Hello, fellow TF2-ers! I'm pretty sure most of you have noticed that the AI for the bots in TF2 are just down right terrible! But fear not, my friends! For we can improve their AI with the magic of the console commands! Yes, your fellow 'bot-mates' might actually be of some use (for once) after we mess around some.

Before you are able to enhance the brains of these foolish bots, you will need to enable the developer console (console for short).

Go to Options, then Keyboard, then Advanced Options, then Enable developers console, then click OK

Now for the moment you've all been waiting for: Making the Bot AI smarter!


You can do this by clicking on 'Create Server' (That's the cross icon) and then choosing your desired map from the dropdown list

Here is a list of Bot compatible maps:

Control point:

• Dustbowl
  
• Gorge

King of the hill:

• Viaduct
  
• Badlands
  
• Nucleus
  
• Lakeside
  
• Sawmill

Payload:

• Upward
  
• Thunder Mountain
  
• Hoodoo
  
• Gold Rush
  
• Badwater Basin
  
• Barnblitz

Open up your console with the ~ button (It's located below the 'esc' key) and type in mp_teamplay 1. This command will make the Bot AI smarter.


If there isn't bot's added already, go to console and type in tf_bot_add

If you want to be specific in making the bot, here is a copy paste from Tf2's Offical Wiki on Bot commands:

Syntax
tf_bot_add [<count>] [<class>] [<team>] [<difficulty>] [<name>]
Parameters

<count>
Specifies the number of bots to spawn. If omitted, one bot is spawned.
Trying to create bots beyond maxplayers will fail with an error message in the console.

<class>
The classname of the class can be Demoman, Engineer, HeavyWeapons, Medic, Pyro, Scout, Soldier, Sniper, or Spy

<team>
Specifies the team name to assign the bot, where team can be red or blue.

<difficulty>
Sets the difficulty level for the bot, where difficulty can be easy, normal, hard, or expert.

<name>
Sets the connecting bot's name.

Example
tf_bot_add 3 heavyweapons red easy (will add three Heavies to the RED team at the easy skill level.)

Here is a picture for an easier read

Here is the link to the Bot commands: https://wiki.teamfortress.com/wiki/Bots

There are some really useful one's like: tf_bot_keep_class_after_death 0/1 which makes bot's keep their class after death. You should enter it in console before adding bot's because they might kill each other before you have the chance to put that command in, thus their class won't be the same as the one from their previous life.

Also, if you look at the middle of the page, you'll find AI Bot behaivor and some intresting bugs. You might learn some new things about how bot's function.

Once you entered the command in console, you will notice small gameplay impacts, such as:

All classes: Doesn't focus on objective 100% Ex: Not stacking the cart/control point. Not more than x4 cap speed (Exception for Scout's for x5 cap speed)

Medic: Heal's all classes, but still pockets Soldiers, Pyros, Heavys, Demo-men, Scouts.
Doesn't pop immediatly after being shot, meaning Medic drops exsist now, even at expert difficulty.

Pyro: Uses Flamethrower instead of just airblasting.

Spy: Once backstabbing an enemy, if the other enemy's don't notice, he keeps backstabbing. If they DO notice him, if the enemy is close enough, he uses his knife. Once out of melee range, he uses his revolver.

Sniper: Doesn't become an MLG 360 wallhack master, even at expert difficulty.

There may be some differences in the behavior of Soldiers, Demomen and such, but we won't be focusing on it .

Here are some of my prefrences when playing with bot's:


tf_bot_taunt_victim_chance 0; tf_bot_keep_class_after_death 1; mp_autoteambalance 0; tf_weapon_criticals 0; tf_damage_disablespread 1; mp_teamplay 1; mp_tournament 1;
tf_bot_add 1 scout BLU expert; tf_bot_add 1 RED expert;
tf_bot_add 1 demoman BLU expert; tf_bot_add 1 demoman RED expert;
tf_bot_add 1 soldier BLU expert; tf_bot_add 1 soldier RED expert;
tf_bot_add 1 medic BLU expert; tf_bot_add 1 medic RED expert;


tf_bot_taunt_victim_chance 0; tf_bot_keep_class_after_death 1; mp_autoteambalance 0; mp_highlander 1; tf_weapon_criticals 0; tf_damage_disablespread 1; mp_teamplay 1; mp_tournament 1;
tf_bot_add 1 scout BLU expert; tf_bot_add 1 scout RED expert;
tf_bot_add 1 demoman BLU expert; tf_bot_add 1 demoman RED expert;
tf_bot_add 1 soldier BLU expert; tf_bot_add 1 soldier RED expert;
tf_bot_add 1 medic BLU expert; tf_bot_add 1 medic RED expert;
tf_bot_add 1 spy BLU expert; tf_bot_add 1 spy RED expert;
tf_bot_add 1 sniper BLU expert; tf_bot_add 1 sniper RED expert;
tf_bot_add 1 engineer BLU expert; tf_bot_add 1 engineer RED expert;
tf_bot_add 1 heavyweapons BLU expert; tf_bot_add 1 heavyweapons RED expert;
tf_bot_add 1 pyro BLU expert; tf_bot_add 1 pyro RED expert;

Now, your fellow bot will actually feel less like a frilly wanka and more like an average pubber. (Which can help you in-game! Sweet!)

Enjoy your insane bot matches!

I would like to thank Marosaur for editing the guide into a more creative and colorful one and for being my guinea pig and testing out mp_teamplay 1 further and Hex for editing this page like the intellegent guy he is. They are both incredibly good friends, and I'm thankful for it.