Warcraft II Forum

Warcraft II => Server.War2.ru => Topic started by: Harrywangs on August 14, 2015, 03:06:19 PM

Title: Host Bot
Post by: Harrywangs on August 14, 2015, 03:06:19 PM
I see the host bot is up but I still see that people have no idea about it or how to use it. Does the average person know what a EF_Hostbot is or does?

Understandably, there are only so many characters to be descriptive about in the screen name.

I hosted a game from the bot to show a noob and, even though he still didn't quite get it, other noobs were in the game I hosted. Long story short. Is there a way that maybe every.... 5-10 mins a game can be auto hosted from the bot?

I'm not sure if that would lag it or make any issues but I mean, noobs join games. We all know this because most of us kick them out. They just don't know how to make them.

If they don't know how to make them or use the bot, let's just make it for them? Maybe when they join the game, you can put instructions on how to use it or something.

Just an idea to help people play and more newer people play with more newer people.
Title: Re: Host Bot
Post by: I hate naggers on August 14, 2015, 03:13:29 PM
Is there a way that maybe every.... 5-10 mins a game can be auto hosted from the bot?
yep, but it doesnt get done for some reason. i mentioned it about 1000 times, dont bother :p
Title: Re: Host Bot
Post by: Delete mine too on August 14, 2015, 03:32:51 PM
Use my bot then jeez it will host 24/7 even if no one joins.

Good for hosting melee and ums for rpgs maps!!
Title: Host Bot
Post by: EviL~Ryu on August 14, 2015, 03:38:10 PM
Use my bot then jeez it will host 24/7 even if no one joins.

Good for hosting melee and ums for rpgs maps!!

Your uptime sucks, how will you host it 24/7 [emoji46]


Sent from my Motorola DynaTAC 8000X using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Host Bot
Post by: Delete mine too on August 14, 2015, 08:17:40 PM
I didn't say I was gonna host it. He hosts it my hosting is 24 7 I use it alot more other stuff. I got more work too do then just play games.
Title: Re: Host Bot
Post by: EviL~Ryu on August 14, 2015, 09:34:13 PM

I got more work too do then just play games.

Maybe you should try and play more...[emoji39], games dead need everyone on!


Sent from my Motorola DynaTAC 8000X using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Host Bot
Post by: {Lance} on August 15, 2015, 10:42:24 PM
I have contemplated auto-game creation (it's fairly simple to do) as well as a 10-15 min blurb about the bot's existence in the channel but decided against the blurb bit with assumptions that iL would ban it for one reason or another.  However, the autohosted games.... I do plan to do this anyway.  It's not difficult in the least.  I've also been improving it such that it can kick/ban/add cpu's on command of the player.  As well as a TvB game type as opposed to melee.
Title: Re: Host Bot
Post by: Harrywangs on August 16, 2015, 05:43:24 PM
I think that is a great idea too Lance. Having games consistently up will help a lot, in my opinion.


Admins, I personally think the host bot is your #1 asset in terms of newer players and even activity among existing ones. I don't know how many times I see people leave, not play, and complain they can't get in any games. I try to help in the chat but even with me telling them what to do, they can't seem to figure it out. Simple to us but not to people whom have never played.

I know we love the forums and activity (I'm 50/50 on that) but when we log in, we have all the newest forum topics appear on the chat to try and get more people on the forums. While I see the point to it and realize the benefits of having more people participate on the forums, I'd have to argue that it isn't too effective and that we would gain more using our efforts else where.

I think that forum thing takes up way too much room and when you have too much information coming at you at any particular instance, you naturally either pick certain things to look at and focus on or just not pay attention to any of it. I personally, don't think the forum should be on there. That or just have the site for everyone.

Anything on there should be for new people. They just downloaded the game, they just logged in, they are the ones who will be looking and reading it. Everyone who plays this (and uses it or plans to) knows where to go or how to find the forum. We need to help the people who have no idea what a HostBot even is in the first place.

We need to realize we currently use jargon and we tell people to do things they have no idea of because they have never heard it. So, instructions need to be specific. For example, don't just say use host bot to make your own game or simply message the host bot. Well, how do I message? I just downloaded the game.

That means nothing and is ineffective. Say, double click on the profile name EF_HostBot in the channel and it will provide you with instructions on how to play a game. Say, create your own teams and ally as people join because do they have any idea how melee works? Again, Lances TvB thing would be helpful.

I had my wisdom teeth out last Thursday and have been on quite a lot. Recently we are in a big drought of people online but I have seen many newer people online and I feel we just don't prepare them enough to keep their interest and enable them to make the best of this game.
Title: Re: Host Bot
Post by: {Lance} on August 17, 2015, 04:04:49 AM
I had a little time tonight and added 2 new commands to the bot to make it a little more useful.  I've also started the conversion to Autoit.  The new commands use Autoit rather than NNCron which is a step in the right direction.  It cuts out the need for a 2nd script since Autoit has a COM object that allows mouse manipulations.  As the week goes on, I'll be converting the rest of the NNCron crap that iL had put together into the COM Autoit object instead.  This will consolidate the script into 1 single Stealthbot script making it easier to use but more importantly, easier to modify.

Anyway, to use the kick/ban commands it's fairly simple.  Obviously only the "GameOwner" can do these: 
/msg EF_HostBot kick 2     ---  Duh, kick player in slot 2
/msg EF_HostBot ban 2     ---  If you need help with this command, you need more than I can give. 

I've also added these 2 commands in the command list that the bot gives with /msg EF_HostBot help
Title: Re: Host Bot
Post by: iL on August 17, 2015, 05:09:18 AM
msg EF_HostBot kick 2     ---  Duh, kick player in slot 2
/msg EF_HostBot ban 2     ---  If you need help with this command, you need more than I can give. 
Nice and easy idea!
Mouse click to player line location, right? Works for 2-8 slots? For both melee and TVB?
Title: Re: Host Bot
Post by: {Lance} on August 17, 2015, 10:31:02 AM
It does yes.  I havent done tvb yet, but that's on the list.  I'll probably have tvb done by wed or so.  It uses autoit for the clicking instead for the slot features.  I still need to convert game creation, game login, and game exit,  but now that I've got a "click,  button down, and button move" sub function for autoit working correctly,  those will be easy to do.  And yea,  only slots 2-8 work ;)
Title: Re: Host Bot
Post by: iL on August 17, 2015, 10:35:43 AM
And it no longer uses nncron,  it uses autoit for the clicking instead.
Probably good idea, nncron makes me confused also...
Also password for game could be a good step i didn't make because of nncron syntax.

Do you plan to share the autoit source code for your bot?
Title: Re: Host Bot
Post by: {Lance} on August 17, 2015, 01:13:06 PM
Yep.  I plan to post it once I get nncron completely removed in favor of autoit which is going to be sometime this week.
Title: Re: Host Bot
Post by: mousEtopher on August 17, 2015, 04:35:04 PM
I know we love the forums and activity (I'm 50/50 on that) but when we log in, we have all the newest forum topics appear on the chat to try and get more people on the forums. While I see the point to it and realize the benefits of having more people participate on the forums, I'd have to argue that it isn't too effective and that we would gain more using our efforts else where.

I think that forum thing takes up way too much room and when you have too much information coming at you at any particular instance, you naturally either pick certain things to look at and focus on or just not pay attention to any of it. I personally, don't think the forum should be on there. That or just have the site for everyone.

Anything on there should be for new people. They just downloaded the game, they just logged in, they are the ones who will be looking and reading it. Everyone who plays this (and uses it or plans to) knows where to go or how to find the forum. We need to help the people who have no idea what a HostBot even is in the first place.

I agree with this. Could also add some hostbot info to the //noob command, and a page about it on the site for details. Or maybe a better way to catch new player's attention would be a new banner at the top that links to a page with all the basics -- latency, screenshots, host bot, etc.

Nice work on the hostbot btw Lance!
Title: Re: Host Bot
Post by: Harrywangs on August 17, 2015, 06:40:45 PM
Nice progress, solid job Lance.

And if that auto game creation is simple to do, that would be a big plus too I think. Especially for those who just opened up War2 for the first time and just want to click and play. Let's make it as easy as possible.
Title: Re: Host Bot
Post by: {Lance} on August 19, 2015, 01:07:25 PM
For those that have been following Hostbot work,  I've posted the source to a complete re-write of iL's hostbot in the Mods section in the Hostbot thread:  http://forum.war2.ru/index.php/topic,1256.msg21239.html#msg21239 (http://forum.war2.ru/index.php/topic,1256.msg21239.html#msg21239)

It includes step by step instructions on how to use it,  but if you cant already host, its not for you.  Its for those that CAN host and who want to help new players get games going.  Or if you know how to develop, extend it to do whatever you want.

This is my makeshift "TODO" List. 
* = 100% Complete
~ = Functional but not yet used in a bot command (Partially Complete)

* Optimize code and make it FAR more extensible/flexible/easier to use (yes, I rewrote the ENTIRE bot,  theres not a single line left from iL's old bot,  this is a complete rewrite from scratch.  The only thing that remains is iL's GPL License header lol.
* replace Timer with LongTimer (miliseconds to seconds since Timer sux ass with a 65K limit)
* replace nncron with autoit.
* create new InGame
* autohost games for new players
* add banning and kicking based on slots
~ Make Log() log to file AND the bot owner.
~ add a tVb game type
~ add a FFA game type
~ add feature to allow player to setup all the settings
~Allow any BUILT IN map to be played by giving each map an assigned # that cooresponds to the number of up/down arrows in the built in maps dir.
Title: Re: Host Bot
Post by: Player on August 19, 2015, 04:10:18 PM
Good stuff man.
Title: Re: Host Bot
Post by: GaNzTheLegend on August 20, 2015, 04:23:30 PM
hostbot has latency too high today.
Title: Re: Host Bot
Post by: I hate naggers on August 20, 2015, 04:29:36 PM
iz ther a rejoin between hosted games?
Title: Re: Host Bot
Post by: {Lance} on August 20, 2015, 06:14:39 PM
Sometimes it loses UDP capabilities not sure why.  I noticed while watching it today when it autocreated a game that iL's "Note" bot told it that port 6112 was closed.  So,  I rebooted it just tell it "/msg ef_hostbot reboot" and it was fixed.  It just needed to rejoin the server.  I allow anyone to reboot it,  but a reboot will only work if the bot is not in a game.  Otherwise it'll just say the bot is busy.

I'm also adding the ability for anyone to start the Autocreated games.  That is,  those owned by EF_Hostbot.  While watching it,  I noticed players asking each other how they could start it.  It also has the ability to kick/ban players,  but I dont think I'll add that feature to the autocreated games.  Just games where the owner is anyone other than EF_Hostbot.  So far I'm the only one that has actually used the kick/ban commands which I think is a good thing lol.  Maybe its better that people dont know that command even exists haha.
Title: Re: Host Bot
Post by: {Lance} on August 20, 2015, 06:19:35 PM
iz ther a rejoin between hosted games?

There isnt,  but I think this is a good idea.  I think I'll add that in.
Title: Re: Host Bot
Post by: iL on August 22, 2015, 02:51:03 PM
So, as i see currently working bot is a demonstration of it's potential, perfect result of programmer work.

Anyone can start game on 1 map: gow with 2 speeds: ef and f, melee.

What are your plans for that bot project for future?
- Do you plan to continue hosting it on your server?
- Do you plan to add other maps (as i see - 1 more line per map into Event_WhisperFromUser)? gow bne, chop, nwtr, gsew, etc?
- Also to let players select melee or tvb?
- Would be possibly useful to add different speeds: faster, normal or w/e. Easy to add and i don't see any harm from that.
Title: Re: Host Bot
Post by: {Lance} on August 23, 2015, 06:08:14 PM
The plan was to create a base that others could pick up and modify themselves.   I have plans to keep hosting it from my server until its no longer needed either because there are other people hosting  bots or hosting for all users is somehow fixed. I dont think either of those will ever happen so for now I plan to keep hosting it.  I have been working on some other map settings as well as tvb/ffa map types.  All of the code for making map selections is complete.  So adding new maps, settings, etc is just a matter of finding the time to add them in.  Its nothing more than cut/paste/modify existing code so its pretty easy to do.  I will be updating the source in the mods forum sometime this week with a newer version that has some more preset maps as well as all of the new features I added last week (that can all be used with my current bot).
Title: Re: Host Bot
Post by: {Lance} on August 31, 2015, 02:39:17 AM
The EF_HostBot has been updated with the following new commands:

Preset Suggestions are accepted,  I have 1 already (gowcomps) and am at a point where I can make more if people think it's necessary.

Here are some examples of how to use the bot as a PLAYER.  These are not as userfriendly as I'd like, but I dont think it can be simplified any further.  The best plan I could come up with are "Presets".  I have 1 example of a "Preset" called "gowcomps".

The settings of a game can by changed by sending the bot a list of commands in this order as seen below:
/msg EF_HostBot MapName Speed AutoStartTime GameType NumOfCPUs MapResources FixedOrder OnePeon GamePassword

Valid values for MapName:  gow, gowbne  (yes more maps can be added quickly now, takes about 5 mins to add a map, but I only plan to add Built in War2Combat maps.  If it's not built in, I wont add it)
Valid values for Speed: ef, f  (more are possible, but why? lmao)
Valid values for AutoStartTime:  1 to 15
Valid values for GameType: Melee, FFA, TvB, UseMapSettings
Valid values for  NumOfCPUs: 0 to 4 (I may increase that later)
Valid values for MapResources: High, Low, Default
Valid values for FixedOrder: Yes, No
Valid values for OnePeon: Yes, No
Valid values for Password: Anything you want.

Defaults to Gow Old EF with a Time of 5 mins
/msg EF_HostBot gow

Gow Old F with a time of 5 minutes
/msg EF HostBot gow f

Gow Old EF with a time of 3 minutes
/msg EF_HostBot gow ef 3

Old Gow on F with 0 CPUs in TVB on Low resources Format that will start in 5 Mins  (NOTE: If you try to add CPUs to a TvB game, it will tell you that you cannot do that.)
/msg EF_HostBot gow f 5 TvB 0 Low

Old Gow EF that has 2 CPUs on Low res and the game will start in 10 mins
/msg EF_HostBot gow f 5 Melee 2 Low

Gow BNE F that starts in 5 mins
/msg EF_HostBot gowbne

Gow BNE EF that starts in 5 mins
/msg EF_HostBot gowbne ef

Gow BNE EF That starts in 3 mins
/msg EF_HostBot gowbne ef 3

and so on.  There are lots of different combinations now that users have full control over pretty much all of the settings.

The 1 preset I have is this and it allows numeric argument:
Defaults to GowBNE EF with 4 CPUs and starts in 5 mins
/msg EF_HostBot gowcomps

Same as above but with only 1 CPU
/msg EF_HostBot gowcomps 1

Same as above but with only 2 CPUs
/msg EF_HostBot gowcomps 2

Same as above but with only 3 CPUs
/msg EF_HostBot gowcomps 3

Same as above but with only 4 CPUs
/msg EF_HostBot gowcomps 4
Title: Re: Host Bot
Post by: mousEtopher on August 31, 2015, 05:24:50 AM
That's sweet. I can make a page about the hostbot on the site with all the info on how to use it that you can link to from the profile or w/e if you think that'd be helpful.
Title: Re: Host Bot
Post by: {Lance} on August 31, 2015, 09:48:01 AM
Thats likely a decent plan as the profile isnt really big enough and a /help command would probably be to long to view in such a small screen