WeaponPrefs or weapon preferences module is very useful module enabling the user to easilly define the priority of weapons. Not only it allows to define general priority, it can also be used to set priority according to current distance between the bot and his target. WeaponPrefs can be accessed from the bot code by typing weaponPrefs. . In the first example we will show you, how to use weapon preferences to define general weapon preferences.

Note that general weapon preferences are meant to be set up once, preferably before the bot running around in the map. You cannot change general weapon preferences, however you can clear them and set them up again. The example below shows a simple example of defining and using general weapon preferences in your bot.

	  
    public void prepareBot(UT2004Bot bot) {	  
        // DEFINE WEAPON PREFERENCES
        // We will define only general preferences stating which weapon + firing mode should be preffered.
        // The priority is from the top to the bottom.
		
        // Top priority weapon is MINIGUN with secondary firing mode - the boolean means whether we should use primary firing mode or not
        weaponPrefs.addGeneralPref(ItemType.MINIGUN, false);
        // Second priority is Link gun with secondary mode
        weaponPrefs.addGeneralPref(ItemType.LINK_GUN, false);
        // Third is LIGHTING_GUN but now we use primary firing mode (bUsePrimary is set to true)
        weaponPrefs.addGeneralPref(ItemType.LIGHTNING_GUN, true);
        weaponPrefs.addGeneralPref(ItemType.SHOCK_RIFLE, true);
        weaponPrefs.addGeneralPref(ItemType.ROCKET_LAUNCHER, true);
        weaponPrefs.addGeneralPref(ItemType.ASSAULT_RIFLE, true);        
        weaponPrefs.addGeneralPref(ItemType.FLAK_CANNON, true);
        weaponPrefs.addGeneralPref(ItemType.BIO_RIFLE, true);
    }
	
    public void logic() {
        // Here you can see, how you can use your predefined weapon preferences when shooting other player.
        // Your bot will use the best weapon he has according the weapon preferences. 
        if (players.canSeePlayers()) {
            Player target = players.getNearestVisiblePlayer();
            shoot.shoot(weaponPrefs, target);
        } else if (info.isShooting())
            shoot.stopShooting();		
    }
    

Defining weapon preferences for range. The general weapon preferences are useful, but if you want to code first class deathmatch bot it probably won't be enough. Ideally you would like your bot to prefer different weapons according to the distance there is between him and his enemy. Some weapons are very strong at short distances, but are almost useless at longer ranges, e.g. Flak Cannon and vice versa. Next example shows how to use weapon preferences module to define weapon priorities according to the distance between the bot and the target.

Defining weapon preferences with range works as follows: First you define new range class by setting the maximum distance the class will be considered at and then you add weapon types to this range class. The priority is again from top to the bottom (weapons you add first have higher priority). Lets explain this more thoroughly on the example below:

    public void prepareBot(UT2004Bot bot) {	  	  
        // First range class is defined from 0 to 80 ut units (1 ut unit ~ 1 cm)
        weaponPrefs.newPrefsRange(80)
                .add(ItemType.SHIELD_GUN, true);
        // Only one weapon is added to this close combat range and it is SHIELD GUN		
			
        // Second range class is from 80 to 1000 ut units (its always from the previous class to the maximum
        // distance of actual class
        weaponPrefs.newPrefsRange(1000)
                .add(ItemType.FLAK_CANNON, true)
                .add(ItemType.MINIGUN, true)
                .add(ItemType.LINK_GUN, false)
                .add(ItemType.ASSAULT_RIFLE, true);        
        // More weapons are in this class with FLAK CANNON having the top priority		
				
        // Third range class is from 1000 to 4000 ut units - that's quite far actually
        weaponPrefs.newPrefsRange(4000)
                .add(ItemType.SHOCK_RIFLE, true)
                .add(ItemType.MINIGUN, false);
        // Two weapons here with SHOCK RIFLE being the top
				
        // The last range class is from 4000 to 100000 ut units. In practise 100000 is
        // the same as infinity as there is no map in UT that big
        weaponPrefs.newPrefsRange(100000)
                .add(ItemType.LIGHTNING_GUN, true)
                .add(ItemType.SHOCK_RIFLE, true);  	  
        // Only two weapons here, both good at sniping
    }	  
    

If you are confused a little bit by the syntax then be aware that .newPrefsRange(double maxRange) returns the weapon preferences range object as well as the .add(ItemType weapon, boolean bool) method. Line ends doesn't break this chain, so the code above could be rewritten as below and it would be the same (but more confusing perhaps).

    public void prepareBot(UT2004Bot bot) {	  	  		
        weaponPrefs.newPrefsRange(80).add(ItemType.SHIELD_GUN, true);
		
        weaponPrefs.newPrefsRange(1000).add(ItemType.FLAK_CANNON, true).add(ItemType.MINIGUN, true).add(ItemType.LINK_GUN, false).add(ItemType.ASSAULT_RIFLE, true);        
		
        weaponPrefs.newPrefsRange(4000).add(ItemType.SHOCK_RIFLE, true).add(ItemType.MINIGUN, false);

        weaponPrefs.newPrefsRange(100000).add(ItemType.LIGHTNING_GUN, true).add(ItemType.SHOCK_RIFLE, true);  	  		
    }	  
    

The range of ranged weapon preference is defined from the previous ranged weapon preference maximum to current weapon preference maximum. The maximum is defined in newPrefsRange(double maxium) method.

How are these ranged weapon preferences used? The same way as the general weapon preferences (they are defined on the same object). WeaponPrefs object always prefers more concrete before general. That means that if you define ranged weapon preferences and general weapon preferences and you have some weapon that is currently in range, the weapon preferences will prefer this weapon before the general weapon preferences weapon.

    public void logic() {
        // Using ranged weapon preferences is the same as using general weapon preferences
        if (players.canSeePlayers()) {
            Player target = players.getNearestVisiblePlayer();
            shoot.shoot(weaponPrefs, target);
        } else if (info.isShooting())
            shoot.stopShooting();		
    }
    

Now what happens if your bot has defined ranged weapon preferences but no general weapon preferences and none of his ranged weapon preferences weapons is in range? In this case nothing happens - weapon preferences won't force the bot to change the weapon and the bot will fire his current weapon. This example shows that it is rather a good idea to define both weapon preferences - general and ranged. You can set the general weapon suitability in general weapon preferences and tweak only some weapons in ranged weapon preferences. This way even if no weapon is in range, the bot will still have his general weapon preferences to tell him, which weapon is more suitable in general. Putting all of this together you could end up with the following code:

    public void prepareBot(UT2004Bot bot) {	  
        // FIRST we DEFINE GENERAL WEAPON PREFERENCES
        weaponPrefs.addGeneralPref(ItemType.MINIGUN, false);
        weaponPrefs.addGeneralPref(ItemType.LINK_GUN, false);
        weaponPrefs.addGeneralPref(ItemType.LIGHTNING_GUN, true);
        weaponPrefs.addGeneralPref(ItemType.SHOCK_RIFLE, true);
        weaponPrefs.addGeneralPref(ItemType.ROCKET_LAUNCHER, true);
        weaponPrefs.addGeneralPref(ItemType.ASSAULT_RIFLE, true);        
        weaponPrefs.addGeneralPref(ItemType.FLAK_CANNON, true);
        weaponPrefs.addGeneralPref(ItemType.BIO_RIFLE, true);
		
        // AND THEN RANGED
        weaponPrefs.newPrefsRange(80)
                .add(ItemType.SHIELD_GUN, true);

        weaponPrefs.newPrefsRange(1000)
                .add(ItemType.FLAK_CANNON, true)
                .add(ItemType.MINIGUN, true)
                .add(ItemType.LINK_GUN, false)
                .add(ItemType.ASSAULT_RIFLE, true);        

        weaponPrefs.newPrefsRange(4000)
                .add(ItemType.SHOCK_RIFLE, true)
                .add(ItemType.MINIGUN, false);

        weaponPrefs.newPrefsRange(100000)
                .add(ItemType.LIGHTNING_GUN, true)
                .add(ItemType.SHOCK_RIFLE, true);  	  		
    }
	
    public void logic() {
        // Shooting with weapon preferences yet again
        if (players.canSeePlayers()) {
            Player target = players.getNearestVisiblePlayer();
            shoot.shoot(weaponPrefs, target);
        } else if (info.isShooting())
            shoot.stopShooting();		
    }
    

... definining both general and ranged weapon preferences. Note that the preferences above are certainly not the most optimal ones for UT2004.