EQoffline, bots and more..

[billhumpsalot]

No rush, your doing an outstanding contribute to the community and the project

I like learning new things, I figure the more I know the more I can do.

[greggg230]

I'm writing a pretty significant modification of the bot code. It might be more accurate to call it a re-writing.

I'm writing bots as a sub-class of the Mob class and giving the player a lot more control over their actions through a more comprehensive command system that has the ability to combine series of commands into reusable scripts. I basically want to make it like running multiple characters without having to run multiple clients, and, along the way, add the ability to automate your bots' behaviors quite a bit.

Would others be interested in using this once I get it done? It's fairly complete now, but I need to add a few more things.

[EvoZak]

Originally Posted by greggg230

I'm writing a pretty significant modification of the bot code. It might be more accurate to call it a re-writing.

I'm writing bots as a sub-class of the Mob class and giving the player a lot more control over their actions through a more comprehensive command system that has the ability to combine series of commands into reusable scripts. I basically want to make it like running multiple characters without having to run multiple clients, and, along the way, add the ability to automate your bots' behaviors quite a bit.

Would others be interested in using this once I get it done? It's fairly complete now, but I need to add a few more things.

Definitely. Keep us appraised of your progress.

[Aramid]

Originally Posted by greggg230

Would others be interested in using this once I get it done? It's fairly complete now, but I need to add a few more things.

I would be definitly be interested and would help test it if you need people to test it.

[zutfen]

That sounds very interesting, indeed.

[wexford]

I am trying to setup a bots server, and I was wondering if you can setup an npc with a quest that will autospawn a bot and group it with someone automaticly and have it follow them from zone to zone like a pet?

[Aramid]

Originally Posted by wexford

I am trying to setup a bots server, and I was wondering if you can setup an npc with a quest that will autospawn a bot and group it with someone automaticly and have it follow them from zone to zone like a pet?

No, even the way it is now, you can't zone with the Bots and there are no quest commands setup for the Bots as the Bots are not part of the official code.

[wexford]

Originally Posted by Aramid

No, even the way it is now, you can't zone with the Bots and there are no quest commands setup for the Bots as the Bots are not part of the official code.

I understand that I was meaning is it possible, to be more exact what I mean is would it even be possible if one edited the source

[Congdar]

You could probably set up your quest stuff, but bots don't zone with you like pets do so you would need the quest giver in the zone you want to use the bot in.

[gygelly]

Hey folks, new guy here!
First, I've noticed a few folks requesting windows binaries of the 1118 bot code. Here ya go:
http://www.mediafire.com/?ndxi9dxdili

Just copy the 3 files to your standard eqemu install and you are good to go (I think, like I said, I'm new, but it seemed to work for me last night).

I didn't have any trouble getting them compiled, just used the dev kit posted a few pages back (thanks for that, I'm sure it saved me a TON of time and trouble) set the dependencies, and chose ReleasePerl when building the solution.

Now, maybe I've just missed it in this HUGE thread, but is there any kind of user guide for these bots? I found the #bot help command in game, and like I said, managed to screw around with some bots just a bit, but I still have some unanswered questions, and would really appreciate some kind of in depth usage guide if there is one, just to make sure I'm using these guys to their full potential.

If there isn't a guide, then I suppose my biggest question is how do I teach bots spells? I figured out equipping them (that's easy, and very neat) but do I have to give them spells the same way, or is there a command similar to #scribespells that'll just give them a bunch of spells up to the correct level?

Also, are there any more commands for more fine grained control of the healing and mezzing bots? Similar to a "cast this spell on this target" command? I'd really like to set up some kind of CHeal rotation with some cleric bots, for example.

[Congdar]

The bot spells come from the database. They are currently using the lists used by the npc's but I am making new lists just for the bots.

The bot code has a simulated cleric heal rotation. I have used it successfully on the Vulak`Aerr encounter in North ToV and other raid targets. I have not released this code yet but it is available to be tested on the server The Realm along with the new bot spells I have completed.

There is a thread just for Bot Code Releases right next to this thread in the Custom Code forum.

[gygelly]

Thanks for the info, like I said, I'm pretty new at this. I guess I'll hop on the Realm and play around a bit.
Do you want me to put the binaries in the code release thread? Yeah, i saw it, but as it said, that's for code releases, and these are just some binaries.

[gygelly]

Question 1: is it just me, or do the bots seem to miss alot? It seems to take them a LONG time just to take down a mob several levels lower. I know their level is based off of the character that spawns them, but being npcs, I assume weapon skill doesn't really figure into the equation....

Question 2: is there anything I can do to help out? Any particular part of the code you'd like me to look at?

I'm excited about Congdar's spell database improvements (btw, with that tip you gave me, I managed to track down the bot's spell lists, gonna play with 'em tonight), and even more interested in gregg's added bot commands.

How about getting bard's to twist songs? I realize that'd maybe involve rewriting some mob/pet ai, but if you could give me a recommended starting point, that'd be a pretty useful improvement imo.
Or how about getting melee/hybrid bots to use disciplines?

[gygelly]

Duh, didn't know if the Bot AI stuff was based on mobai or petai, then I found botai.cpp. Excuse a newb, I'm only barely familiar with the eqemu code, and this is my first look at this bot stuff.

[gygelly]

Aramid: Though this compiles in VC++2008, the #bot command is not recognized by the server. I notice that the botai.cpp source file (and maybe others) aren't referenced in the solution explorer, that may be the problem.