Engineers not responding

[nasapion]

In the new version of FritzBot, it seems the the engineers dont shoot at you until you start shooting at them, is this the way its supposed to be or is it a bug?

[the bindlestiff]

As one who has been slain many times by engineers in every map, I can assure you that I haven't encountered such a bug.

What map? What were the circumstances when you observed the behavior? Were they concentrating on an engineering task like planting dynamite? More info is needed in order to try to duplicate the problem.

[TomTom]

nasapion is correct. When an engr is following a route to a dynamite/disarm task it is rather preoccupied and waits for you to fire. I first noticed this on Goldrush during some testing between 2 single bot teams. I later noticed it while playing with full teams near the first truck barrier. On a map I am waypointing the engr coming to disarm ignores me standing by the door he opens, some 4 nodes from the dynamite! Other classes are not affected and when present The engr seem to join in the fight but what triggers them to fight I don't know.
P.S. I have seen the same behavior with 2 engrs responding and no other classes present. once the task is complete they then begin to fight.

[the bindlestiff]

Originally, engineers would respond immediately and fight whenever the opportunity provided itself. They would forget to accomplish their engineering tasks as a result and many dynamiting objectives would go unfinished. So Mal changed it so that they would be more focused on completing their goals.

Here's Mal' reasoning in his words:
Was playing some Fritz ET in a LAN party tonight, and one thing reallybothered me: the bots weren't as good about staying focused on their goals as much as the humans were. They're too eager to get into a fight sometimes, and it makes it difficult for them to capture/plant on objssometimes. So, I'm testing some changes to their goal priorities, as far as itconcerns enemies (and possible enemies). Engs should be more focused on planting, and all bots should be more focused on stealing/delivering objs.

Perhaps that is what you are observing. My problem is the opposite -- I get so involved in trying to finish the objective that I take damage and forget to defend myself!

[renartthefox]

I wish he (bindle) was more that way when we I am playing against him. He seems to pay FAR too much attention to me, when I am shooting him.

[TomTom]

I don't know what Mal had planned, but I've just about always thought that bots need personalities. Like...
One parameter in the bot file to define the bot's bias between moving(attacking) and camping(defending ambushing).
Another parameter for Courage
(i.e. agression bias as a function of the number of friend over foes in a area sample near the bot).
A third parameter for Death Wish (bias to moving alone toward objective and foes when health is below 20% vs camping/waiting for more team players).
And a fourth parameter about a bot's focus on class specific behavior (healing, building/blowing, supplying and satcheling. Soldiers would have zero for this parameter.

Then add some scripting options to give courage boosts, aggression boosts and objective focus for short periods of time triggered by map milestones and time clock.

Of course testing would get very complicated.