now in the process of being programmed for Capture the Flag. I have got to say that the CRBot is an awful lot of fun to play. The CTF addon will greatly enhance this excellent Bot. While fiddling with the Bot last night I found out that after you have implemented CTF (read all the documentation carefully) you can still have access to the CTF tech powerups even if you are not in a CTF map. So if you are playing in another level (i.e., The Hunt—kbdm4) you can turn teamplay on (or leave it off for a incredible free-for-all) and also have the tech powerups drop into the game. This make for one wild deathmatch experience. I loved it! You will too. (The fact is, I wrote Mike to keep this "feature" in the game and just make it a toggle where you can have the tech powerups on or off.)

NEWS FLASH: Mike just wrote me about keeping the power techs in and said: "Sure, good idea." Now that is service! This brings me to something I have noticed for quite some time. All of the Bot authors are great guys! They are sharing their hard work with all of us and they are not getting paid a single dime for it. What is more, they really listen to the legitimate feedback that we give on their work. From all of us in the Bot-loving community, to all of you who program those incredible Bots: THANK YOU!

For both of these Bots, and others, go to the BOT PAGE to download.

ANOTHER "DRASTIC" REAPER MOD!

My friend Vic ("Botaholic") just told me about another Reaper Clone called "Drastic Reaper"! This Reaper modification by Mark Wheeler has new weapons and is based upon the Reaper improvement protocol. Go to the BOT PAGE to download.

THE PERFECT BOT DM LEVEL FOR QUAKE2?

Okay, so there is no such thing as the "perfect" Bot Deathmatch level. But, The Hunt (fbdm4) by Jens Andreasson comes pretty close! This level works very well with Eraser, Stupid, or CRBot. If you think that you have found a better Bot Deathmatch level for Quake2, let me know.

BOT ADDITIONS

A few more Bots have been added to the BOT PAGE for both Quake1 and Quake2. They are not really new, but they are worth considering as YOU make up YOUR mind about which Bot is best for YOU. First, with regard to Quake1, the Gyro (Indecisive) Bot is now a part of the family of Bots on this page. And, finally, I have included Cameron Newham's static Eliminator Bot which must use levels that have been designed and processed for it. (Remember, there is also another Eliminator Bot that is actually an improvement of the Reaper Bot; but they are two entirely different Bots.) The link for this Bot actually takes you to the Eliminator directory at CDROM.COM where you will find all of the available levels and addons for the Bot. Next, for Quake2, I have added a link to the Demonshooter Helper Bot. I have also noted that the Eliminator Bot for Quake2 is actually going to be a Helper Bot. While I am talking about all of the Bots on this page, I should mention that there are now TWELVE Bot Launcher Front-Ends! You will find links to them at the bottom of the BOT PAGE. (If you want to understand the differences between the various kinds of Bots, be sure and read the BOT FAQ.) If you know of any other Bots for Quake1 or Quake2 that you think should be a part of this page, please let me know. Thanks!
 

Open ARCHIVES FOUR.