Ok, updates:

1) I've rewrited the Mob::IsBot() command. No more database calls at each Bot_Process(). No more CPU/DB loads.

2) As asked, I have added a new command:
#bot group order follow/guard

Follow: your group will follow you
Guard: Your group will guard the place

3) Next tasks:
-- finalizing raid (almost done)
-- making 2 videos (group and raid)
-- writing the documentation

Later,
Mag

Ahh so it was you over-cooking my CPU! hehe... lucky my fancy motherboard took over and shut me down.

I'll check on the maps, though I am sure I have them all in ./Maps. And, I'll try in other zones and on base EQEmu as well.

One more question :-)

Is it fixed where 2 players on the same server/zone can have a group of bots? I will test later, but last I read there was a crash with that. Personally, I think that would be higher value than raiding bots, but a single-player raid sounds great to me! Die, AoW, die!

I've tested yesterday with a friend. Yes, it worked. 2 (or more) players can have their group. They can even have their respective raid... 24 + 24 = 48 ;) that will help a bit on though fights.

I am going to name my first baby after you, though he may get mocked in school "Magoth? wtf?"

But thank you for this great customization. Soon as you fix the cooking CPU, I'm going to beat it up. Nice work!

Hello! I just wanted to throw my 2c in and say thanks for developing this. I am no kind of programmer at all myself, so this project here just impresses the heck out of me!

I tested the build you had up yesterday last night, and it seemed to work very well indeed. I can, however, verify that the cpu load is spiking under WinXP sp2 also, to the point of destabilizing my system. Mind you, my system ain't the biggest dog on the block by any means, but I thought you might like the feedback from a non-linux platform as well. If you would like my system specs, just give the word.

Looking forward to your next update, and thanks again for taking the time to do this ;)

-Haerikk

Hello there,

Yes the CPU loads is fixed. I'm just finalizing some stuffs before releasing the new binaries. I think, I will upload the temporary sources/binaries today so you people can play decently.

Mag

I am spam-refreshing your page waiting for the new sources hehe. Can't wait.

I have some zone crashing bugs to report.

1) If I summon 1 bot (WAR) and tried to add to my group, at first it's ok but after about 5 minutes, the zone crashes. I tried this in multiple zones, static and dynamic. With another player in zone and without. Also, no fighting was happening. I was actually searching for gear for my Tank-bot. This happens every time on my Linux compile. I will try Windows binaries this weekend, see if there is a difference.

2) Same thing happened when I summoned 5 bots (CLR, WAR, MNK, WIZ, ENC), after a few mins of spamming their buffs, they go silent because the zone crashed.

3) Bigger bug - If you create a bot with the same name as a player character, and summon it, the player is booted from the server. New pest control? :D

4) 2 players in same zone, playing with bots, crashed the zone - but this might be because of the 1st bug.


Enhancement Request:
Is it possible to secure the "#bot list" to creator-only? It looks like if I create some bots, anyone else can list them and spawn them, and likely change their gear setup. Is this intended?


I haven't had a chance to start a fight yet, because of the crashing. So for now, this is all I have.

Thanks!
J

i like the idea of bots a lot. in fact i have been trying in various places for some of the bot like things. a few years ago in a mud-dev list i advocated the use of external bots and that wasnt well recieved. i was going to add that part into my mud server but it wasnt worth my time then.
the best i did was use multiple logins with scripting clients.

a bot port would be nice because there is no need for graphics just the ability to send and read messages. of course i would add in additional hooks - something that a normal player wouldnt have access to but would make the life of the bot easier. maybe a bot port wouldnt be necessary for a first pass since we were able to do a lot with just a scripting client but there are limitations to that.

i found a NWN emulator (very crude) and the guy set up a separate server for mob control. one nice thing about an external mob is that the logic can be very complex without it affecting the game server. well maybe some effect since the server and the mob controller have to talk to each other.

i dont know of any project where they have pushed the whole concept of external controllers and bots.

This is absolutely awesome Mag! Great job!

I really look forward to the next release, cant wait to play around with those raid commands, thats gonna be sweeeet.

Keep up the good work! 8-)

Thank you. I'm actually debugging the raid stuffs...
It might take more time than I thought.

Sorry about that,
Mag

Temporary windows binaries : http://eqoffline.free.fr/Build.rar
Temporary sources files: http://eqoffline.free.fr/EQEmu-eqoffline.rar

A lot of things got fixed. The raid is almost finished, I'm just finishing the debugs...


G'nite,
Mag

Thank you SO much Magoth!

They seem to be working just fabulously. I am noticing that a pre-update level 6 cleric bot that I had doesn't seem to want to cast buffs on the group, but that may just be a function of level.

I will post if I can confirm after testing^^^playing for a few hours here ;)

Again, thank you for all your hard work. It is appreciated!

-Haerikk

Hi all

can anybody post guides for setting up EQ offline plz?

Thx a lot

Magoth, things are looking very nice! I can now report with confidence the Linux compile does behave differently than the Windows Binaries you provide (I have yet to compile on Windows myself). The major difference is, in Windows Binaries, I can form a group of 5 bots and myself - attack something - and it fights back.

But in Linux (FC4), the mobs you are attacking do not aggro. I cannot say why, just reporting what I have discovered.

No more zone crashing with full bot groups, either. Yay!

Also, the #repop command appears to make the bots vanish, but they are still grouped. I think my zone crashed only when I tried to zone to see if it would clear my group. No luck tho.


Goodnight, and happy to see this coming along so nicely!

Haerikk> You have to use "#bot update" on your bot at each leveling (mainly when they have new spells), then you have to repop them.

John> There shouldn't be a difference between windows and linux binaries. ARe you sure that, on your linux, the map are in the right repertory ?

Later,
Mag

Yes, but I will re-extract all the maps + the newer ones that came out recently, and try again.

Here's another 2 for ya (if you were bored):
1) #bot spawn - equipped bots are naked until they are grouped. scared the hell out of me, thinking all my bots gear was gone! ;)

2) Mage bot inventory is not saved. I'll go through all the other classes today and let you know if there are more.

Loot
 

Is it a known issue that when you are grouped with a bot that the corpse vanishes without the chance to loot?

Also had that happened but only a couple times, seems to be when the bots do the majority of the damage and get the last hit... which i think is in the NPC encoding more than bot's themselves...

Tried it
 

I have tried to make sure i did the most of damage and last hit. It still vanishes before the chance to loot. Disband the bot and all is normal. Yes. i believe you're right about the npc encoding. I have noticed i cannot let the bot do any damage at all while grouped. Then i can loot it.

404
 

http://eqoffline.free.fr/EQEmu-EQOffline.rar
Please repair this link >_<

Hello,


""" 1) #bot spawn - equipped bots are naked until they are grouped. scared the hell out of me, thinking all my bots gear was gone!
2) Mage bot inventory is not saved. I'll go through all the other classes today and let you know if there are more.""""

John> yes, you will only deal (and see their their stuff) with bots if they are grouped or raiding.
As for the mage's inventory, it's working as intended. What happened exactly ? was the bot grouped ?

""" Is it a known issue that when you are grouped with a bot that the corpse vanishes without the chance to loot? """

Topgun1969/Zengez> Are you talking about the bot's corpse or the killed npc's corpse ? because, yes, you can't loot the corpse of your bot.
Now, if you're talking about the killed mob's corpse, this shouldn't happen. I've made a good amount of tests today and didn't notice that. Could you give more info please.

Marie> did :)


G'day,
Mag

Updates:

-- Mob's corpses shouldn't poof anymore.
-- As asked, I've removed the limitation of 4 groups in raids. You can now have the number of groups that you want to in your raid.
-- "#bot raid info" is now working.
-- "#bot raid order task attack/follow/guard/assist" are now working.


Windows's binaries : http://eqoffline.free.fr/Build.rar
Sources: http://eqoffline.free.fr/EQEmu-EQOffline.rar

Mag

Yeps
 

Great job my friend.. Looting works great :)

Sorry for sounding way too stupid.

But to use your excellent mod all I need to do is using your binaries /in windows) to start my server?
And IF is it then ok to rename them to zone and world?

Bjerlk

Yes, you also need to do some databse changes:
http://eqoffline.free.fr/README.txt


Later,
Mag

Working smooth™

Thanks for a great project...
Now I just need to "solo" VP and similar.

Thanks again for extending my enjoyment hehe....

First, I created a mage bot, then spawned him and grouped him. Then I sat picking through valid Mage gear, handed it to the bot so he was wearing it. If I go to the botsinventory table, that bots botid is missing. But other bots showed their info just fine - just the mage bot so far. I didn't have time this weekend to check all the other classes.

What I was also going to try is manually entering the data into the botsinventory table and see if the gear is retrieved properly. Haven't done that yet either.

He was a DE Mage, if that matters, and I was level 70 GM at the time.

Updates:

-- fixed a zone crash while raiding. It happened when a full group of bots wiped.
-- added a new command, group related this time: "#bot group order attack [target]". It will force your group to attack your target even if your grouped bots are already engaged.

Windows's binaries : http://eqoffline.free.fr/Build.rar
Sources: http://eqoffline.free.fr/EQEmu-EQOffline.rar

crash
 

I don't know why but I can group a bot but i still get the crash in the zones at times. Everything will stop moving and the bot will stop following. I am using the windows binaries. I double checked all installations and they are current. I know that it doesn't support multiplayer yet. So i try solo. Is there something i am doing wrong?

update
 

Ok, i noticed that it crashes the zone when updated sorry

Can you give more info please ?

What is the last line you got on your zone.exe output when it crashes ?

Mag

Okies... my confidence is ZERO at the moment!! Magoth, I am embarassed to report, my Linux server was missing not only Maps, but quests dirs. Apparently, my unintelligent auto-setup script I wrote is shit.

I hope you didn't spend any time looking into that one, you were right. Maps.

asap
 

As soon as it happens again i will give the message on the zones crashing. Also the bots will equip weapons in the wrong hands as well. I guess mostly it is things that have already been commented such as Rogues, Wizard just stand there. etc.

following distance
 

Is there anyway to adjust the distance they follow you? The Vah shir race sits right on top of your character.

zone crash on update, remove and spawn
 

[Debug] [WORLD__CLIENT] New client from 192.168.1.102:2426
[Debug] [WORLD__CLIENT] 1969: Logged in. Mode=(Zoning)
[Debug] [WORLD__CLIENT] 1969: LS Account #26109
[Debug] [WORLD__CLIENT] 1969: Telling client to continue session.
[Debug] [WORLD__CLIENT] 1969: Zoning to bazaar (151)
[Debug] [WORLD__CLIENT] 1969: Sending client to zone bazaar (151) at 192.1
68.1.103:7010
[Debug] [WORLD__ZONE] [11] [bazaar] Setting to 'bazaar' (151)
[Debug] [WORLD__CLIENT] 1969: Client disconnected (not active in process)
[Debug] [WORLD__ZONELIST] Removing zoneserver #11 at :7010
[Debug] [WORLD__ZONELIST] Hold Zones mode is ON - rebooting lost zone
[Debug] [WORLD__LAUNCH] zone: dynamic_02 reported state STOPPED (2 starts)
[Debug] [WORLD__LAUNCH] zone: dynamic_02 reported state STARTED (3 starts)
[Debug] [WORLD__ZONE] New TCP connection from 127.0.0.1:3098
[Debug] [WORLD__CONSOLE] New zoneserver #12 from 127.0.0.1:3098
[Debug] [WORLD__ZONE] [12] Zone started with name dynamic_02 by launcher zone
[Debug] [WORLD__ZONE] [12] Auto zone port configuration. Telling zone to use po
rt 7011
[Debug] [WORLD__CLIENT] New connection from 192.168.1.102:2430
[Debug] [NET__IDENT_TRACE] 192.168.1.102:2430: First opcode 0x4dd0 did not match
expected 0x2792
[Debug] [NET__IDENT_TRACE] 192.168.1.102:2430: Tried patch 6.2_world, and it did
not match.
[Debug] [NET__IDENT_TRACE] 192.168.1.102:2430: First opcode 0x4dd0 did not match
expected 0x2ec9
[Debug] [NET__IDENT_TRACE] 192.168.1.102:2430: Tried patch 6.2_zone, and it did
not match.
[Debug] [NET__IDENT_TRACE] 192.168.1.102:2430: First opcode matched 0x4dd0 and l
ength matched 464
[Debug] [NET__IDENTIFY] Identified stream 192.168.1.102:2430 with signature Tita
nium_world
[Debug] [WORLD__CLIENT] New client from 192.168.1.102:2430
[Debug] [WORLD__CLIENT] 1969: Logged in. Mode=(CharSel)
[Debug] [WORLD__CLIENT] 1969: LS Account #26109

Magoth, here's a few more things to report. (sorry if this is a repeat)

1) Bots gear "stats" do not seem to effect the bot. A level 70 ogre warrior has 5375 HP @ level 70 before or after adding armor.

2) Bots do not seem to benefit from group buffs. My poor warrior and monk were torn to shreds by Aaryonar in seconds!

3) There is still something odd with NPC reaction gfx during a fight, even with maps in place properly. In NToV, the wyverns that initially attack in mass - once the first wyvern falls, the next few just stand there while the Warrior beats it up. However, the bot IS taking damage (according to it's health bar, I am pretty sure).

4) I know this is not in the scope yet, but I grouped another player in my group first, then spawned 4 bots. They do not show up for the other grouped player.

I did crash the zone once, but I am not sure how. I was fighting Eashen of the Sky when it happened.


Oh, and I figured out why my Mage gear didn't save. Because he was a Wizard. Tee hee. OOPS.


The raid stuff looks pretty intense. I won't have time to play with that until this weekend.

Topgun1969> you shouldn't crash, it's probably due to your install.


John> thanks for the reports,
1/ Once you have equiped your bot and you did a "#bot update" on it, it's stats must be upgraded. I will change a lot of things about the bot's stuffs very soon as I don't like how I coded it. Also, I want to make the damages based on the stuffs of the bots, etc..
2/ Group buffs are only casted by the player. A bot won't cast a group buff, he will just give individual buffs.
3/ I used to test the bots in Ntov also and noticed almost the same thing but only on wyverns. What is possible is that the wyverns are feared by the fear classes, that's why the wyverns stand there. I dunno if in Live thoses wyverns were fearables but that could be the reason.
4/ Yes, I've also tested with a friend, the bots don't appear in the list of the other client. I will check what I can do.

If you play in raid and you got a zone crash, it's important to give me the last line of your zone's binaries. I've added a lot of debugs tags in the code, and the last zone's line output should give me somes infos about your crash.

Yes, the raid is very intense. I've tested the bots in Ntov and noticed something important :
In the actual version of EQoffline, when a bot is the maintank and the raid is engaged:
1- it will force all the healers to focus on him wich isn't necessary good with the AEs. I will probably make all the second healers focus on others players and will keep the clerics on the maintank.
2- the maintank (that should be a warrior in all the case) doesn't have any defense discipline and die very quickly against dragon like Lord Vyemm. I think I will add something for the maintank to be more defensive.


G'day,
Mag

Thanks for the feedback.
Ahh, I did not do a #bot update since I gave him his wares. I'll try that and check #npcstats

I was the guy casting the group buffs, but I didn't see stats change - though I do not know how to see what buffs are active on a bot, much like a pet.


I wasn't "raidiing" yet, just single group - but I will check this out this weekend and see what I come up with. It is very exciting indeed.

What you have working right now is amazing, and I can see where many enhancements are possible growing from this excellent idea. The only thing that does still concern me is MY bots being available to anyone - and therefore changable by anyone.

Say I am level 70 and build up my bots with nice level 70 gear. Then some level 20 comes along and spawns my bots. What will happen? The same bots will be level 20, but with level 70 gear? Or, what if that level 20 player changes the gear sets, and when I come back later all my level 70 twinking is gone? Not sure what your plans are - if any - for making the #bot list "private" since I think your first run is meant for single-player servers anyway. Just a thought.

You can use #showbuffs to see what buffs are on any npc.

That's true. Actually, anyone can use any bot on a server. The reason is because I've developped this mod, from the start, for the solo only. Now, it has been upgraded so you can play it with your friends, though it may cause certain bugs that crashes the zone. That's why I need to see the last zone's binarie output when it occurs.

Concerning the fact that anyone can spawn any bot, I will change that soon.
Also, people asked me to :
1/ make only the bot creator to be able to spawn his own bots .
2/ remove the possibility to spawn more than one particular bot in a zone. Actually, you can clone any bot that you have by just "#bot spawn"'ing them.