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# Pull Request _Implement strategies for all bosses in Zul'Aman. See next post for overview of implemented strategies._ --- ## Design Philosophy We prioritize **stability, performance, and predictability** over behavioral realism. Complex player-mimicking logic is intentionally limited due to its negative impact on scalability, maintainability, and long-term robustness. Excessive processing overhead can lead to server hiccups, increased CPU usage, and degraded performance for all participants. Because every action and decision tree is executed **per bot and per trigger**, even small increases in logic complexity can scale poorly and negatively affect both players and world (random) bots. Bots are not expected to behave perfectly, and perfect simulation of human decision-making is not a project goal. Increased behavioral realism often introduces disproportionate cost, reduced predictability, and significantly higher maintenance overhead. Every additional branch of logic increases long-term responsibility. All decision paths must be tested, validated, and maintained continuously as the system evolves. If advanced or AI-intensive behavior is introduced, the **default configuration must remain the lightweight decision model**. More complex behavior should only be available as an **explicit opt-in option**, clearly documented as having a measurable performance cost. Principles: - **Stability before intelligence** A stable system is always preferred over a smarter one. - **Performance is a shared resource** Any increase in bot cost affects all players and all bots. - **Simple logic scales better than smart logic** Predictable behavior under load is more valuable than perfect decisions. - **Complexity must justify itself** If a feature cannot clearly explain its cost, it should not exist. - **Defaults must be cheap** Expensive behavior must always be optional and clearly communicated. - **Bots should look reasonable, not perfect** The goal is believable behavior, not human simulation. Before submitting, confirm that this change aligns with those principles. --- ## Feature Evaluation Please answer the following: - Describe the **minimum logic** required to achieve the intended behavior? - Describe the **cheapest implementation** that produces an acceptable result? - Describe the **runtime cost** when this logic executes across many bots? _I have attempted to order checks while taking into account cost and likelihood and have opted to find lower-cost methods where possible. I have also not gone as in depth as I have with other strategies, partially because it is not necessary to complete encounters but also to try to limit the performance impact. From my observation, including with pmon, none of the methods should be overly taxing._ --- ## How to Test the Changes - Step-by-step instructions to test the change - Any required setup (e.g. multiple players, bots, specific configuration) - Expected behavior and how to verify it _Run Zul'Aman. See next post for strategies to test._ ## Complexity & Impact Does this change add new decision branches? - - [ ] No - - [x] Yes (**explain below**) _Only in the context of raid strategies, with new methods to consider and new multipliers to evaluate when bots perform actions with the instance strategy active._ Does this change increase per-bot or per-tick processing? - - [ ] No - - [x] Yes (**describe and justify impact**) _The impact is only with the "zulaman" strategy active, which will be applied only in the instance. There is currently a PR open to also remove instance strategies when leaving the map to get rid of the residual performance impact._ Could this logic scale poorly under load? - - [ ] No - - [x] Yes (**explain why**) _Technically yes, but I think it is unlikely to have an appreciable difference unless there are many groups running the instance at the same time on a large server._ ## Defaults & Configuration Does this change modify default bot behavior? - - [ ] No - - [x] Yes (**explain why**) _Only in the instance. It is a necessary trade-off to consider with raid strategies that I always keep in mind (degree of automation vs. player choice)._ If this introduces more advanced or AI-heavy logic: - - [x] Lightweight mode remains the default - - [ ] More complex behavior is optional and thereby configurable _Not exactly sure how to address this question in the context of this PR, but there aren't any techniques or methods for this strategy that I have not tried before (or something very similar)._ ## AI Assistance Was AI assistance (e.g. ChatGPT or similar tools) used while working on this change? - - [ ] No - - [x] Yes (**explain below**) If yes, please specify: - AI tool or model used (e.g. ChatGPT, GPT-4, Claude, etc.) - Purpose of usage (e.g. brainstorming, refactoring, documentation, code generation) - Which parts of the change were influenced or generated - Whether the result was manually reviewed and adapted _Gemini and GPT for some questions about the codebase and C++ and assistance with drafting a few things like containers that I find more tedious to do myself._ AI assistance is allowed, but all submitted code must be fully understood, reviewed, and owned by the contributor. Any AI-influenced changes must be verified against existing CORE and PB logic. We expect contributors to be honest about what they do and do not understand. --- ## Final Checklist - - [x] Stability is not compromised - - [x] Performance impact is understood, tested, and acceptable - - [x] Added logic complexity is justified and explained - - [x] Documentation updated if needed --- ## Notes for Reviewers Anything that significantly improves realism at the cost of stability or performance should be carefully discussed before merging. --------- Co-authored-by: Keleborn <22352763+Celandriel@users.noreply.github.com> Co-authored-by: bash <hermensb@gmail.com> Co-authored-by: Revision <tkn963@gmail.com> Co-authored-by: kadeshar <kadeshar@gmail.com>
Playerbots Module
mod-playerbots is an AzerothCore module that adds player-like bots to a server. The project is based off IKE3's Playerbots.
Features include:
- The ability to log in alt characters as bots, allowing players to interact with their other characters, form parties, level up, and more
- Random bots that wander through the world, complete quests, and otherwise behave like players, simulating the MMO experience
- Bots capable of running most raids and battlegrounds
- Highly configurable settings to define how bots behave
- Excellent performance, even when running thousands of bots
We also have a Discord server where you can discuss the project, ask questions, and get involved in the community!
Installation
Supported platforms are Ubuntu, Windows, and macOS. Other Linux distributions may work, but may not receive support.
Important: All
mod-playerbotsinstallations require a custom fork of AzerothCore: mod-playerbots/azerothcore-wotlk (Playerbot branch). The standard AzerothCore repository will not work.
Quick Start
git clone https://github.com/mod-playerbots/azerothcore-wotlk.git --branch=Playerbot
cd azerothcore-wotlk/modules
git clone https://github.com/mod-playerbots/mod-playerbots.git --branch=master
Then build the server following the platform-specific instructions in our Installation Guide.
Testing branch: A
test-stagingbranch is available with the latest features and fixes before they are merged intomaster. To use it, clone with--branch=test-staginginstead. Note that this branch may contain unstable or breaking changes — use it at your own risk and only if you are comfortable troubleshooting issues.
Detailed Guides
| Guide | Description |
|---|---|
| Installation Guide | Full step-by-step instructions for clean installs, migrating from existing AzerothCore, Docker setup, adding modules, and updating |
| Troubleshooting | Solutions to the most common build errors, database issues, configuration mistakes, crashes, and platform-specific problems |
For additional references, see the AzerothCore Installation Guide and Installing a Module pages.
Documentation
The Playerbots Wiki contains an extensive overview of AddOns, commands, raids with programmed bot strategies, and recommended performance configurations. Please note that documentation may be incomplete or out-of-date in some sections, and contributions are welcome.
Bots are controlled via chat commands. For larger bot groups, this can be cumbersome. Because of this, community members have developed client AddOns to allow controlling bots through the in-game UI. We recommend you check out their projects listed in the AddOns and Submodules page.
Contributing
This project is still under development. We encourage anyone to make contributions, anything from pull requests to reporting issues. If you encounter any errors or experience crashes, we encourage you report them as GitHub issues. Your valuable feedback will help us improve this project collaboratively.
If you make coding contributions, mod-playerbots complies with the C++ Code Standards established by AzerothCore. Each Pull Request must include all test scenarios the author performed, along with their results, to demonstrate that the changes were properly verified.
We recommend joining the Discord server to make your contributions to the project easier, as a lot of active support is carried out through this server.
Please click on the "⭐" button to stay up to date and help us gain more visibility on GitHub!
Acknowledgements
mod-playerbots is based on ZhengPeiRu21/mod-playerbots and celguar/mangosbot-bots. We extend our gratitude to @ZhengPeiRu21 and @celguar for their continued efforts in maintaining the module.
Also, a thank you to the many contributors who've helped build this project: