d0ba99f381
Added a Windows CI fix to build with Ninja and avoid Windows
command-line length failures.
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DESIGN PHILOSOPHY: We prioritize STABILITY, PERFORMANCE, AND
PREDICTABILITY over behavioral realism.
Every action and decision executes PER BOT AND PER TRIGGER. Small
increases in logic complexity scale
poorly across thousands of bots and negatively affect all. We prioritize
a stable system over a smarter
one. Bots don't need to behave perfectly; believable behavior is the
goal, not human simulation.
Default behavior must be cheap in processing; expensive behavior must be
opt-in.
Before submitting, make sure your changes aligns with these principles.
-->
## Pull Request Description
This PR updates the Windows CI workflow to build AzerothCore +
mod-playerbots reliably with Ninja instead of the Visual Studio/MSBuild
generator.
The previous Windows build could fail during the final `worldserver`
build steps because MSBuild/RC generated command lines that exceeded
Windows command-line limits. Enabling long-path support was not enough,
because the failure was caused by tool command length rather than only
filesystem path length.
This workflow now:
- installs and uses Ninja as the CMake generator;
- creates an AzerothCore `conf/config.sh` for CI;
- forces the compiler to MSVC `cl`;
- enables CMake/Ninja response files to reduce command-line length;
- moves the source tree to a short path (`C:\ac`) before configuring and
building.
This keeps the Windows build on MSVC while avoiding the MSBuild/RC
command-line length issue.
**Pros:**
- Fixes Windows CI command-line length failures;
- avoids unreliable `rc.exe` / `MSB6003` errors from the MSBuild
generator;
- keeps the build on MSVC;
- makes the Windows CI build more predictable;
- does not affect runtime code or bot behavior.
**Cons:**
- Visual Studio project files (`.vcxproj`) are no longer generated in
CI;
- the workflow now copies the source tree to a short path before
building.
## Feature Evaluation
- Minimum logic: CI-only workflow changes to use Ninja, force MSVC,
enable response files, and build from a short path.
- Processing cost: None at runtime. This only affects GitHub Actions
build tooling.
## How to Test the Changes
- Run the Windows CI workflow on GitHub Actions.
- Confirm that CMake reports `-- Building for: Ninja`.
- Confirm that CMake detects MSVC as the C and C++ compiler.
- Confirm that the Windows build completes successfully.
- Confirm that no MSBuild `MSB6003`, `rc.exe`, or Ninja `CreateProcess`
command-line length errors occur.
## Impact Assessment
- Does this change increase per-bot/per-tick processing or risk scaling
poorly with thousands of bots?
- [x] No, not at all
- Does this change modify default bot behavior?
- [x] No
- Does this change add new decision branches or increase maintenance
complexity?
- [x] No
## AI Assistance
Was AI assistance used while working on this change?
- [x] No
Maybe if should so i'd made less commits...
## Final Checklist
- [x] Stability is not compromised.
- [x] Performance impact is understood, tested, and acceptable.
- [x] Added logic complexity is justified and explained.
- [x] Any new bot dialogue lines are translated.
- [x] Documentation updated if needed (Conf comments, WiKi commands).
## Notes for Reviewers
This change is CI-only and does not affect gameplay, bot logic, database
logic, or runtime performance.
The Windows workflow was failing because generated build commands became
too long for Windows process creation. Switching the CI build to Ninja,
forcing MSVC, enabling response files, and building from `C:\ac` fixes
the issue while keeping the compiler/toolchain consistent with the
Windows target.
---------
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: