CTF+ BOTs = hair pulling...

OK, I have read everything I can get my hands on...papers/docs, forum posts and tutorials. I have examined almost every other CTF level as well. But, I have not been able to find out why bots are walking RIGHT PAST the "FlagBase" flag of the opposite team. I have seen it again and again.

I have fully path noded and path defined the level (looks good, lots of blue path segments). I have the level zoned for the blue and red teams. I have the game type setting in Level Info set to CTF (which is not set this way for Coret, or some other CTF levels, yet they work fine).

I let one map (a simple pair of two story levels with 2 connecting hallways) run for 2 hours and neither team could make a capture. If they did actually pick up the flag, it was due to "stumbling" (being knocked) into it. I even let the level run with only one bot and saw it walk right past the flag as well. I can make the flag run with no problem, so I know the actual CTF part is working. The bots just act as if they "don't see" the flag.

I have tried setting up CTF for 3 different DM levels and I continually get the same results. The DM paths work great. After adding the CTF items (FlagBase(s), defensive points...etc), re-Define the paths and saving as CTF-<mapname>, the bots just treat it like a team DM game, not CTF.

Any answers, clues, solutions? Please help before I go bald... :}

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To expect mercy from your enemies is to accept defeat.

Latch,

I have tried using Alt paths as well. With, or without them, the bots just walk around picking up other items. I have done no tweaking to any of the maxdesirability settings either, it's all default.

I even tried setting up a level containing absolutely nothing but the two flags (one red, one blue) and direct pathnodes to each...the bots still wouldn't capture. I am thinking there must be some "little" setting or something that needs to be added, but have yet to find it.

still balding... :}


To expect mercy from your enemies is to accept defeat.

Hola,

Got good news...least for what I was trying to get to work. I ran across a post on NaliCity forum that clued me in. The person said they lowered the Flagbase object (flag) to get the bots to "see" it better.

Turns out the FlagBase point of contact for the bots is set about mid-way up the flag model. When the flag is placed in the map with just the tip of the flag pole touching the ground (default), the contact point is higher than those of the Pathnodes placed in the level (at default height).

For some reason, it seems that the difference in default heights caused the problem. I lowered the flags so the contact points were closer to the same height (just use view paths to see where the path's contact points are located).

Anywho, this fixed EVERY level I was trying (testing) to get the CTF to work. Also, I did not mess with any of the MaxDesirability settings. I just placed AlternatePaths to get the bots to change up their flag runs every once in a while.

PS: No longer going bald :} (on to the next challenge/problem)


To expect mercy from your enemies is to accept defeat.

Latch,

Great to hear. Glad it worked for you too.

Sometimes you just gotta love forums...


To expect mercy from your enemies is to accept defeat.

Yeah, I have found forums to be the most likely place to get the info you need. Most people have gotten so busy with the "stuff" goin on in their lives...whether it be work (jobs or level, modeling type stuff) that they don't answer emails from people they don't know.

I recently sent out some invites only to friends about a LAN party I wanted to get together. Most of the people were newbies to the whole LAN thing and I was setting this up to be for them...a chance to learn and get their feet wet at some gibbage (no fear of being slaughtered by hard-core gamers). I only heard back from 3 of them and none of them showed up. The funniest part was, two of the ones I did hear back from were probably the least close of all the people I sent the invites too. Gotta love people sometimes...

My suggestion, don't take any "non-responses" personally. Otherwise, you'll spend more time thinking about them, than they did about you...lol.


To expect mercy from your enemies is to accept defeat.