I have a similar porblem with bot in the latest version of Ubuntu (64bits version).
If I use openarena.x86_64 to run the game, i have no bots. The terminal displays this message:
------- Game Initialization -------
gamename: baseoa
gamedate: Oct 20 2008
Not logging to disk.
Gametype changed, clearing session data.
0 teams with 0 entities
16 items registered
-----------------------------------
------- BotLib Initialization -------
loaded weapons.c
loaded items.c
loaded syn.c
loaded rnd.c
^1Error: file match.c, line 24: file matchh" not found
loaded match.c
loaded rchat.c
------------ Map Loading ------------
trying to load maps/oa_rpg3dm2.aas
loaded maps/oa_rpg3dm2.aas
ammo_grenades in solid at (928.0 56.0 208.0)
ammo_grenades not reachable for bots at (928.0 56.0 208.0)
ammo_lightning in solid at (928.0 78.0 208.0)
found 32 level items
-------------------------------------
25 bots parsed
132 arenas parsed
AAS initialized.
BIG Info string length exceeded
-----------------------------------
^1Error: file bots/default_c.c, line 24: file charsh" not found
^3Warning: couldn't find skill 1 in bots/default_c.c
^1Error: file bots/default_c.c, line 24: file charsh" not found
^1Error: file bots/default_c.c, line 24: file charsh" not found
^1Error: file bots/default_c.c, line 24: file charsh" not found
^3Warning: couldn't load any skill from bots/default_c.c
^1Error: file bots/sarge_c.c, line 24: file charsh" not found
^3Warning: couldn't find skill 1 in bots/sarge_c.c
^1Error: file bots/default_c.c, line 24: file charsh" not found
^1Error: file bots/sarge_c.c, line 24: file charsh" not found
^1Error: file bots/default_c.c, line 24: file charsh" not found
^3Warning: couldn't load any skill from bots/sarge_c.c
^1Fatal: couldn't load skill 2.000000 from bots/sarge_c.c
^1Error: file bots/default_c.c, line 24: file charsh" not found
^3Warning: couldn't find skill 1 in bots/default_c.c
^1Error: file bots/default_c.c, line 24: file charsh" not found
^1Error: file bots/default_c.c, line 24: file charsh" not found
^1Error: file bots/default_c.c, line 24: file charsh" not found
^3Warning: couldn't load any skill from bots/default_c.c
^1Error: file bots/ayumi_c.c, line 24: file charsh" not found
^3Warning: couldn't find skill 1 in bots/ayumi_c.c
^1Error: file bots/default_c.c, line 24: file charsh" not found
^1Error: file bots/ayumi_c.c, line 24: file charsh" not found
^1Error: file bots/default_c.c, line 24: file charsh" not found
^3Warning: couldn't load any skill from bots/ayumi_c.c
^1Fatal: couldn't load skill 2.000000 from bots/ayumi_c.c
^1Error: file bots/default_c.c, line 24: file charsh" not found
^3Warning: couldn't find skill 1 in bots/default_c.c
^1Error: file bots/default_c.c, line 24: file charsh" not found
^1Error: file bots/default_c.c, line 24: file charsh" not found
^1Error: file bots/default_c.c, line 24: file charsh" not found
^3Warning: couldn't load any skill from bots/default_c.c
^1Error: file bots/kyonshi_c.c, line 24: file charsh" not found
^3Warning: couldn't find skill 1 in bots/kyonshi_c.c
^1Error: file bots/default_c.c, line 24: file charsh" not found
^1Error: file bots/kyonshi_c.c, line 24: file charsh" not found
^1Error: file bots/default_c.c, line 24: file charsh" not found
^3Warning: couldn't load any skill from bots/kyonshi_c.c
^1Fatal: couldn't load skill 2.000000 from bots/kyonshi_c.c
BIG Info string length exceeded
RE_Shutdown( 0 )
Deleting all pk3 files in the home folder doesn't help at all.
If I use the 32 bits executable (openarena.i386) all bots do appear as it should.
Hope it helps, good luck.