New players often ask, Are there bots in FragPunk? The answer is yes—though the game doesn’t clearly say so. FragPunk uses AI opponents to help you get started, and this guide explains how bots work, why they exist, and how to play against them on purpose. Let’s dive into the details.
How Bots Help You in Early Games
FragPunk makes your first games easier by using AI opponents. These bots aren’t very good, often not shooting back or moving in simple ways. Players win their first few games easily, then face harder opponents later.
This helps new players feel better about themselves before playing with real people. The game switches to real players around your third or fourth game, after you’ve learned basic things like using special cards or devices. If your early wins feel too easy, it’s probably because of the bots.
Why FragPunk Uses Bots
Developers use bots for three main reasons:
- Helping New Players Learn: Early bot games are like a practice session. You learn about maps, abilities, and special cards without feeling confused.
- Keeping Games Full: Bots fill empty spaces when there aren’t many players, so you don’t have to wait long to play.
- Making Players Feel Good: Winning early games makes you feel happy and good at the game, which is something other games do too.
Bots also come back if you lose a few games in a row, giving you a boost to keep you playing.
How to Play Against Bots in Custom Games
Want to practice with bots on purpose? FragPunk lets you create custom games where you control how hard the bots are and how many are on each team. Here’s how:
- Go to Play > Custom Game > Create Room.
- Choose Add Bots under team settings.
- Pick how hard you want the bots to be (Easy, Medium, Hard, or Very Hard) and decide which team they will be on.
Custom bot games help you improve your strategies or try out new card combinations without the pressure of playing with real people. For example, Very Hard bots play like real players, trying to win by using their abilities and surprising you.
Bots: When Do They Leave?
Bots stop appearing after your first few games. Instead, you play with real people in regular modes. However, when there aren’t many players or during quiet times, bots might still join games.
In ranked games, you mostly play with real people, but in casual games, bots might be used to make things faster.
If you think you’re playing against bots during a game, look for these signs: they move in the same way over and over, react slowly, or do strange things.
