CS:GO rename bots and removing BOT prefix

When you play offline with bots you get random named bots like: BOT Hank or BOT Jason. This guide teaches you how to rename the bots to whatever you like. Also shows a way to remove the BOT prefix in front of the bot names.

Is this allowed?

Yes this is allowed. The file you are about to modify states the following in the comment section:

//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
// BotProfile.db
// Author: Michael S. Booth, Turtle Rock Studios (www.turtlerockstudios.com)
//
// This database defines bot "personalities".
// Feel free to edit it and define your own bots.
//

Hint: you can also edit the bot reaction times etc if you feel like it.

Backing up the files

To prevent the need to reinstall CSGO in case of mistakes I suggest to back up the original files before modification.

I also suggest to backup the customized file. As of today 17.12.2014 I realized my customized file has been replaced by the original file. I am not sure wether this happened on a major csgo update or if I uninstalled the game at some point (can't remember :P). If anyone can confirm the cause of this, please leave a comment.

Rename individual bots

Locate your steam installation folder and go to:
\Steam\SteamApps\common\Counter-Strike Global Offensive\csgo

under csgo folder, look for a file called: botprofile.db

I recommend backing up the original file first just incase

Open botprofile.db in any text editor such as notepad.

Scroll down until you find this section:

//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
//
// These are the individual bot profiles, which inherit first from
// Default and then the specified Template(s), in order
//

Elite+Rifle Cliffe
Skin = 1
VoicePitch = 95
End

Elite+Spray Minh
Skin = 2
VoicePitch = 105
End

.. and the list continues all the way to the end of the file ..

Easy Yogi
VoicePitch = 99
End

Easy Yuri
VoicePitch = 110
End


Above you can see four bots defined and their names are "Cliffe" , "Minh" , "Yogi" , "Yuri" . Now what you want to do here is change the Cliffe, Minh, Yogi and Yuri to whatever you wanna name your bots. Remember to use quote marks if you want to use spaces. As you can see Cliffe and Minh are elite skill level whereas Yogi and Yuri are Easy skill level. These skill levels matter when you are creating and offline game with bots and the game asks what level bots you wanna use. By selecting easy bots, the game randomly chooses from bots that are marked as easy.

Below is an example where I have changed the names of Cliffe and Minh:

//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
//
// These are the individual bot profiles, which inherit first from
// Default and then the specified Template(s), in order
//

Elite+Rifle "Kobe Bryant"
Skin = 1
VoicePitch = 95
End

Elite+Spray R.Balboa
Skin = 2
VoicePitch = 105
End

Notice the use of quotations when the bot has a space in the name: Kobe _ Bryant. Just to be safe you can add quotations around every bot name.

After editing all the bot names hit save on notepad and close it. When you hit save the notepad should automatically keep the file extension .db, but in case you choose to save as remember to save it as .db.

Remove BOT prefix

Removing the BOT prefix will only be visual to yourself. Other players on servers will still see the BOT prefix even though you remove it from your game.

Locate a file called csgo_english.txt in \Steam\SteamApps\common\Counter-Strike Global Offensive\csgo\resource
(if you have steam in other language, use corresponding file, I believe)

open the file in notepad and locate:

"SFUI_bot_decorated_name" "BOT %s1"
hint: use control+f to open find and type bot_decorated and hit enter.
This removes the BOT prefix also from public games. You still recognize bots because they never have ping on score tab whereas players always have a visible ping.


Remove the word BOT and leave it like below:
"SFUI_bot_decorated_name" "%s1"

There is also a line: "SFUI_bot_controlled_by" with the same value "BOT %s1". When in game you die and bots are alive in your team you can hit "E" to control a bot when you spectate it. This is when bot_controlled_by name comes in.

There you go!

What servers show my custom bot names

Your custom bot names are only used when you host a game such as start Offline with bots or invite friends to a lobby and start a private game.

Custom bot names will not be used on public servers such as choosing Find a game or browse community servers from game menu.

However if you decide to remove the BOT prefix, which is only visual to yourself, you wont be seeing the prefix in a public or private game. In such case you will only see the bot nicknames and you can recognize bots for not having a ping value which is the first column on stat screen.

Shouts to Karkat Growly Vantas for suggesting this section.

Troubleshooting

If bots are not spawning you need to check the quotations around bot names. Below you see an example where I forgot to add closing quotemark after Matt Mulligan. That ruins the whole file and therefore no bot will spawn.

Normal "Mark Wahlberg"
Skin = 4
VoicePitch = 110
End

Normal "Matt Mulligan
Skin = 1
VoicePitch = 95
End

Normal+RifleT "Mike Ribeiro"
Skin = 2
VoicePitch = 100
End

Normal "Johnny Walker"
Skin = 4
VoicePitch = 99
End


Also some symbols might not work. If everything else seems to be in order, edit some symbols off and try again.

If you start a game with bots and freezetime won't end, this usually happens if you were spectating gotv games in the same session. Restart csgo and game should work.

[Georgi]

I can't find csgo_english.txt

[NinetyEight]

how to i make this script work in my offline game or my server?

[ScandaXD]

Can you make it that you add new bots rather than changing names?

[Sneeze-O-Matic™]

qtm wintrs ctrl+f man

[MAJOR KUZNETSOV]

give me a link that works. please

[donk]

Can I get vac banned for this?

[tim]

How can i do it without the Bot timmy2ee (for excample) In german ?

[☭ Rosa Luxemburg]

VAC doesnt want this in Online tho.

[Klinka]

no bots,when i type bot_add its says,,
All bot difficulties at this level are in use"

[JohnnyP]

I can't find csgo_english.txt