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Bot CVARs

Full reference of all bot console variables (CVARs).

Bots will consider glass when deciding to shoot enemies. Required for very special maps only.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 0

Allows or disallows bots to attack monsters. Useful for mods like Halloween Mod.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 0

Specifies amount of time in seconds when bots will be killed if no humans left alive.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 90
Default 0

If not zero, bots will automatically leave to make room for human players when they join the server.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 1

How many slots the autovacate feature should keep for human players.

Property Value
Min 1
Max 8
Default 1

Allows bots to partially avoid grenades.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 1

Binds the specified key to open the bot menu.

Property Value
Default =

If not zero, bots will be able to buy weapons and inventory.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 1

Allows the use of classic bot kill when issuing the end-round command in menus, instead of the gamedll endround.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 0

Specifies the bots wanted skin for Terrorists team.

Value Skin
0 Any class
1 Phoenix Connexion
2 Elite Crew
3 Arctic Avengers
4 Guerilla Warfare
5 Midwest Militia (Condition Zero only!)
Property Value
Min 0
Max 5
Default 0

Specifies the bots wanted skin for Counter-Terrorists team.

Value Skin
0 Any class
1 Seal Team 6
2 GSG-9
3 SAS
4 GIGN
5 Spetsnaz (Condition Zero only!)
Property Value
Min 0
Max 5
Default 0

Specifies the maximum health of a breakable object that the bot will consider destroying.

Property Value
Min 1
Max 3000
Default 500

If not zero, bots will try to pick up camp points as their goals and will camp there for some time based on their personality.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 1

Lower bound of time from which time for camping is calculated.

Property Value
Min 5
Max 90
Default 15

Upper bound of time until which time for camping is calculated.

Property Value
Min 15
Max 120
Default 45

If not zero, bots will be able to chat to each other and players while they are dead.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 1

Bot chances to send random dead chat when killed.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 100
Default 30

Allows or disallows bot to check the environment for darkness, thus allows or not to use flashlights or NVG.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 1

Enables or disables checking enemy invincibility. Useful for some mods.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 0

Allows checking enemy rendering before taking a victim. This is useful to enable when you play CSDM mod with spawn protection enabled. Bots will not try to select just-spawned players, as they are not vulnerable.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 0

Enables or disables CSDM / FFA mode for bots.

Value Mode
0 CSDM / FFA mode is auto-detected
1 CSDM mode enabled, FFA disabled
2 CSDM and FFA mode enabled
3 CSDM and FFA mode disabled
Property Value
Min 0
Max 3
Default 0

Points to location where chatter (from official csbot for example) is located.

Property Value
Default sound/radio/bot

If not zero, enables useful messages about bot states. Not required for end users.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 4
Default 0

Forces all alive bots to build a path and go to the specified graph node.

Property Value
Min -1
Max 4096
Default -1

Allows bots to destroy breakables around them, even without touching them.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 1

Specifies the difficulty of all bots. Changing at runtime will affect already created bots.

Value Difficulty
0 Newbie
1 Average
2 Normal
3 Professional
4 Godlike
Property Value
Min 0
Max 4
Default 3

Interval in which bots will balance their difficulty.

Property Value
Min 30
Max 240
Default 30

Lower bound of random difficulty on bot creation. Only affects newly created bots. -1 means yb_difficulty only is used.

Property Value
Min -1
Max 4
Default -1

Upper bound of random difficulty on bot creation. Only affects newly created bots. -1 means yb_difficulty only is used.

Property Value
Min -1
Max 4
Default -1

Enables each bot to balance its own difficulty based on the KD-ratio of the team.

Value Behavior
0 Difficulty auto-balancing is disabled
1 All bots balance their difficulty
2 Only bots in the team with human players balance their difficulty (bot-only team stays at configured difficulty)
Property Value
Min 0
Max 2
Default 0

Specifies if the bot DLL will display welcome text when adding bots.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 1

Enables or disables display of menu text when players ask for a menu. Useful only for Android.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 1

If enabled, bots are not allowed to press the attack button, thus forbidding them from shooting.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 0

Allows bots to ignore the economics and buy weapons with disrespect of it.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 100
Default 25

If not zero, bots will use “team” economics. If more than 70% of players don’t have money to buy their preferred weapon, no-one buys anything to save money for the next round. This usually causes bots to run with default pistols on the first round.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 1

Enables or disables bullet spread for bots on servers running without metamod.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 0

Allows or disallows bots to return a fake Steam ID.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 0

Enables fake server query responses that show bots as real players in the server browser.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 0

Restart the game if the first human player joins a bot game.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 0

If not zero, bots think the function is paused and bots stay at the place where they were before activating this CVAR.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 0

Enables classic podbot fun modes for everyone on the server.

Value Mode
imsober Normal gameplay (fun modes off)
off Fun modes off
tronisback Tron mode
itsnewyear New Year mode
imhaunted Haunted mode
itstoodark Darkness mode
stonedagain Stoned mode
imonmars Mars (low gravity) mode
Property Value
Default imsober

Automatically saves the analysis results to a graph file and adds bots again.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 1

Starts the map auto-analyzer if the graph is not present in the local storage or database.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 1

Specifies if the analyzer should clean unnecessary paths upon finishing.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 1

Specifies the minimum distance to keep nodes from each other.

Property Value
Min 42
Max 128
Default 64

Specifies the FPS at which the analyzer process runs. This keeps the game from freezing during analysis.

Property Value
Min 25
Max 99
Default 30

Specifies if the analyzer should mark nodes as map goals automatically upon finish.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 1

Specifies the max jump height to test if the next node will be unreachable.

Property Value
Min 44
Max 64
Default 44

Specifies if the analyzer should merge some near-placed nodes with many connections together.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 1

Allows the bot to scan the graph folder and upload every .graph file to the database if they are not there. This is done in a separate thread and does not block the server process.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 1

Every N graph nodes placed on the map, the graph will be saved automatically (without checks). If you want to disable autosave, set this CVAR to 0.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 4096
Default 15

Maximum distance to draw graph nodes from the editor viewport.

Property Value
Min 64
Max 3072
Default 400

Specifies whether the bot should not ‘fix’ camp directions of camp waypoints when loading old PWF format.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 0

Determines the maximum slope height change between the current and next node to consider the current link as a jump link. Only for analyzer.

Property Value
Min 18
Max 45
Default 24

Specifies the URL from which bots will be able to download the graph in case of a missing local one. Accepts a full base URL with scheme (https recommended) or a legacy bare host name (assumed http). Set to empty if no downloads are needed.

Property Value
Default https://raw.githubusercontent.com/yapb/graph/refs/heads/master

Specifies the URL to which bots will try to upload the graph file to the database.

Property Value
Default yapb.jeefo.net/upload

If enabled, bots will not apply throwing conditions on grenades.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 0

When enabled, bots will not try to avoid teammates on their way. Assuming that some semiclip plugins are in use.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 0

Comma-separated list of bot CVARs to ignore on changelevel.

Bots read yapb.cfg every changelevel, and the values of bot CVARs are overwritten with those located in the config. This CVAR allows the server admin to ignore values of specified CVARs from yapb.cfg if they were changed by hand from the server console.

For example: Server started with yb_quota set to 10 in yapb.cfg and yb_quota is specified in yb_ignore_cvars_on_changelevel. Time passes, the server admin decides that yb_quota should be set to 12 and sets it via the server console. Next time the server changes the map, the value of yb_quota will not be changed while reading yapb.cfg and will stay 12.

If you want to disable ignoring reading CVARs from yapb.cfg, leave the value empty: yb_ignore_cvars_on_changelevel "" in yapb.cfg.

Property Value
Default yb_quota,yb_autovacate

If not zero, bots will run all over the map doing goals but will not search for enemies.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 0

Makes bots ignore enemies for a specified time in seconds on a new round. Useful for Zombie Plague mods.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 540
Default 0

If enabled, bots will not apply game modes based on map name prefix (fy_ and ka_ specifically).

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 0

Allows or disallows bots to do map objectives, i.e. plant/defuse bombs, and save hostages.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 0

If not zero, bots will use only knives while fighting against enemies. This also disables buying.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 0

If not zero, bots will join the server only when some human player has already joined the team.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 0

Forces all bots to join the team specified in this CVAR.

Property Value
Valid values ct, t, any
Default any

Specifies after how many seconds bots should start to join the game after the changelevel.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 30
Default 5

Kick the bot immediately when a human player joins the server (yb_autovacate must be enabled).

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 1

Sets the bot language for menus, names, chat and messages.

Property Value
Valid values en, ru, de, chs, cht
Default en

Maximum number for path length to predict the enemy.

Property Value
Min 15
Max 256
Default 22

Allows bots to keep moving while throwing grenades. Unset by default (bots stop to throw).

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default -

This CVAR contains a string that will be prepended to every added bot name. Something like a clantag. By default this value is not set.

The radius in which the bot destroys breakables around it when not touching them.

Property Value
Min 64
Max 1024
Default 400

The radius in which the bot searches the world for new objects, items, and weapons.

Property Value
Min 64
Max 1024
Default 450

Specifies the password key for the setinfo command to gain remote control to the yb command and bot menus.

Property Value
Default _ybpw

Specifies the actual password for the setinfo command to gain remote control to the yb command and bot menus.

To gain access to bot commands remotely, the user should open the console and enter setinfo key password, where key is the value from yb_password_key and password is the value from yb_password.

By default this value is not set.

Enables post-smoothing for A*. Reduces zig-zags on paths at the cost of some CPU cycles.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 0

Use simple distance path calculation instead of running a full Dijkstra path cycle. Used only when Floyd matrices are unavailable due to memory limits.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 1

Limit maximum Floyd-Warshall memory (megabytes). Use Dijkstra if memory exceeds this limit.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 32
Default 6

Selects the heuristic function mode. For debug purposes only.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 4
Default 0

Penalty weight for sharp turns in pathfinding (0 = off, higher = smoother paths).

Property Value
Min 0
Max 2
Default 0.5

Allows bots to pick up mod items like ammo, health kits and suits.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 0

Allows or disallows bots to pick up the best weapons. (Disabling can be useful for some mods with non-pickable weapons.)

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 1

Allows or disallows bots to pick up custom items.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 0

Lower bound for base bot ping shown in scoreboard. Affects only newly created bots.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 100
Default 5

Upper bound for base bot ping shown in scoreboard. Affects only newly created bots.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 100
Default 20

Count player pings when calculating the average ping for bots. If not, a random ping is chosen for bots.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 1

Interval in seconds at which the fake ping gets updated in the scoreboard.

Property Value
Min 0.1
Max 10
Default 1.25

Sets the default personality when creating bots with quota management. If none is set, random personality is chosen.

Property Value
Valid values none, normal, careful, rusher
Default none

Determines the total number of bots in the game.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 32
Default 9

Determines the type of how yb_quota works.

Value Behavior
fill The server will adjust bots to keep N players in the game, where N is yb_quota
match The server will maintain a 1:N ratio of humans to bots, where N is yb_quota
normal This variable does not affect yb_quota
Property Value
Default normal

Determines the total number of bots in the game when yb_quota_mode is set to match, i.e. for every human, N bots join.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 32
Default 0

Specifies the way bots talk to each other and the player.

Value Mode
0 Bots will not communicate at all
1 Bots will use only the radio
2 Bots will use chatter
Property Value
Min 0
Max 2
Default 2

Allows or disallows the ability for random knife attacks when the bot is rushing and no enemy is nearby.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 1

A list of individual weapons that are restricted for bots to buy. Separated by semicolon.

The list of weapons for Counter-Strike 1.6:

Weapon ID Weapon Name
usp HK USP .45 Tactical
glock Glock18 Select Fire
deagle Desert Eagle .50AE
p228 SIG P228
elite Dual Beretta 96G Elite
fn57 FN Five-Seven
m3 Benelli M3 Super90
xm1014 Benelli XM1014
mp5 HK MP5-Navy
tmp Steyr Tactical Machine Pistol
p90 FN P90
mac10 Ingram MAC-10
ump45 HK UMP45
ak47 Automat Kalashnikov AK-47
galil IMI Galil
famas GIAT FAMAS
sg552 Sig SG-552 Commando
m4a1 Colt M4A1 Carbine
aug Steyr Aug
scout Steyr Scout
awp AI Arctic Warfare/Magnum
g3sg1 HK G3/SG-1 Sniper Rifle
sg550 Sig SG-550 Sniper
m249 FN M249 Para
flash Concussion Grenade
hegren High-Explosive Grenade
sgren Smoke Grenade
vest Kevlar Vest
vesthelm Kevlar Vest and Helmet
defuser Defuser Kit
shield Tactical Shield

By default this value is not set.

Randomly disconnects and connects bots, simulating players join/quit.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 0

Specifies maximum amount of seconds a bot keeps connected if rotation is active.

Property Value
Min 1800
Max 14400
Default 3600

Specifies minimum amount of seconds a bot keeps connected if rotation is active.

Property Value
Min 120
Max 7200
Default 360

Allows saving bot data upon changelevel, so bots will be restored after a map change.

Value Behavior
0 Nothing is saved
1 Only quota is saved
2 Full bot data is saved
Property Value
Min 0
Max 2
Default 1

Determines the method how bots check if a wall/obstacle is penetrable.

Value Behavior
1 Bots will try to shoot through walls more actively, even unrealistically
2 Bots will use the algorithm from original PODBot, and shoot through walls less

The 2 method consumes a bit more CPU power than the 1 method.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 3
Default 2

Enables or disables displaying bot avatars in front of their names in the scoreboard. Note that currently you can see only avatars of your Steam friends.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 0

Determines the type of bot ping displayed.

Value Behavior
0 There will be nothing in the scoreboard about bot ping
1 There will be “BOT” displayed for every bot in the scoreboard
2 There will be a “fake” ping displayed for every bot in the scoreboard
Property Value
Min 0
Max 2
Default 0

Determines the method of how smoke affects the bot’s vision.

Value Behavior
0 The smoke won’t affect the bot’s vision
1 The smoke affection method from PODBot will be used
2 The smoke affection method from official CSBot (a.k.a. ZBot) will be used

ZBot’s method allows the bot to shoot at enemies in smoke clouds under certain circumstances, while PODBot’s certainly cannot.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 2
Default 2

Radius in units to check for smoke clouds around a detonated grenade.

Property Value
Min 32
Max 320
Default 240

If not zero, bots will spray some paints all over the map.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 1

If not zero, bots will stab the enemy with a knife if the bot is in good condition.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 1

Determines how many times per second the rest of bot AI is executed. Higher values will give smoother movement but will cause CPU waste, and may cause problems with dedicated servers that have more than 500 fps.

Property Value
Min 10
Max 90
Default 40

Allows to completely disable think fps on Xash3D.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 1

Maximum number of threads the bot will run to process some tasks. -1 means half of CPU cores are used.

Property Value
Min -1
Max 128
Default -1

If not zero, bots will punish teammates that attack the bot.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 1

Use engine to check potential visibility of an enemy. It reduces the number of calls to engine functions, thus reducing CPU usage. The side effect is that bots can fire through obstacles more blatantly.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 1

Uses hitbox-based enemy targeting, instead of offset-based. Use with yb_use_engine_pvs_check enabled to reduce CPU usage.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 0

Determines the percentage of bots that will try to automatically follow the leader. Bots treat the bomb guy, VIP and human players as leaders.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 100
Default 20

Determines how many bots can respond to a human player on the Follow Me command and follow the human.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 8
Default 1

Reports the bot version. Read-only, cannot be changed.

Property Value
Default (bot version)

If not zero, bots will use “shift” or walking when hearing a nearby enemy.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 1

Enables or disables extra hard difficulty for bots. It zeroes out any reaction or surprise timers and allows bots to ignore FOV when searching for enemies. It also forces the bots to aim their weapon at the enemy almost immediately.

Property Value
Min 0
Max 1
Default 0

These CVARs no longer exist in the bot. If you still have them in your configs, remove them:

Removed CVAR Replacement
yb_count_players_for_fakeping Renamed to yb_ping_count_real_players (see also yb_ping_updater_interval)
yb_logger_disable_logfile Replaced by the DisableLogFile setting in custom.cfg
yb_path_heuristic_type Renamed to yb_path_heuristic_mode
yb_path_danger_factor_min / yb_path_danger_factor_max Removed, no replacement
yb_path_randomize_on_round_start Removed, no replacement
yb_quota_adding_interval / yb_quota_maintain_interval Removed, no replacement
yb_save_bots_names Replaced by yb_save_bots