January 15, 2016 at 16:537 examples of the use of procedural generation in games, which are useful for all developers to know about
- Transfer
The procedurally generated content of the “right” games - Diablo, Rogue, Spelunky, Daggerfall, Elite, Spore, and even Football Manager counterparts - never ceases to amaze. It allows a different look at the design and emphasizes the elegance of the main indicators of the system. With it, you save time and can earn money. It is thanks to him that Skyrim and Minecraft attract a huge number of players who do not change their choice even a few years after the release of these products. Procedural generation is the solid foundation on which the concept of the much anticipated " No Man's Sky " from Hello Games is built.
At the same time, it is worth noting that the principles of procedural generation are not always used and perceived correctly, and therefore not everyone can immediately develop algorithms for individual elements of the game. Given this feature, we consulted with experienced developers and decided to tell you about products that have found a very original application of this technique.
In each of the games mentioned below, procedural generation produces an incredible effect, and therefore, perhaps a prepared review will inspire you to create better products based on the generated algorithms.
The procedurally generated content gives the characters and systems the necessary details and depth, and also pleasantly diversifies the environment and game design - it is in these areas that this technique finds maximum application. With the help of procedural generation, the characters of the Crusader Kings II strategy, whose actions unfold in the Middle Ages, become unique, albeit computer-controlled, personalities. We are talking about various traits that actually come down to prime numbers (like +1 to intrigue and -10 to greed), which determine the character’s behavior. But since the events are largely determined by the relationships and behavior of the heroes, their characters turn into fascinating elements of complex systems, which many adherents of this medieval story love.
In her email, Kitfox Games creative director Tanya Short notes that the game’s growing popularity and ongoing discussions on the forum indicate that players are willing to let all these numbers and character reactions through themselves (which are usually very simple, but complex can seem complex) . “Since Crusader Kings II falls into the category of hardcore games with a high entry threshold, the game can be compared to The Sims to some extent,” Tanya explains. “Players like to come up with stories in which they explain the inner experiences of the heroes, their policies, etc., especially when you have at your disposal such an interesting context as the realities of medieval Europe. That is why every now and then on the Crusader Kings II forum there are heated discussions "off topic."
TOTAL:Players complement the images of procedurally generated characters and their relationship system with their own experiences if the characters behave as certain character traits require. In the case when the figures underlying the line of behavior are publicly available, the interaction process is even more active.
Shadow of Mordor, an action RPG based on Tolkien’s works, also goes beyond the usual notion of levels and maps of procedurally generated content. The game lays the concept of establishing personal relationships between users and orcs. In short, each orc is unique - they are created according to the Nemesis System algorithm: everything is taken into account from the name and appearance to the manner of speaking and relations with other orcs. The game allows you to create more and more new combinations of characteristics, using them on the principle of Lego constructors.
Moreover, if an orc kills a player’s character, he gets a new rank in Sauron’s army. Moreover, the events are stored in memory in case of another collision. And if the orc is killed or injured, he returns again - practicing other skills and trying to demonstrate his superiority. This time, a procedurally generated scar appears on his face (for example, a plate over his eye if he was gouged out, or a bag over his head if the orc was beheaded).
So there is competition and hostility, which allows the player to use the social connections of the orcs for various personal purposes (for example, to set someone up against the commander); you have certain feelings for the bad guys, which is strange, because killing enemies is the main task of most video games. According to BioShock director Ken Levine, Shadow of Mordor is "the first open-type interaction game." This is an important step towards creating traditional game stories that adapt to the player’s decisions, and not just exist in parallel, as, say, when choosing a new adventure book.
TOTAL: The procedurally generated characteristics of enemies and scars, reminiscent of past battles, convince players that they are fighting with specific unique opponents, and not with the same scripted characters available to other users.
Perhaps only Rogue and Diablo outperform Spelunky Derek Yu in the degree of integration of the principles of procedural generation. The genius of this project lies in the fact that it masterfully details the mechanics and systems that underlie the game, and do not address different levels of memorization (the last trick does not work at all, since each level is generated literally a few seconds before the session starts). Julian Togelius, an associate professor at New York University (a researcher of the aforementioned trends), believes that such a fundamental shift in emphasis - from modifying a level to changing the rules of the game - demonstrates the most effective way of applying procedural generation. “It is incredibly important that the player does not even guess what tasks he will have to solve in the future, that’s why the generation of levels (quite simple,
And indeed, an ordinary Spelunky player goes through thousands or even tens of thousands of levels. But only a few win - for this in the standard version you need to survive in sixteen levels plus defeat the main commander in a personal battle (and there are even secret levels with different results of the battles).
It is important to note that the levels are organized according to a specific plan; supposedly a random arrangement of enemies, shopkeepers, objects, walls of caves and other elements obeys very specific principles.
After the first release of Spelunky in 2008, a lot of imitations appeared, but not one of them managed to embody the same perfect combination of the author’s idea, randomization and elegance.
TOTAL: Generating levels right during the game according to a simple formula, Spelunky forces the player to delve into the rules and analyze emerging systems, and not just study the geometry of the next video product.
Getting lost in a huge list of goals and tasks set for a player in Dwarf Fortress is as easy as shelling pears. No wonder it takes several months to finally figure everything out. Initially, a detailed genealogy of gnomes is generated, dating back thousands of years. One of my colleagues every day told something new about the developing dynasties and impregnable fortresses appearing on the slopes of the mountains. These were stories about love, loss, betrayal, disasters, adventures, hunger trials, terrible fires, murders, ridiculous incidents like a group of guys got lost, and much, much more.
According to Tanya Short, most of all this epic simulator of the world of gnomes, created by Tarn and Zach Adams, amazes with the simplicity of dozens of interconnected algorithmic systems. “Most people perceive Dwarf Fortress as the result of the creative work of a brilliant engineer, and the product is more like a puff cake than an internal combustion engine,” she explains. “Each element has its own rules, although it obeys the laws characteristic of other components. Only here the connection between the parts of the whole is barely perceptible, and the aforementioned complexity of understanding is a direct consequence of various types of interaction - almost like in our Universe. Not everything is noticeable, but the Evolution is on. ”
TOTAL: Dwarf Fortress differs from other products of its class not in the complexity of the concept, but in the way individual simple elements of the game are layered on each other, which contributes to the procedural generation of player experience - thanks to this, each session opens for him a new, unique, multidimensional and completely unpredictable world of gnomes.
In the modern world, the “roguelik” indie is more than common, but only a few of the games of this genre combine procedural generation with the theme of the product as well as it did with the creators of RymdResa. Like Elite and the long-awaited No Man's Sky, this game procedurally generates an immense Universe, in which there are so many planets and all kinds of space debris that they could hardly ever be visited. The goal of this approach is the same: the player must feel lonely.
He travels in a hostile, gloomy nonexistence, occasionally encountering various objects passing by, spaceships, celestial bodies or experiencing disasters that almost leave no hope of salvation. The beauty of RymdResa lies in the fact that the poetics of the astronaut’s life aboard the player’s ship, the general atmosphere and style — danger, loneliness, peace, immensity of vastness — arises thanks to the generated algorithms that form the whole world. In this case, these aesthetic elements - as a rule, are missed during the manual development of level design - are enhanced by a sense of estrangement and grandiose algorithms of procedural generation, which in each new session offer to explore a unique universe.
TOTAL: With the help of mysterious trends in procedural generation, it is possible to set the necessary tonality and emphasize the relevant thematic characteristics, which affects the player’s mood, causes a feeling of alienation or danger depending on the level design.
If you play Civilization using only static maps created manually, you will not be enough for a long time. Too boring. The main idea of this series of computer games is perfectly described by Sid Meyer's statement, according to which the good design of various situational options ceases to impress, as soon as it becomes clear where to look for certain objects (characters). Togelius believes that “in the game it is very important to deal with new maps every time, because in the first half of the session you study the proposed conditions without understanding the world’s structure and not knowing which civilizations you will encounter.”
The main thing is to understand why in a game like Civilization or Age of Empires, if we are talking about a real-time strategy, procedural generation is necessary, while many other products with similar interaction systems only work with cards created manually. Procedurally generated cards spur the spirit of the researcher, but it is very difficult to adapt them to different strategies and styles of play. Togelius was a member of the development team who in 2013 tested procedurally generated multi-player Blizzard RTS StarCraft cards for multiple players. “Community members almost made us laugh: the prepared maps were not 100% symmetrical ,” he recalls.
TOTAL: Procedural generation allows you to create new cards in each session, which means that the player explores and experiments, although it will be more convenient for several players without such a function, unless opening is the main goal of the game.
Some of the more visionary and innovative initiatives in creating procedurally generated content are the result of research, rather than non-profit game development. In a recent Georgia Tech project, an automatic level generator for Super Mario Bros was introduced based on the algorithm described in one of the YouTube videos. Another Georgia Tech project allows the generation of simple interactive storylines.
AI, known to the general public as ANGELINA, specializes in the procedural generation of entire games - including not only individual elements, but also mechanics - using speech commands (as thematic sections). Technology designer Michael Cook also leads the Procedural Generation Jam, whose specialists, among other things, created a game in 2014 that offered to solve the mysterious murder.
TOTAL: The academic and experimental scenes of indie games are worthy of your attention, because they often offer original generated solutions to complex contextual problems. Currently, they are especially useful in the development of systems responsible for adapting designs to various styles of play.
When studying the aforementioned and other games that use procedural generation, it is important to understand that this is an effective tool for solving problems. You can use this mechanism to create many levels in an unlimited environment or to add the desired elements to the opponent’s design - they won’t look and act the same way. Handling such information manually is quite difficult, and it will take a lot of time. Although writing and testing algorithms also requires a couple of minutes, especially if they are supposed to interact with other systems.
And do not forget that diversity is not always synonymous with high quality games.
In addition, procedural generation is a tool that allows you to work not only with content. In most of these games - in particular, RymdResa - the mechanism is used for aesthetic purposes in order to create a feeling of alienation, suspense or to give the design a certain shade.
Procedurally generated content can perform various functions - adaptation of animation systems, as is the case with Spore; preparation of models of underground properties, as in Diablo or Rogue; the creation of numerous levels, developing cities, unfamiliar landscapes, endless combinations of gameplay, more suitable systems, successful music and more.
And finally, the use of procedural generation always comes down to the answer to one simple question: Which elements of the game do a clear algorithm or a set of algorithms handle better than you?
From a translator:
A bit of unobtrusive advertising in the basement. In honor of the fact that the total network capacity of the Dutch data center in which we provide services has reached 5 Tbps (58 points of presence, inclusion in 36 exchange points, in more than 20 countries and 4,213 peer-to-peer inclusions), we offer dedicated servers for rent at incredibly low prices.
At the same time, it is worth noting that the principles of procedural generation are not always used and perceived correctly, and therefore not everyone can immediately develop algorithms for individual elements of the game. Given this feature, we consulted with experienced developers and decided to tell you about products that have found a very original application of this technique.
In each of the games mentioned below, procedural generation produces an incredible effect, and therefore, perhaps a prepared review will inspire you to create better products based on the generated algorithms.
1.Crusader Kings II: Complex kinship ties become dynamic thanks to generated characters
The procedurally generated content gives the characters and systems the necessary details and depth, and also pleasantly diversifies the environment and game design - it is in these areas that this technique finds maximum application. With the help of procedural generation, the characters of the Crusader Kings II strategy, whose actions unfold in the Middle Ages, become unique, albeit computer-controlled, personalities. We are talking about various traits that actually come down to prime numbers (like +1 to intrigue and -10 to greed), which determine the character’s behavior. But since the events are largely determined by the relationships and behavior of the heroes, their characters turn into fascinating elements of complex systems, which many adherents of this medieval story love.
In her email, Kitfox Games creative director Tanya Short notes that the game’s growing popularity and ongoing discussions on the forum indicate that players are willing to let all these numbers and character reactions through themselves (which are usually very simple, but complex can seem complex) . “Since Crusader Kings II falls into the category of hardcore games with a high entry threshold, the game can be compared to The Sims to some extent,” Tanya explains. “Players like to come up with stories in which they explain the inner experiences of the heroes, their policies, etc., especially when you have at your disposal such an interesting context as the realities of medieval Europe. That is why every now and then on the Crusader Kings II forum there are heated discussions "off topic."
TOTAL:Players complement the images of procedurally generated characters and their relationship system with their own experiences if the characters behave as certain character traits require. In the case when the figures underlying the line of behavior are publicly available, the interaction process is even more active.
2. More colorful enemies in the Shadow of Mordor
Shadow of Mordor, an action RPG based on Tolkien’s works, also goes beyond the usual notion of levels and maps of procedurally generated content. The game lays the concept of establishing personal relationships between users and orcs. In short, each orc is unique - they are created according to the Nemesis System algorithm: everything is taken into account from the name and appearance to the manner of speaking and relations with other orcs. The game allows you to create more and more new combinations of characteristics, using them on the principle of Lego constructors.
Moreover, if an orc kills a player’s character, he gets a new rank in Sauron’s army. Moreover, the events are stored in memory in case of another collision. And if the orc is killed or injured, he returns again - practicing other skills and trying to demonstrate his superiority. This time, a procedurally generated scar appears on his face (for example, a plate over his eye if he was gouged out, or a bag over his head if the orc was beheaded).
So there is competition and hostility, which allows the player to use the social connections of the orcs for various personal purposes (for example, to set someone up against the commander); you have certain feelings for the bad guys, which is strange, because killing enemies is the main task of most video games. According to BioShock director Ken Levine, Shadow of Mordor is "the first open-type interaction game." This is an important step towards creating traditional game stories that adapt to the player’s decisions, and not just exist in parallel, as, say, when choosing a new adventure book.
TOTAL: The procedurally generated characteristics of enemies and scars, reminiscent of past battles, convince players that they are fighting with specific unique opponents, and not with the same scripted characters available to other users.
3. Unpredictable levels and amazing mechanics in Spelunky
Perhaps only Rogue and Diablo outperform Spelunky Derek Yu in the degree of integration of the principles of procedural generation. The genius of this project lies in the fact that it masterfully details the mechanics and systems that underlie the game, and do not address different levels of memorization (the last trick does not work at all, since each level is generated literally a few seconds before the session starts). Julian Togelius, an associate professor at New York University (a researcher of the aforementioned trends), believes that such a fundamental shift in emphasis - from modifying a level to changing the rules of the game - demonstrates the most effective way of applying procedural generation. “It is incredibly important that the player does not even guess what tasks he will have to solve in the future, that’s why the generation of levels (quite simple,
And indeed, an ordinary Spelunky player goes through thousands or even tens of thousands of levels. But only a few win - for this in the standard version you need to survive in sixteen levels plus defeat the main commander in a personal battle (and there are even secret levels with different results of the battles).
It is important to note that the levels are organized according to a specific plan; supposedly a random arrangement of enemies, shopkeepers, objects, walls of caves and other elements obeys very specific principles.
After the first release of Spelunky in 2008, a lot of imitations appeared, but not one of them managed to embody the same perfect combination of the author’s idea, randomization and elegance.
TOTAL: Generating levels right during the game according to a simple formula, Spelunky forces the player to delve into the rules and analyze emerging systems, and not just study the geometry of the next video product.
4. Adjacent Algorithmic Systems Dwarf Fortress
Getting lost in a huge list of goals and tasks set for a player in Dwarf Fortress is as easy as shelling pears. No wonder it takes several months to finally figure everything out. Initially, a detailed genealogy of gnomes is generated, dating back thousands of years. One of my colleagues every day told something new about the developing dynasties and impregnable fortresses appearing on the slopes of the mountains. These were stories about love, loss, betrayal, disasters, adventures, hunger trials, terrible fires, murders, ridiculous incidents like a group of guys got lost, and much, much more.
According to Tanya Short, most of all this epic simulator of the world of gnomes, created by Tarn and Zach Adams, amazes with the simplicity of dozens of interconnected algorithmic systems. “Most people perceive Dwarf Fortress as the result of the creative work of a brilliant engineer, and the product is more like a puff cake than an internal combustion engine,” she explains. “Each element has its own rules, although it obeys the laws characteristic of other components. Only here the connection between the parts of the whole is barely perceptible, and the aforementioned complexity of understanding is a direct consequence of various types of interaction - almost like in our Universe. Not everything is noticeable, but the Evolution is on. ”
TOTAL: Dwarf Fortress differs from other products of its class not in the complexity of the concept, but in the way individual simple elements of the game are layered on each other, which contributes to the procedural generation of player experience - thanks to this, each session opens for him a new, unique, multidimensional and completely unpredictable world of gnomes.
5. RymdResa: Impressive grandeur lurking in a hostile alien universe
In the modern world, the “roguelik” indie is more than common, but only a few of the games of this genre combine procedural generation with the theme of the product as well as it did with the creators of RymdResa. Like Elite and the long-awaited No Man's Sky, this game procedurally generates an immense Universe, in which there are so many planets and all kinds of space debris that they could hardly ever be visited. The goal of this approach is the same: the player must feel lonely.
He travels in a hostile, gloomy nonexistence, occasionally encountering various objects passing by, spaceships, celestial bodies or experiencing disasters that almost leave no hope of salvation. The beauty of RymdResa lies in the fact that the poetics of the astronaut’s life aboard the player’s ship, the general atmosphere and style — danger, loneliness, peace, immensity of vastness — arises thanks to the generated algorithms that form the whole world. In this case, these aesthetic elements - as a rule, are missed during the manual development of level design - are enhanced by a sense of estrangement and grandiose algorithms of procedural generation, which in each new session offer to explore a unique universe.
TOTAL: With the help of mysterious trends in procedural generation, it is possible to set the necessary tonality and emphasize the relevant thematic characteristics, which affects the player’s mood, causes a feeling of alienation or danger depending on the level design.
6. Novelties make you explore the worlds of Civilization more thoroughly
If you play Civilization using only static maps created manually, you will not be enough for a long time. Too boring. The main idea of this series of computer games is perfectly described by Sid Meyer's statement, according to which the good design of various situational options ceases to impress, as soon as it becomes clear where to look for certain objects (characters). Togelius believes that “in the game it is very important to deal with new maps every time, because in the first half of the session you study the proposed conditions without understanding the world’s structure and not knowing which civilizations you will encounter.”
The main thing is to understand why in a game like Civilization or Age of Empires, if we are talking about a real-time strategy, procedural generation is necessary, while many other products with similar interaction systems only work with cards created manually. Procedurally generated cards spur the spirit of the researcher, but it is very difficult to adapt them to different strategies and styles of play. Togelius was a member of the development team who in 2013 tested procedurally generated multi-player Blizzard RTS StarCraft cards for multiple players. “Community members almost made us laugh: the prepared maps were not 100% symmetrical ,” he recalls.
TOTAL: Procedural generation allows you to create new cards in each session, which means that the player explores and experiments, although it will be more convenient for several players without such a function, unless opening is the main goal of the game.
7. Experimental procedurally generated games offer creative, effective solutions to complex problems
Some of the more visionary and innovative initiatives in creating procedurally generated content are the result of research, rather than non-profit game development. In a recent Georgia Tech project, an automatic level generator for Super Mario Bros was introduced based on the algorithm described in one of the YouTube videos. Another Georgia Tech project allows the generation of simple interactive storylines.
AI, known to the general public as ANGELINA, specializes in the procedural generation of entire games - including not only individual elements, but also mechanics - using speech commands (as thematic sections). Technology designer Michael Cook also leads the Procedural Generation Jam, whose specialists, among other things, created a game in 2014 that offered to solve the mysterious murder.
TOTAL: The academic and experimental scenes of indie games are worthy of your attention, because they often offer original generated solutions to complex contextual problems. Currently, they are especially useful in the development of systems responsible for adapting designs to various styles of play.
Not just a content pipeline
When studying the aforementioned and other games that use procedural generation, it is important to understand that this is an effective tool for solving problems. You can use this mechanism to create many levels in an unlimited environment or to add the desired elements to the opponent’s design - they won’t look and act the same way. Handling such information manually is quite difficult, and it will take a lot of time. Although writing and testing algorithms also requires a couple of minutes, especially if they are supposed to interact with other systems.
And do not forget that diversity is not always synonymous with high quality games.
In addition, procedural generation is a tool that allows you to work not only with content. In most of these games - in particular, RymdResa - the mechanism is used for aesthetic purposes in order to create a feeling of alienation, suspense or to give the design a certain shade.
Procedurally generated content can perform various functions - adaptation of animation systems, as is the case with Spore; preparation of models of underground properties, as in Diablo or Rogue; the creation of numerous levels, developing cities, unfamiliar landscapes, endless combinations of gameplay, more suitable systems, successful music and more.
And finally, the use of procedural generation always comes down to the answer to one simple question: Which elements of the game do a clear algorithm or a set of algorithms handle better than you?
From a translator:
A bit of unobtrusive advertising in the basement. In honor of the fact that the total network capacity of the Dutch data center in which we provide services has reached 5 Tbps (58 points of presence, inclusion in 36 exchange points, in more than 20 countries and 4,213 peer-to-peer inclusions), we offer dedicated servers for rent at incredibly low prices.