So you've seen and heard it all about procedural content generation.
OK -- how about evolutionary procedural content generation?
Michael Cook (of Games By Angelina) has another great write-up, this time about a system for procedurally generating weapons in a FPS. What makes this system stand out is its emphasis on computational evolution, which mutates weapons into new forms as players maximize the tactical value of existing weapons.
This might be outside the intentions for Limit Theory (which is why I didn't post this in the Suggestions sub-forum). But it's still interesting to speculate: would you enjoy seeing ship weapons evolve in LT?
Post
Wed Aug 21, 2013 3:12 pm
#2
Re: Evolutionary Procedural Generation
Yeah Katawa, Josh and I were talking about some ways to do that and how I will do it in my game is having the weapons be particles and have their paths evolve, this can be seen in Galactic Arms Race, which has their research posted!
~Sly
~Sly
IVE BEEN OUT OF MY MIND A LONG TIME
Post
Wed Aug 21, 2013 3:51 pm
#3
Re: Evolutionary Procedural Generation
So before LT, I had an idea for a style of game creation that I wanted to try out someday, that relies exactly on evolution of procedural algorithms as you suggest. My idea was:
It's really "crowd-sourced" game development! I think it would be a really unique and interesting way of building content.
- Build algorithm for a class of content, doesn't necessarily have to be consistently good - just capable of good output (much easier than building a consistently-good algorithm)
- Expose the parameters of the algorithm to some sort of nonconvex optimization procedure (evolutionary computation comes to mind)
- Build a simple website where two outputs are displayed side-by-side and the user is asked to choose the most appealing ("which weapon looks more aesthetically-pleasing")? This is essentially powering the optimizer's ability to make decisions about the fitness of an output.
- Get a crowd of people who are interested in helping build the game (just by doing side-by-side content comparisons) and...evolve the algorithms to perfection!
It's really "crowd-sourced" game development! I think it would be a really unique and interesting way of building content.
“Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right.” ~ Henry Ford
Post
Wed Aug 21, 2013 6:24 pm
#4
Early Spring - 1055: Well, I made it to Boatmurdered, and my initial impressions can be set forth in three words: What. The. F*ck.
Re: Evolutionary Procedural Generation
Isn't this basically what Galactic Arms Race did?
Early Spring - 1055: Well, I made it to Boatmurdered, and my initial impressions can be set forth in three words: What. The. F*ck.
Post
Wed Aug 21, 2013 6:54 pm
#5
~Sly
Re: Evolutionary Procedural Generation
look up, you're lateDWMagus wrote:Isn't this basically what Galactic Arms Race did?
~Sly
IVE BEEN OUT OF MY MIND A LONG TIME
Post
Wed Aug 21, 2013 7:48 pm
#6
That learns me for skimming a post!
Early Spring - 1055: Well, I made it to Boatmurdered, and my initial impressions can be set forth in three words: What. The. F*ck.
Re: Evolutionary Procedural Generation
D'oh!Slymodi wrote:look up, you're lateDWMagus wrote:Isn't this basically what Galactic Arms Race did?
~Sly
That learns me for skimming a post!
Early Spring - 1055: Well, I made it to Boatmurdered, and my initial impressions can be set forth in three words: What. The. F*ck.
Post
Wed Aug 21, 2013 8:01 pm
#7
It would be interesting to see whether simplifying user contributions, but also letting them have specifically defined values, might increase participation.
Re: Evolutionary Procedural Generation
In a way, this makes me think of Galaxy Zoo, only gamified.JoshParnell wrote:
- Build a simple website where two outputs are displayed side-by-side and the user is asked to choose the most appealing ("which weapon looks more aesthetically-pleasing")? This is essentially powering the optimizer's ability to make decisions about the fitness of an output.
- Get a crowd of people who are interested in helping build the game (just by doing side-by-side content comparisons) and...evolve the algorithms to perfection!
It would be interesting to see whether simplifying user contributions, but also letting them have specifically defined values, might increase participation.