HoN bot creation guide (Mostly for tkt-hon course)

honbotguide.md

HoN bot creation guide:

1. Unzip relevant .lua files:

---

Inside HoN/game/

unzip resources0.s2z "bots/behaviorlib.lua"
unzip resources0.s2z "bots/botbraincore.lua"
unzip resources0.s2z "bots/core.lua"
unzip resources0.s2z "bots/eventslib.lua"

You might want to add these to your .gitignore

Don't write any of your bot logic inside these files. :)

2. Create template

---

2.1) Create a folder under HoN/game/bots/teams/

2.2) Add $BOTNAME.bot file with contents like:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<bot
  name="Your_Botname"
  description="My Awesome Bot"
  heroname="Hero_Heroname"
  rootlua="$BOTNAME.lua"
  defaultplayername="AwesomeBot"
/>

2.3) Create $BOTNAME.lua file:

-- _G is global enviroment
local object = _G.object

object.myName = object:GetName()

-- Initialize your bot with default AI
runfile "bots/core_herobot.lua"

-- Shorter names for often used stuff
local core, eventsLib, behaviorLib, skills = object.core, object.eventsLib, object.behaviorLib, object.skills
-- BotEcho() is the main print function
local BotEcho = core.BotEcho

-- Override your skill leveling order (0-3=skills, 4=attributes):
-- This table is used inside herobot:SkillBuild() (bots/core_herobot.lua)
object.tSkills = {
  1, 2, 1, 0, 1,
  3, 1, 2, 2, 2,
  3, 0, 0, 0, 4,
  3, 4, 4, 4, 4,
  4, 4, 4, 4, 4
}

-- Override default bot AI with your own one.
-- You can keep the old implementation and call it after you're done if you want.
function object:onthinkOverride(tGameVariables)
-- tGameVariables is quite useless, mostly there to inform you about game tick
-- see function object:onthink(tGameVariables) (bots/botbraincore.lua) for default functionality
self:onthinkOld(tGameVariables)
end
object.onthinkOld = object.onthink
object.onthink   = object.onthinkOverride

function object:oncombateventOverride(EventData)
-- EventData contains inforamtion about damage, projectiles etc
-- see function object:oncombatevent(EventData) (bots/eventslib.lua) for default functionality
self:oncombateventOld(EventData)
end
object.oncombateventOld = object.oncombatevent
object.oncombatevent     = object.oncombateventOverride

-- You can also overwrite bunch 

3. Utility:

---

Default AI checks bunch of Utility functions that react to conditions.

Each of them returns numeric value. Largest value gets executed.

See bots/behaviorutility.lua for default utility functions.

behaviorLib.SomeFunctionality["Utility"] --checks for utility value
behaviorLib.SomeFunctionality["Execute"] --executes that behavior
behaviorLib.SomeFunctionality["Name"] --shouldn't be too hard to understand

tinsert(behaviorLib.tBehaviors, behaviorLib.SomeFunctionality) --adds behavior

4. Abilities:

---

See function behaviorLib.HarassHeroUtility(botBrain) (bots/behaviorlib.lua)

when checked this utility function acquires target while calculating utility value.

If HarassHeroUtility is highest priority, HarassHeroBehavior["Execute"] is called.

local function HarassHeroExecuteOverride(botBrain)
  -- Get target that was acquired from HarassHeroUtility
  local unitTarget = behaviorLib.heroTarget
  if unitTarget == nil then
    return object.harassExecuteOld(botBrain)
  end

  local unitSelf = core.unitSelf
  -- Get distance^2 to target
  local nTargetDistanceSq = Vector3.Distance2DSq(unitSelf:GetPosition(), unitTarget:GetPosition())

  local bActionTaken = false

  if core.CanSeeUnit(botBrain, unitTarget) then
    local abilNuke = self.core.unitSelf:GetAbility(0)

    if abilNuke:CanActivate() then
      local nRange = abilNuke:GetRange()
      -- Check if target is within range of this ability
      if nTargetDistanceSq < (nRange * nRange) then
        bActionTaken = core.OrderAbilityEntity(botBrain, abilNuke, unitTarget)
      end
    end

  if not bActionTaken then
    return object.harassExecuteOld(botBrain)
  end
end
object.harassExecuteOld = behaviorLib.HarassHeroBehavior["Execute"]
behaviorLib.HarassHeroBehavior["Execute"] = HarassHeroExecuteOverride