Enhancing Your AzerothCore Server with the Playerbots Module

What is the Playerbots Module?

The Playerbots module, developed by liyunfan1223, is a powerful addition to AzerothCore, an open-source framework for hosting private World of Warcraft servers (version 3.3.5a, Wrath of the Lich King). This module introduces AI-controlled player characters (bots) that can join your server, interact with players, and enhance the gameplay experience. Built on the work of ZhengPeiRu21 and celguar, Playerbots is a community-driven project hosted on GitHub, offering a modular way to populate your server with intelligent bots that mimic real player behavior.

Cool Features of the Playerbots Module

The Playerbots module brings a host of exciting features that can transform your solo or small-group server into a bustling world:

• Dynamic AI Bots: Bots can level up, gear themselves, and apply talents automatically, behaving like real players. They can join parties, complete quests, and even participate in battlegrounds like Warsong Gulch (WSG), which works well with bots capturing flags and engaging enemies.
• Customizable Behavior: Control bots via chat commands or addons like Unbot or PlayerbotsPanel. For example, you can whisper a bot with commands like grind to make it start grinding mobs, or use co +strategy1 to adjust combat strategies.
• Alt and Random Bots: Choose between Altbots (manually created bots on your account) and Rndbots (automatically generated bots). Rndbots can roam the world, while Altbots are ideal for specific roles in your party.
• Group Play Enhancements: Form a leveling or raid team with bots. You can create a full raid composition (e.g., 25 bots) using commands, perfect for testing raids like Naxxramas or simply enjoying group content solo.
• Community Addons: The module supports addons for easier bot control, such as PlayerbotsPanel, which replaces chat commands with a UI for managing bot gear, inventory, and actions.

Limitations of the Playerbots Module

While the Playerbots module is impressive, it has some limitations to be aware of:

• Bugs and Stability Issues: Some features are buggy. For example, in battlegrounds like Arathi Basin (AB) and Alterac Valley (AV), bots may get stuck or fail to follow optimal strategies, such as Alliance bots not attacking on sight in AB.
• Complex Configuration: The module has many settings (e.g., AiPlayerbot.RandomBotAutologin), which can be repetitive and unintuitive, making setup tricky for beginners.
• Performance Impact: Including this module significantly increases compilation time for AzerothCore, and running many bots (e.g., 400–500) can strain server performance if not configured properly.
• Limited Bot Behavior: Some bot actions are inconsistent. For instance, bots may not always pick talents correctly when EquipmentPersistence=1 is set, and Altbots don’t auto-gear like Rndbots do.
• Community Support Gaps: Documentation can be incomplete or outdated, and while the community is active on GitHub and Discord, some features (like dungeon strategies) are still a work in progress.

How to Install the Playerbots Module

Installing the Playerbots module requires a custom branch of AzerothCore. Here’s how to set it up on a Windows system (for Linux or Docker, refer to the GitHub wiki).

Prerequisites

• A working AzerothCore server setup (see our previous guide on setting up AzerothCore).
• Git, Visual Studio 2022 (C++ workload), MySQL Server, CMake, OpenSSL, and Boost installed.
• A 3.3.5a WoW client with the English DBC file (enUS) for bot spellcasting to work.

Installation Steps

1. Clone the Custom AzerothCore Branch:

   The Playerbots module requires a specific branch of AzerothCore. Clone it using:

   git clone https://github.com/liyunfan1223/azerothcore-wotlk.git --branch=Playerbot
   

2. Add the Playerbots Module:

   Navigate to the modules directory and clone the Playerbots module:

   cd azerothcore-wotlk/modules
   git clone https://github.com/liyunfan1223/mod-playerbots.git --branch=master
   

3. Compile AzerothCore with the Module:

   Go to your build directory (e.g., C:\Build), run CMake to detect the module, and rebuild:

   cmake ..
   

   Then, in Visual Studio, build the ALL_BUILD target.

4. Configure the Module:

   Edit the playerbots.conf file in your server’s conf directory. For example, to double XP rates, set:

   Rate.XP.Kill = 2
   

   To disable random bot autologin, set:

   AiPlayerbot.RandomBotAutologin = 0
   

5. Run and Test:

   Start your server (authserver.exe and worldserver.exe). Log in and use commands like .playerbot bot addclass warrior to spawn a bot.

Docker Installation (Experimental)

For Docker users, follow the same cloning steps, then create a docker-compose.override.yml file in the azerothcore-wotlk directory to mount the modules directory. Refer to the GitHub wiki for details.

Conclusion

The Playerbots module is a fantastic way to bring life to your AzerothCore server, offering AI companions for solo play, group content, or raid testing. Despite some bugs and performance considerations, its features make it a must-try for WoW enthusiasts. Dive into the project on GitHub, join the Discord community, and start experimenting with your own bot-filled adventures!