Games - Computer game bot

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	Games - Computer game bot

A bot, most prominently in the first person shooter PC game types (FPS), is a roBOTic computer controlled entity that simulates an online or LAN multiplayer human deathmatch opponent, team deathmatch opponent or a cooperative human player. Computer game bots work via artificial intelligence routines pre-programmed to suit the game map, game rules, game type and other parameters unique to each game. Bots are not only found in FPS PC games; they are also featured in several console games.

Usage

Bots can help a PC gamer learn the gameplay environment and the game rules as well as help them practice shooting accuracy and gaming skills before going online to compete with other human players in a multiplayer environment. Some PC gamers prefer to play exclusively with bots rather than human opponents – especially in the case of those who have slow dial-up internet connections and thus may be unable to play online. In this respect, bots help create a longer interest in the game. Most bots use existing 3d models, textures and sound of the games or mods.

Some single-player games were released initially without multiplayer components and bots were created or added later on by fans and enthusiasts in the modding community.

Bots are usually written in C or C++ as stand-alone, completely independent applications or plugins or just dynamic link libraries (dll) for an existing game engine. Some authors also write some applications with which the bots' behavior, skills and other characteristics can be created or modified, such as Bot Studio for Quake III Arena.

Bot types

Bots can be either static or dynamic.

Static bots are designed to follow pre-made waypoints or pathnodes for each level or map. These bots need to have a unique waypoint file for each map, or a pathnode system embedded in the map, if they are to function. For example, Quake 3 Arena bots use an AAS (area awareness system) file to move around the map, while Counter-Strike bots use a WPT (waypoint) file. Unreal Tournament's series bots use an embedded pathnode system in the map to navigate.

Dynamic bots, on the other hand, dynamically learn the levels and maps as they play. RealBot, for Counter-Strike, is an example. Some bots are designed using both static and dynamic features.

Some bots are designed to help a player advance levels in repetitive skills; however, the use of such bots is often against the rules on MMORPGs.

Some well-known bots

Botman's bot, HPB_bot for Half-Life.
Elite Force bot for Star Trek: Elite Force II
FrogBot, Reaper Bot (which was the very first computer bot) for Quake
OpenKore
and ReveMU for Ragnarok Online
POD bot
or the official CS bot by Turtle Rock Studios
for Counter-Strike
and CS: Source
Rune bot for Rune
ShrikeBot and SturmBot for Day of Defeat (DoD)
StormTrooper Bot for Quake III Arena
Tactical Ops bot for Tactical Ops: Assault on Terror
Wolfbot for Return to Castle Wolfenstein.
WoW!Sharp for World of Warcraft
(a.k.a Stupid Angry Bot)

Games with built in bots

Battlefield 1942
Battlefield 2
Battlefield Vietnam
Counter-Strike: Condition Zero
Counter-Strike: Source
Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne
Pariah
Perfect Dark (in which they are known as "Simulants")
Quake III Arena
Red Faction (Playstation 2 version)
Red Faction 2
Soldier of Fortune
Star Trek: Voyager Elite Force
Star Trek: Elite Force II
Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast
Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
Starsiege: Tribes
SWAT 3: Close Quarters Battle
Tribes 2
Unreal
Unreal Tournament
Unreal Tournament 2003
Unreal Tournament 2004

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