Detailed question about bots

[Helmut_AUT]

For the upcoming stand-alone game, I hope Bot support is improved. Some things that concern me:

1) Bots should be able to use "special" weapons like Satchel Charge, Panzerfaust. or deploying the MG. Right now, if you have a map that requires a satchel to be used, the player has to do it himself, often suiciding/spawning between the role of group/tank leader and engineer. I'm not sure if they should be able to use grenades - could result in some ugly situations.

2) Bots should be able to go prone and use the new "weapon stabilization" feature that has been announced.

3) Please give them a rudimentary control over vehicles. I guess much of that has to do with map pathing, but for example the "Bakarash" (or whatever it's called) winter map with the two bridges regulary sees bots "stuck" in a convoy-like thing if the first vehicle on the path node gets shot.

Also, it seems to me that right now, even if the bot has a "attack" order, he won't move the vehicle as long as there are enemys in sight. Which is in theory not bad, because it gives the gunner a straight shot, but if infantry constantly respawns they never move at all.

Related:

4) Can we have a communications menu that splits into "Squad 1" and "Squad 2" ? Right now, if you give quick orders using the numeric keys, it always goes to the whole group. Which means you can't command half of the bots to for example attack back route, and half to attack front.

With 16 players or bots, that equals roughly two squads. A nice example of this (in a very similar engine) is SWAT4, where you can select red team, blue team or both as one.


Last thing: It would be nice if we could set bot number and skill in "practice" mode, instead of always hosting a "LAN server" or similar. Apologies if I overlooked that this is already possible.

 

[Helmut_AUT]

Would it be possible to hear from the Devs on this? I didn't post this as suggestion, rather as question what will be in the initial release.

 

[[-project.rattus-]]

The devs said that the bots are improved... but I wouldn't expect too much...

 

[Helmut_AUT]

Thanks Rattus, but "improved" is not really much info, that's why I wrote up these questions. I hope someone with more information about the development can answer them in detail.

I've played online games like this one long enough to know that no matter how many servers are online, and how many players are online, sometimes you just can not find a server that

A) has the kind of map you want to play
B) has the kind of people you want to play with
C) has low enough ping to be enjoyable

So if you want a a quick game on your favorite map without the hassle of server-browsing, bots are key.

Given that RO:OST features many new additions (like the ability to stabilize your gun against walls/sandbags etc.) which would put bots at a severe disadvantage if they can't use it, I can only hope that bot skills will have been improved to a point where they are not just canon fodder.

The inability of bots to use MGs for coverfire, or to use the Satchel Charges really means that offline gameplay is vastly different from the way it should be.

And the addition of many new vehicles also means Bots have to learn how to work with them or the "Combined Arms" aspect of RO:OST will be useless for the offline player.

Right now, as the likely "worst" example what happens without decent bot support, we have seven very high quality maps (the Summer Offensive Pack) which hardly get any playtime at all. I've been playing RO for the last week almost every day, and I've never seen a server that runs them, because people don't want tanks. And they have no bot support, so all the effort was for nothing.

 

[Avron]

In my oppinion there will be no significant improvment of bots compeared to RO 3.3.

But Tripwire is looking for an AI programmer. So we can expect something really cool in the future

AI Programmer
Tripwire Interactive currently has an opening for an Artificial Intelligence programmer. This programmer will be working on the
character and vehicle AI for upcoming PC and next generation console projects.

This is an on-site position.
Qualifications:

 

[Helmut_AUT]

If you read the interview (link posted on the front page) they said originally they wanted to do a single-player ostfront game. Perhabs that's why they are looking for the AI Guy.

It would be really nice if someone finally made a WW2 Singleplayer FPS where you can actually play from the german side.

As for RO - I would argue that at least a basic improvments to bots must be made if they want to sell this as a commercial title. The AI dudes in BF1942 aren't exactly bright either but at least they can drive a vehicle without crashing into each other or choking on map points.

 

[[-project.rattus-]]

The AI dudes in BF1942 aren't exactly bright either but at least they can drive a vehicle without crashing into each other or choking on map points.

So they are generally brighter than the average BF-d00d j/k