Include defended territory in starting scenario

[enjoymoreradio]

Much the same as how one can name a certain player in your starting scenario the "empty" space, using the Empty bot, this would create space that was "defended" by Sun Tzu's Defender. This would be immensely useful in a map I am planning that makes extensive use of Defender.

[SunTzu]

This is something that should be handled by a bot, rather than Lux.

I could code something in Defender that will add a country to its "home countries" list if it has a special character in its name. For example, if I make the special character an asterisk (*), then Defender will try to take any country with an * in its name.

I really like this idea, but what should the special character be?

Should it be something obvious, like an *; or should it be innocuous, like a period at the end of the country name?

[RandomGuy]

You really want to tie Defender to a specific starting position in the scenario, right?

This is heading towards what was requested before - allowing mapmakers to specify specific bots for starting scenarios. So this map is played against 3 reapers, or a defender here and BoD there...etc. The difficult is ensuring players have the bot installed, plus you lose the option for random starting order unless you tie some positions, but leave others flexible..

[SunTzu]

You really want to tie Defender to a specific starting position in the scenario, right?

This is heading towards what was requested before - allowing mapmakers to specify specific bots for starting scenarios.

If you look at the maps made by MB for AHL & AEL, you'll see where he specifies which bot should have which starting position. I think this only works for expansions, not Lux itself.

Dustin, would adding that functionality to Lux be difficult?

[guest]

What may also be nice is a argument string that gets fed to the bot.
Then we may see some more bots that are designed for scenarios.
I should only take some simple changes to Reaper and BotOMatic to parse the argument string, or have Lux parse it and pass each one in through the chat.

Maybe make up a list of commands (in the Wiki) so map makers can use one argument string and the bots can support them if they want.

[dustin]

Dustin, would adding that functionality to Lux be difficult?

Yes. It makes for some tricky interface issues. How to show that the map specifies the bots, etc.

[mbauer]

Dustin, would adding that functionality to Lux be difficult?

Yes. It makes for some tricky interface issues. How to show that the map specifies the bots, etc.

Would players have the ability to override the map specified bots with ones they choose?

Maybe you could just have a checkbox that says "Use map specified bots." When checked obviously it uses whatever the map maker coded into the map. If it was unchecked it would use what the player has set up.

Also, how would random starting order fit into that?

The scenario's that I play a lot and am familair with I usually turn off random start because a bot could be really good in one position and just downright stink at another, and for bot teaming purposes. So maybe the checkbox described above could also overide random start if it was checked?

MB