Bot Pathing.

[OshadowO]

I've read up on the bot pathing guide at Ued.exe and so far as I can get all it says is to lay out the best path through your level. The thing is bots running on one path are, well just stupid. How in the world do you define an alternate path? I've got my bots running on the main path but can't get them to take alternate routes. In other words they run the same path each and everytime.
I've tried using the alternate path node but it doesn't seemt to do anything or I'm not using it properly. Anyhelp or a link to a in depth guide would be greatly appreciated. And please don't refer me back to unrealed.exe.
Thanks

[Lizard Of Oz]

You might try adding goodies near the "alternate" paths to entice the bots to use 'em more or...

[I don't know if this works]

Try adding an "Alternate Path" actor at or near the brancing point between the main path and the alternate path.

The "Alternate Path" actor can be found under "Navigation Points."

[[DL]Dragon]

my experience with bots, is that they will "always" take the easiest, most direct approach, with the best pickups, between point a and point b. i also have had "no success" with the "alternate path" actor...my solution is not to place all team playerstarts in the base, but to place a few near the other paths i want them to use.this will help, depending on the design of your level. if its not a team type level, but a free for all dm design, then the key placement of your dm starts will give you the results you want.....none of this is etched in stone, but hopefully it will be of some help.

[B]

My experience with bots is:

[list]
Always give a bot a reason to go somewhere (pace a goodie)
Keep the distance between your pathnodes at +- 250 units
Use Liftexits; liftcenters etc ! where needed
you canalso try and make 2 paths netx to each other..

hope this helps......!

[OshadowO]

Hmm never thought of laying out two paths next to each other. I'll try that.
I'll also play around with my player start points.
Alternate paths seem totally useless to me so far.
It's a CTF map so it's kinda crucial bots take various paths otherwise defense will become a cake walk. I think bot pathing is the worst part of mapping.
Thanks for the help.

[[DL]Dragon]

Meelobee hit the nail right on the head when he suggested placing pickups to get the bots to change course, they are greedy lil' boogers when it comes to stockin up...i build more ctf maps than any other kind, second is Dom maps, and then DM, mainly because thats the order i like to playem, ctf being my fav. i always try to build at least 3 or more ways in and out of each base, and so far i've had pretty good luck getting the bots to use all of them. just count "everything" you lay down as a pathnode. weapons, ammo, health, armor, udamage, liftexits, etc, etc. and don't add any extra nodes that you don't need, and bots don't like long staircases, but they love any kind of ramps, as long as they're not to steep....damn ! i'm gettin long winded here...i'll shut up and hope that you get a little usefulness from the above info...:+)