Waypointers: what do you want?
 

OK, this is for the guys that are planning on helping with the path system.

I'm creating the script system right now, but I want some ideas as to what you guys want to see and be able to use.

What you can do so far in the scripts:

1. You can connect/disconnect nodes.

2. You can tell bots to switch to a class or weapon. I will make it where you can be pretty specifc with these cmds.

3. You can open up nodes to one team or another.

But what else?

Remember - the actions themselves will do things like tell the bots where a good place to camp is - you don't need the script for that. The script system is basically a housekeeping function, that will change the dynamics of the bots team/weapon/available paths/goals/etc as the map goals change.

So what do you guys think you'll need to make this really work on all of the RtCW maps? Can you think of any specifc case that might need something special?


ALSO: what do you guys think about my original idea of making it where only certain bots will respond to a cmd to change weapon/class? The thing is, this will be defined in the bots own file (along with its name, weapon, etc), so if you picked bots that always stayed with the same class/weapon, the script would have no effect.

Do you think I should just grab a certain percentage? Maybe if you issue the cmd to go ENG, 20% of the team randomly follows that?

Re: Waypointers: what do you want?
 

Pretty much anything i mentioned before. Judging by your responses i think you know what to include and what not to so i'll leave it up to you. Just try to think on a wide scope, i mean there's alot of stuff you can put in a script to help simplify and specify things that can be done.

If you look at the document i posted before, you'll already know what i'm looking for, of course some of the stuff i suggested can be script exclusive instead of in-game waypointing and vice versa. I liked the idea of what you suggested about introducing different types of gameplay using script files.

In other words, you could put everything in the script and just have the plain ol waypoints editable in game, i mean as long as the script wasn't confusing and was fairly easy to add/remove stuff i'm game for anything.

And yes, what you suggested sounds alright to me.

Re: Waypointers: what do you want?
 

Will this include path flags like crouch, ladder, and door? Or are those considered "actions"?


On mp_tank, a bridge can be blown up that will make a path not reachable. Maybe an IsReachable flag?

Soul Portal has moving platforms that require the use key to activate. May be a bit tricky, but I think there needs to be a use action and a wait action as two seperate flags

Some maps have breakable barriers that don't require dynamite. Village for example you can grenade the barbed wire obstacles. Would be cool if the bots "recognized" these and tossed a nade at them.

I like the idea of only specific bots changing class. Maybe preferred class / secondary class definitions in the bot config file?

What do you mean by giving a command to change class? The player issues a command? If so, what about a team that doesn't have any humans?

Re: Waypointers: what do you want?
 

Anything that a bot can do (any action), is handled either internally by the bots own AI (they understand a lot of entities/movement types already without the path system), or by the action system. Simple doors that you hit use to open are already understood by them. If you've ever seen the door on beach at the warroom door, or the two on destruction - there is no special node or anything there: they see the door and open it on their own. If they go in the air duct to reach the warroom, they know to crouch - thats their internal AI again.

ATM, there is no path flags between nodes just because I've created a really good system that lets them figure it out on their own. The only special node I have is for steep jumps. Say on beach, when they jump down from the upper bunker to the trenches. Its possible to lose 10-15 points of health doing that, even tho its worth it because you get to the wall so much faster. I marked the nodes at the top of the bunker as being "jump" nodes, so they understand that if they're low on health, to path around the long way and not take the short cut.


You can use the script system to connect/disconnect nodes. If the bridge isn't there, just disconnect the nodes that go over the bridge, and the bots will path around it.

I've never played Soul Portal before, so I'm not sure. I'm focusing on the default maps ATM. I'll have to check the map out first.

As time goes on, I'll see about these custom maps, but some maps may just be impossible (or EXTREMELY difficult) to get the bots working on if they are too terribly complex. The old DM2 map from quake comes to mind: it was really complex for its time and a lot of bots had a hard time with it, so few, if any bots, supported it.



I made a design choice to eliminate most of these barriers. If you've played on beach, destruction, or trenchtoast, you'll notice they are gone. I've never seen them add much to play since anyone can destroy them with a nade - most are destroyed anyway in the first minute of the game. Theres no real tactical value to them, and they don't require an ENG, so they don't encourage teamwork either - they're just for looks.

Yes - the bots would have their "preferred" class. The script system would issue the cmd, not human players.

Re: Waypointers: what do you want?
 

sounds good. should be fairly easy to waypoint maps. I can't think of anything more that would be needed.

Re: Waypointers: what do you want?
 

seems like it's all been covered, looking forward to it