Hello, I am not really familiar with AI. sure I wrote several AI algorithms but now im trying to put them in a useful project. I was thinking of bots in a small 2D shooter. I am facing several design problems for example should bots start as being ignorant (without any knowledge of the map design?) Then build up the graph and paths as they move? The game is a simple team based (red vs blue) top view. the maps are simple 2D grids, I am just trying to put as much algirthms and optimizations as possible to see where everything can be applied. I know this might be huge topic but wanted to benefit from previous experiences.

the easiest way is preset waypoints on each map like in Counterstrike PodBot for example. No need to know map design, no need to actually build graphs in real-time. Just some arbitrary path functions and a random generator needed (though I'm not an AI programmer, I just recite what I read about CS Podbot).

It sounds like you're describing Raven, a top-down 2D shooter with bots as made by Mat Buckland in his book Programming Game AI By Example. I would just say pick this book up, it's only $35 and covers everything you want.

Arghh I already have the book :@ havent had time to check it out yet!
i ll do that thx.