Adding Bots to an OpenArena Server
Configure OpenArena bots with bot_enable, bot_minplayers, g_spskill, and bot_nochat — including how bot counts interact with sv_maxclients.
Adding Bots to an OpenArena Server
OpenArena has a built-in bot system. Bots can fill empty slots automatically, keeping the server active when human player counts are low.
Essential Bot Cvars
| Cvar | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
bot_enable |
0 |
Set to 1 to allow bots on the server. Without this, no bots will spawn regardless of other settings. |
bot_minplayers |
0 |
Minimum total players (humans + bots). The server adds bots to reach this count. 0 disables automatic bot filling. |
g_spskill |
4 |
Bot skill level: 1 = easiest, 5 = hardest. |
bot_nochat |
1 |
Set to 1 to silence bot chat messages. Recommended for public servers. |
Minimal Bot Config
Add to server.cfg:
bot_enable 1
bot_minplayers 4
g_spskill 3
bot_nochat 1
This configuration keeps the server populated with bots until 4 total players are present. As human players join, bots are removed to maintain the bot_minplayers count. When humans leave, bots are added back.
How bot_minplayers Works
bot_minplayers sets the floor for total active players (humans + bots combined). Examples:
bot_minplayers 4, 0 humans connected → 4 bots activebot_minplayers 4, 2 humans connected → 2 bots activebot_minplayers 4, 4 humans connected → 0 bots activebot_minplayers 0→ bots are never added automatically
Bots and sv_maxclients
Bots do not count against sv_maxclients. The maximum client slot limit applies to human players only. If sv_maxclients 16 and bot_minplayers 8 are both set, the server can have 8 bots and still accept 16 human connections simultaneously.
Bot Skill Levels
| g_spskill | Difficulty |
|---|---|
| 1 | Easiest — bots move slowly and aim poorly |
| 2 | Easy |
| 3 | Medium — reasonable challenge for intermediate players |
| 4 | Hard |
| 5 | Hardest — near-perfect aim and reaction time |
For public servers, g_spskill 2 or 3 is typical. Skill 5 bots are very difficult for most players.
Adjusting Bots at Runtime
Change bot settings via RCON without restarting:
\rconpassword yourpassword
\rcon bot_minplayers 6
\rcon g_spskill 2
Bot count adjustments take effect immediately — bots are added or removed to match the new bot_minplayers value.
To remove all bots immediately:
\rcon bot_minplayers 0
Bot Chat
Bot chat messages can clutter the server console and distract players. Silence them with:
bot_nochat 1
Setting this to 0 re-enables bot taunts and commentary.