AFK Bots
WhiteWeasel
Join Date: 2012-11-25 Member: 173197Members
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I been lurking around for a bit and noticed some people still worrying about AFK players. I'm not sure if this would work out in NS2, as in it's not a drop in, drop out multiplayer. However I'd like to get some feedback.
In another game, Guns of Icarus Online, a player had an option for going AFK. Then he would get swapped out with a bot, and if he were gone for X minutes, he would get booted from the server. Perhaps the NS2 version just auto kicks after X (say two or three) min of AFK and replaces the player with a bot until someone joins. And whatever res the bot had could be given to the new guy maybe?
I'm not sure how good bots would stand up to human players, even if you just used them for base keeping. You could give them orders manually like a unit in starcraft. Auto Attack, patrol, guard, and build/repair structure. They will always respawn last to keep them from clogging up IP's and using up Eggs. Also they will not buy upgrades unless specified to prevent waste of resources. OR that could be kept in as a deterrent against going AFK as a bot could use your res. Making a bot that would be useful to aliens is going to be more tricky, because I don't think a skulk bot would be any good and giving the khammander a gorge might not always be useful.
Even if alien/marine bots are just fancy drifters and macs that can defend themselves a bit better I'm not sure if this is the solution for the problem.
In another game, Guns of Icarus Online, a player had an option for going AFK. Then he would get swapped out with a bot, and if he were gone for X minutes, he would get booted from the server. Perhaps the NS2 version just auto kicks after X (say two or three) min of AFK and replaces the player with a bot until someone joins. And whatever res the bot had could be given to the new guy maybe?
I'm not sure how good bots would stand up to human players, even if you just used them for base keeping. You could give them orders manually like a unit in starcraft. Auto Attack, patrol, guard, and build/repair structure. They will always respawn last to keep them from clogging up IP's and using up Eggs. Also they will not buy upgrades unless specified to prevent waste of resources. OR that could be kept in as a deterrent against going AFK as a bot could use your res. Making a bot that would be useful to aliens is going to be more tricky, because I don't think a skulk bot would be any good and giving the khammander a gorge might not always be useful.
Even if alien/marine bots are just fancy drifters and macs that can defend themselves a bit better I'm not sure if this is the solution for the problem.
Comments
/rant
On a more practical side, a bot you have to manually command would just be another burden on a Khamm/Comm in a hectic game. If you gave it any autonomy, it would be harder to balance and increase the already disliked PVE. Of course, the downside of the autokick I've suggested is that there ARE some players far worse than a bot could ever be, and potentially worse than an AFK or empty slot.
The AI in Guns of Icarus is also 10x better than ns2. I doubt UWE plans on spending more time on the AI. I don't think they should have made it at all.