[MvM map] Bots arent spawning, no money

Kryptos

L1: Registered
Mar 27, 2016
3
0
Hello all, I'm looking for advice on getting my MvM map up and running. I've tried generating a few simple .pop files and placing them in C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\Team Fortress 2\tf\custom\pop\scripts\population as well as C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\Team Fortress 2\tf\scripts\population and none will provide the starting money specified.

I ready up and the countdown begins but no bots spawn. Is this an easy fix? I've been bashing my head against it all night and have been truly stumped. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, i'm looking forward to exploring this community a lot more.
 

UKCS-Alias

Mann vs Machine... or... Mapper vs Meta?
aa
Sep 8, 2008
1,264
816
Most of the time your nav has issues (lacking respawnrooms, blocked paths etc). Also, if the nav is broken it should show 'Wave 0' on top. And this is very likely what you see as 'the money isnt given'. As it simply didnt load the popfile at that time meaning no money.

Open the console and check if it logs any errors. If it states something about being unable to calculate distances you have very likely 1 of these problems:
  • No nav file (nav_generate)
  • No respawnroom for the bots (this must be 1 huge entity for all spawns combined, there can be gaps in the brushes, but it must be 1 entity)
  • No spawns for the bots
  • No capture zone
  • Spawns are blocked (even when it would normaly work fine for players, there are random cases where bots dont spawn properly and get stuck or dont spawn at all). This is more common when you use displacements. if this is the case put a nodraw brush below the spawn (clipping does not work for this!)
  • You dont have a popfile loaded at all. Switching to your popfile using the console broke at some point and even though it might give the indication that its loading, it doesnt load. be sure to name the popfile the same as the map (for mvm_example.bsp this means mvm_example.pop).
MvM still contains alot of trial and error before you even get it started.

(yes, i edited the list so when someone would look back this list wouldnt distract from 1 of the most simple checks)
 
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Kryptos

L1: Registered
Mar 27, 2016
3
0
I do indeed have some errors about respawnrooms,I thought I had everything correct. Can you recommend a good tutorial for making these? I've been comparing mine to mvm_example and I cant see any differences maybe I just need to re do them following a step-by-step.

func_respawnroomvisualizer(func_respawnroomvisualizer) was unable to find func_respawnroomvisualizer named 'blue_respawnroom'
No Nav Mesh CPopulationManager::Initialize for scripts/population/mvm_bridge.pop
Can't compute incursion distances from the Red spawn room(s). Bots will perform poorly. This is caused by either a missing func_respawnroom, or missing info_player_teamspawn entities within the func_respawnroom.

Can't compute incursion distances from the Blue spawn room(s). Bots will perform poorly. This is caused by either a missing func_respawnroom, or missing info_player_teamspawn entities within the func_respawnroom.

Can't find blue spawn room nav areas. No legal bomb drop areas are marked
No nav area for bomb delivery zone.

Edit: Ok so I found out about nav_generate and did that and now Ive got the popfile working too so i have money and wave details, but now Its spawning me at the wrong spawners.. I definitely have blue marked at the botspawns. This is one wild ride.
Fixed: The issue was the redspawnroomvisual wasnt included in the red_spawnroom brush. weird.

Still having problems with the bot spawning but I think ive got this


Final Edit: Thanks for the help, ive got them working now. I think my biggest issue was not running nav_generate (which was never mentioned in any tutorial i found). Other issues included not having the respawnroomvisual inside the respawnroom brush. Also to clarify the working directory for my pop file ended up being

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\Team Fortress 2\tf\custom\pop\scripts\population

Thanks again for the help. I'm still having trouble getting them to spawn IN the spawnroom but at least they are spawning now ;D Hopefully this can stay here as google fodder for anyone else having similar issues.
 
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UKCS-Alias

Mann vs Machine... or... Mapper vs Meta?
aa
Sep 8, 2008
1,264
816
In that case you probably missed the guide about nav files to begin with. nav_generate is the first command they learn you and most of the time you wont realy need alot of commands after that. At most you would need nav_edit, nav_split, nav_save, nav_analyze for basic editing (and these can be quite relevant in mvm on that part).

But its true that there is no extended guide about mvm mapping other than mvm_example which can be used as main resource.