Bots On Empty Servers

[Mana 3,867]

How many bots do you guys think we should have on our servers when they are empty?

0 is not an option. We ran our servers for years without bots and due to experience I know that adding bots is only an advantage. Players are far less likely to join an empty or near empty server if they can't do anything in it. Bots allow them to pass the time until people join. Quickplay also sometimes sends players to empty servers in waves. The first players to join will leave if there's no one to play with.

Also bots can fill when players start leaving late at night.

[Nano 7,892]

Does it report to the master server as a person when there is a bot? I'm assuming the answer is no, but it's important to understand that before deciding.

Some other questions:

1. Should we have a different number of bots for different types of maps? KOTH might only need 3v3 minimum whereas payload might need 6v6?

2. Do we know what the standard is? What do we usually see on other servers? Is there a default amount from valve?

3. What have we done in the past (for comparisons sake)

We may not be able to answer all these questions but I thought they may give us a starting point in deciding how many bots to use.

Edited December 14, 2011 by TheProLoser

[Mana 3,867]

Does it report to the master server as a person when there is a bot? I'm assuming the answer is no, but it's important to understand that before deciding.

Some other questions:

1. Should we have a different number of bots for different types of maps? KOTH might only need 3v3 minimum whereas payload might need 6v6?

2. Do we know what the standard is? What do we usually see on other servers? Is there a default amount from valve?

3. What have we done in the past (for comparisons sake)

We may not be able to answer all these questions but I thought they may give us a starting point in deciding how many bots to use.

Yes bots get reported as bots on the master server. The result of that differs depending on which server browser you use (if at all). TF2 server browser, steam server browser... This is something that I would worry about you and you shouldn't need to.

There is no standard.

Currently we have 15-16 bots on most servers, the rest are at 5 or 10 bots.

[R4mbo 5]

Many servers use the magic number of 20 bots (Nighteam for exemple). I think if you want people to join in when there are only bots on the server, don't use an even number. Late at night, a 20/24 server is likely filled with bots. People will look at the names and determine if it worth joining. On the other hand, if you make it 21/24, people are more likely to join straight without looking at the names. Indeed, when a person join, a bot is kicked so 21 players doesn't look like a bot filled server. Also, 21 would keep the servers up the list (instead of 12).

[Nano 7,892]

I agree with Basterd, minimum 12, up to 16 on some servers.

Thanks for taking the time to answer those questions mana.

[Mana 3,867]

Many servers use the magic number of 20 bots (Nighteam for exemple). I think if you want people to join in when there are only bots on the server, don't use an even number. Late at night, a 20/24 server is likely filled with bots. People will look at the names and determine if it worth joining. On the other hand, if you make it 21/24, people are more likely to join straight without looking at the names. When a person join, a bot is kicked so 21 players doesn't look like a bot filled server. Also, 21 would keep the servers up the list.

In the TF2 server browser (if you aren't using fakeplayers) 20 bots on a 24 player server would make the server show up as 0/2 until you click view game info.

Nighteam won't be able to keep faking their player counts without being reprimanded by Valve.

[Thompson200Z 6]

If you must have bots i think 3 is enough. it doesnt really matter how many you put in there 99% of the time they sit in spawn. 3 fits it gives enough entertainment for some one to start something up but they wont get in the way.

[Brenardo 1]

I think the less bots the better, but that's more about stats, which most people aren't worried about. I just don't like getting kills that don't count for anything /:

...and the medics... their aim... xD

[Nano 7,892]

In the TF2 server browser (if you aren't using fakeplayers) 20 bots on a 24 player server would make the server show up as 0/2 until you click view game info.

Nighteam won't be able to keep faking their player counts without being reprimanded by Valve.

.

I heard a rumor that Nighteam and Saigns are now de-listed from Quickplay. I'm confirming this but this should be a final nail in the coffin for those idiots who try to put Lotus in the same boat. If were were truly abusing the rules, we would have been de-listed as well. I

[IceSage 58]

I don't mind bots at all. However, there needs to be some player command to simply get rid of them... Or make sure that the server properly boots them when enough players have arrived. One of the most annoying things about the bots when I used to play on Arena (other than they didn't work) was that when we were satisfied that we had enough players... The bots would still continue to play. (No reason bots should be playing when it's 5v5 humans)

Also, those servers were pretty crap anyway, I'm glad they got booted off the list.

[Mana 3,867]

I don't mind bots at all. However, there needs to be some player command to simply get rid of them... Or make sure that the server properly boots them when enough players have arrived. One of the most annoying things about the bots when I used to play on Arena (other than they didn't work) was that when we were satisfied that we had enough players... The bots would still continue to play. (No reason bots should be playing when it's 5v5 humans)

Also, those servers were pretty crap anyway, I'm glad they got booted off the list.

At the moment Arena only has 2 bots when empty.

[IceSage 58]

At the moment Arena only has 2 bots when empty.

Yeah, I saw. thanks! Arena is alive and kickin' again!

[Thompson200Z 6]

the bots on arena are great! i have experienced no problems and only having 2 allows for really small games

[TIKI - ikislma 19]

The fewer bots the better. I've written about my dislike for bots before so I really won't go into it again. Suffice to say, I leave when I see too many.

[DreamLord 3]

I agree, while people are starting to understand that bots are a semi-essential evil, having more than 3 - 6 per team (ie 6 - 12) can makes bots the only difference between the teams. This is also almost never corrected with a Auto-Scramble, since donors will just return to the team they wish to be on (ie the winning team). However, the behavior still occurs on servers when there aren't bots so it's sort of a Catch22.

[Mana 3,867]

I changed the bots to a max of 12 some time ago.

It seems to be working about the same as before. So that's a good thing since now we have less bots and the effect on players has been minimal.

[Barbaro 466]

If the bots irritate some of you so much, why not spam a few game invites to those on your Friends list?

Frankly, I hate them, (Especially one that goes by the name of Mana XD) but I don't want them gone, an empty server, flat out empty, is boring as fuck.

If you can't bounce ontop of Bots...that's a player's problem, not the server.

[Willerms 1,794]

If the bots irritate some of you so much, why not spam a few game invites to those on your Friends list?

Frankly, I hate them, (Especially one that goes by the name of Mana XD) but I don't want them gone, an empty server, flat out empty, is boring as fuck.

If you can't bounce ontop of Bots...that's a player's problem, not the server.

I don't like gotcha v2, he's a dick

[Nano 7,892]

(Especially one [bot] that goes by the name of Mana XD)

I'm sure his heavy is hacked. No spy can come up behind Manav2 without it instantly turning around for the kill!

[Barbaro 466]

I'm sure his heavy is hacked. No spy can come up behind Manav2 without it instantly turning around for the kill!

Oh but I have, but that's a second hack too, forcing my attention to the point I gut him in front of teammates.

Instant Gib. XD