Fix DM bot crashes with death/respawn and team enforcement tweaks

src/game/server/neo/bot/behavior/neo_bot_behavior.cpp

@@ -71,6 +71,16 @@ ActionResult< CNEOBot >	CNEOBotMainAction::Update( CNEOBot *me, float interval )
 {
 	VPROF_BUDGET( "CNEOBotMainAction::Update", "NextBot" );
 
+	// If bot is already dead at this point, make sure it's dead.
+	// This check prevents the main behavior loop from executing on dead bots, which can happen
+	// if a bot dies during a frame or enters an invalid state like Observer mode.
+	// Executing main behavior (like looking for enemies or navigating) on a dead/observer bot
+	// can lead to crashes due to invalid entity state or accessing components that shouldn't be accessed.
+	if ( !me->IsAlive() )
+	{
+		return ChangeTo( new CNEOBotDead, "I'm actually dead" );
+	}
+
 	// TEAM_UNASSIGNED -> deathmatch
 	if ( me->GetTeamNumber() != TEAM_JINRAI && me->GetTeamNumber() != TEAM_NSF && me->GetTeamNumber() != TEAM_UNASSIGNED )
 	{

src/game/server/neo/bot/behavior/neo_bot_dead.cpp

@@ -47,7 +47,12 @@ ActionResult< CNEOBot >	CNEOBotDead::Update( CNEOBot *me, float interval )
 	{
 		if ( g_pGameRules->FPlayerCanRespawn( me ) )
 		{
-			respawn( me, !me->IsObserver() );
+			// Defer respawn to outside of the behavior update loop.
+			// Calling respawn() here triggers CNEOBot::Spawn -> INextBot::Reset -> delete m_behavior.
+			// If we delete the behavior while we are executing a method of an action belonging to it,
+			// we cause a use-after-free when the stack unwinds back to Behavior::Update.
+			me->m_bWantsRespawn = true;
+			me->m_bRespawnCopyCorpse = !me->IsObserver();
 		}
 	}
 

src/game/server/neo/bot/neo_bot.cpp

@@ -544,6 +544,9 @@ CNEOBot::CNEOBot()
 	m_maxVisionRangeOverride = -1.0f;
 	m_squadFormationError = 0.0f;
 
+	m_bWantsRespawn = false;
+	m_bRespawnCopyCorpse = false;
+
 	SetAutoJump(0.f, 0.f);
 
 	V_memcpy(&m_profile, &FIXED_DEFAULT_PROFILE, sizeof(CNEOBotProfile));
@@ -657,6 +660,9 @@ void CNEOBot::Spawn()
 
 	m_qPrevShouldAim = ANSWER_NO;
 	m_flLastShouldAimTime = 0.0f;
+
+	m_bWantsRespawn = false;
+	m_bRespawnCopyCorpse = false;
 }
 
 
@@ -681,10 +687,21 @@ void CNEOBot::SetMission(MissionType mission, bool resetBehaviorSystem)
 
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+extern void respawn(CBaseEntity* pEdict, bool fCopyCorpse);
 void CNEOBot::PhysicsSimulate(void)
 {
 	BaseClass::PhysicsSimulate();
 
+	if (m_bWantsRespawn)
+	{
+		m_bWantsRespawn = false;
+		respawn(this, m_bRespawnCopyCorpse);
+		// Note: respawn() triggers Reset(), which deletes the behavior.
+		// Since we are outside BaseClass::PhysicsSimulate() (which calls Update()),
+		// it is safe to delete the behavior now.
+		return;
+	}
+
 	if (m_spawnArea == NULL)
 	{
 		m_spawnArea = GetLastKnownArea();
@@ -1023,7 +1040,10 @@ void CNEOBot::DisableCloak(void)
 
 bool CNEOBot::IsDormantWhenDead(void) const
 {
-	return false;
+	// When a bot becomes an Observer (e.g., in Juggernaut mode after death without respawn), it should become dormant.
+	// This stops the NextBot update loop (INextBot::Update), preventing it from trying to run behaviors 
+	// on a non-existent or spectator body, which causes crashes (use-after-free/dangling pointers).
+	return IsObserver();
 }
 
 
@@ -2496,10 +2516,10 @@ bool CNEOBot::IsEnemy(const CBaseEntity* them) const
 	}
 	else
 	{
-		if (them->GetTeamNumber() == TEAM_UNASSIGNED)
-			return true;
-
-		return false;
+		// Since we are now forcing bots into JINRAI/NSF teams even in DM to avoid the TEAM_UNASSIGNED crash,
+		// we must explicitly tell them to treat everyone as an enemy, otherwise they will treat their "teammates" as friends and not fight.
+		// In non-Teamplay modes (like DM), everyone else is an enemy.
+		return true;
 	}
 }
 

src/game/server/neo/bot/neo_bot.h

@@ -436,6 +436,9 @@ class CNEOBot : public NextBotPlayer< CNEO_Player >, public CGameEventListener
 	int m_iIntendTeam = 0;
 	int m_iProfileIdx = -1;
 
+	bool m_bWantsRespawn = false;
+	bool m_bRespawnCopyCorpse = false;
+
 private:
 	CNEOBotLocomotion *m_locomotor;
 	CNEOBotBody *m_body;

src/game/server/neo/bot/neo_bot_manager.cpp

@@ -346,7 +346,10 @@ void CNEOBotManager::MaintainBotQuota()
 	{
 		int iTeam = TEAM_UNASSIGNED;
 
-		if ( NEORules()->IsTeamplay() && iTeam == TEAM_UNASSIGNED )
+		// In DeathMatch (DM), bots must still be assigned to valid teams (JINRAI/NSF) instead of TEAM_UNASSIGNED.
+		// TEAM_UNASSIGNED forces bots into a limbo/Observer state that the bot logic isn't designed to handle, leading to crashes.
+		// By forcing them onto teams, we ensure they have a valid state and can participate in the DM logic (treating everyone as enemy).
+		if ( iTeam == TEAM_UNASSIGNED )
 		{
 			CTeam* pJinrai = GetGlobalTeam(TEAM_JINRAI);
 			CTeam* pNSF = GetGlobalTeam(TEAM_NSF);