Set manual fire on weapons via commandFire, limit rocket stockpiles with stockpileLimit, and understand BARB AI settings.
Tags: bar modding, commandFire, stockpileLimit, LuaAI, weapondefs, unitdefs
Two properties control whether a unit can manually fire specific weapons. In weapondefs, set commandFire to enable manual targeting. In unitdefs, set canManualFire to true. A gadget processes these tags and converts weapons without the tag into auto-fire only. Both properties must be set for manual fire to work as expected.
To cap how many rockets a unit can hold, use the stockpileLimit custom parameter on the unit definition. The unit_stockpile_limit gadget in the BAR repo reads this value and enforces the cap. Check the gadget source at unit_stockpile_limit.lua lines 83 through 92 for the exact implementation and current support status.
Adding or removing bot AIs from a lobby is not a standard host command. It operates through the client-server protocol directly, which is why the lobby interface uses dedicated buttons rather than text commands. BARB settings specifically must be configured by the host because BARB runs as a LuaAI gadget on every player's machine. The server needs to know the AI settings to maintain game sync. Legacy AIs used engine APIs and ran entirely on the client that added them, which explains the legacy architecture.
Some settings visible in the BAR options menu do not function as expected in current builds. Always test a setting in an actual match before relying on it for custom lobby configurations. The infolog file reveals whether the setting was actually applied or silently ignored.
Understanding how AI and bot settings work in lobbies prevents setup confusion before matches start. Creed of Champions hosts coordinate these settings clearly so every player joins knowing what to expect. Clear pre-game communication saves time for everyone.
Creed rekindled my joy in Beyond All Reason. The friendly, no-toxicity environment caused me to start enjoying it again after burning out.