Bots of CS:Source | Editing bots in Counter-Strike: Source

This guide is a tutorial of how to edit bots in CSS

UPDATE - November 14, 2024: Added "Saving" part.

Russian Guide | Руководство на русском

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2489476865

1. Some theory

Bots are AI-controlled player characters standing in the place of real players. In Counter-Strike: Source, bots will now alert team members of any sniper that is within their sight. These quotes were reused from cut quotes in the older games. Sniper bots are now more aware of their surroundings and will usually occupy long pathways/open areas in a defence stance. Due to this, bots' awareness of snipers have also increased and they will often strafe and work together with allied players to eliminate enemies. Bots that see an enemy sniper will also look for cover first by positioning themselves next to a wall, rather than standing still and fight in older games. In some cases, bots may rush at close ranges while strafing or take a detour to flank the sniper. However, even if the player is not a sniper, they may still attempt this with any weapon except sniper weaponry.

Enemy bots will react to your firing, and will often form a small to large group in attempt to kill the player, unlike in previous games, which player will normally face one by one. This is probably a way to force the player to work closely with friendly bots. Working alone is more difficult even on the lowest skill set. Also, when a player kills a bot, they are reprogrammed to focus on human players first before targeting other bots, unless they are in close proximity.

2. Analyzing botprofile.db | Configuration

The info about bots can be found on botprofile.db which can be found in cstrike_pak_dir.vpk (You can open this file using GCFScape).


You can open this file as a text file, I recommend to use Notepad++ or Visual Studio Code

In the first lined of the file you can see all the bot configurations:

Default
	Skill = 0 - 100
	Aggression = 0 - 100
	ReactionTime = 0 - 1 
	AttackDelay = 0 - 1
	Teamwork = 0 - 100
	WeaponPreference = 
	Cost = 0
	Difficulty = EASY+NORMAL+HARD+EXPERT
	VoicePitch = 0 - 100 - 200
	Skin = 0 - 3
End

The definition of each configuration

Skill is a configuration that set the accuracy for a bot. If the value is low, the bot in high chances will miss. If high, they will instantly aim. You can set the value from 0 to 100.

Agression is a configuration that set the bravery for a bot. If the value is low, the enemy bot will step away if they will see you or other bots. If high, they will try to rush. You can set the value from 0 to 100

ReactionTime is a configuration that set the reaction for a bot. It's self explainatory though, If the value is high, the bot will react slowly. If low, they will instantly react. You can set the value from 0.0 to 1.0

AttackDelay is a configuration that set the attack for a bot. If the value is high, the bot after seeing you or other enemy will start to shoot them pretty late. If low, they will shoot instantly. You can set the value from 0.0 to 1.0

Teamwork is a configuration that set the teamworking for a bot. If the value is low, the bot will go solo and decline your commands more often. If the value is high, they will try to stick with team. You can set the value from 0 to 100

WeaponPreference is a configuration that set a preferenced weapon for a bot. If the Template will have preferred weapons, the bot will buy these weapons only if they have enough money.

In example:

WeaponPreference = ak47
WeaponPreference = deagle

The bot will buy AK47 and Deagle only if they have enough money.

You can see the list of weapons here:

galil		- IDF Defender
ak47		- CV-47
scout		- Schmidt Scout
sg552		- Krieg 552
awp		- Magnum Sniper Rifle
g3sg1		- D3/AU1
famas		- Clarion 5.56
m4a1		- Maverick M4A1 Carbine
aug		- Bullpup
sg550		- Krieg 550 Commando
glock		- 9x19mm Sidearm
usp		- KM .45 Tactical
p228		- 228 Compact
deagle		- Night Hawk .50C
elite		- .40 Dual Elites
fiveseven	- ES Five-Seven
m3		- Leone 12 Gauge Super
xm1014		- Leone YG1265 Auto Shotgun
mac10		- Ingram MAC-10
tmp		- Schmidt Machine Pistol
mp5navy		- KM Sub-Machine Gun
ump45		- KM UMP45
p90		- ES C90
m249		- M249

It's not necessary to set Kevlars, Grenades and Defuse Kits for CT in the confiuguration because the bots will buy them anyway.

Cost is a configuration that set a difficulty cost for a bot. There is 4 difficulties in game:

№	Difficulty
0	Easy
1	Norma
2	Hard
3	Expert

Difficulty, as the same as Cost, will set the bot spawn in specific difficulties if chosen.

In example:

Difficulty = EXPERT

The bot will spawn in Expert only.

Difficulty = EASY+NORMAL

The bot will spawn in Easy and Normal only.

VoicePitch is a configuration that set the voice pitch for a bot. The default value is 100. If it's highter, the bot will have high pitched voice. If low, then otherwise.

Skin is a configuration that set the skin for a bot. There's 4 skins in each team.

3. Analyzing botprofile.db | Templates

The original file contatins the templates of weapon preference, difficulty and the bot's behavior.

In example, this is one of default weapon templates for a bot where contains all assault rifles and one semi-automatic gun.

Template Rifle
	WeaponPreference = m4a1
	WeaponPreference = ak47
	WeaponPreference = famas
	WeaponPreference = galil
	WeaponPreference = mp5
End

Another example. This is a bot behavior template where contains configurations of bot's behavior and the difficulty they will spawn. In this case, this is a template of an easy bot.

Template Easy
	Skill = 0
	Aggression = 20
	ReactionTime = 0.5
	AttackDelay = 1.5
	Cost = 1
	Difficulty = EASY
	VoicePitch = 110
End

4. Creating new template and adding/editing bot profiles.

After we started to know what the configuration do, let's make our own template for a bot.

In example, here's the template of a very easy bot:

Template Noob
	Skill = 0
	Aggression = 0
	ReactionTime = 0.7
	AttackDelay = 1.5
	Cost = 1
	Difficulty = EASY
End

And this is a template of a very skilled, yet almost deadly bot:

Template Global
	Skill = 100
	Aggression = 100
	ReactionTime = 0
	AttackDelay = 0
	Cost = 2
	Difficulty = HARD+EXPERT
End

An example of custom weapon preference template:

Template AWPPro
	WeaponPreference = awp
	WeaponPreference = scout
	WeaponPreference = deagle
End

Adding new bots

To add a new bot, you need to type a template name and then a name for a bot. If the name has spaces or other symbols then type it in brackets ('")

Here's the example of default bot profile:

VeryHard+Rifle Seth
	Skin = 2
	VoicePitch = 100
End

Please notice if you want a bot that has several templates then type them all with '+' instead of spaces. Also make sure that every bot profile you made has End, otherwise the bot won't spawn.

Using our recently created custom templates we can make more bots or edit the default ones. I have made 4 bots using the recently made templates.

Noob Bob
	Skin = 90
End

Global FranzJ 
	VoicePitch = 80
End 

Global+AWPPro "Hi Mom"
	VoicePitch = 100
End

Noob "Pills Here"
	VoicePitch = 125
End

And in result, it worked. In one of the games i've succesfully spanwned a bot.

5. Saving

After editing the botProfile.db file all you need to do is create an empty folder inside "custom" folder, you can name the folder whatever you want, then insert the modified file inside a new folder.

...Counter-Strike: Source/cstrike/custom/(your_folder_name)

If you play on an old version of the game without "custom" folder inside game files, you have to replace the original botprofile.db with modified one. Make sure to make a backup before doing so.

The End

I hope that this guide have helped you on how to make and edit bots in Counter-Strike: Source. If i made a mistake somewhere, please mention it. Thanks for reading.

[Dragon]

If we dont give any tempalte to the bot, does they follow certain pattern or just buy/pick random weapons?

[4K_240hz_MLED]

are you sure going higher than 1.0 for reaction time and attack delay won't do anything?

[GOOSLIME]

@Shugi

It depends on nodegraph and Teamwork setting in .db file. Try to experiment with it

[Stutterteturtle]

Thanks, I just want to know how can make the bots go separate? source bots loves teamwork so they stick almost everytime. sounds cool but it just makes too much stuck, bunch of bots dies at small area, easily expectable pattern.
CZ's bots go everywhere so less stuck, more engage.

[Lag]

Worked for me, thanks!!

[GOOSLIME]

@s3n10r

Updated the guide

[Lag]

Hey there! So I basically did every step right but when it comes the moment to edit the db file using notepad when I open GCFScape, all the changes I do, it disappears it doesnt save any changse I do

[GOOSLIME]

@111_ee8

botprofile.db

[111]

i tried both but nothing worked

[111]

@● ︿ ● what should the custom file be called im very confused