Jim Whitehead: Infinite Games: Procedural Content in Game Design

Infinite Games: Procedural
Content in Game Design
How procedural content generation enhances our ability to
perform level design, and creates new game design potentials.
Jim Whitehead
Augmented Design Laboratory // Center for Games and Playable Media
http://games.soe.ucsc.edu/adl // http://games.soe.ucsc.edu
Professor and Chair, Computer Science

Computers today can create and
manipulate astonishingly complex
shapes and patterns.
This makes it possible for computers to
be creative, either solo, or in
collaboration with human artists.

Art, virtual worlds, computer games:
All of these kinds of content have been
created by computer algorithms.
Procedural content generation:
The use of computer algorithms to create
novel content.
What are some examples?

Procedural content generation of artwork

Procedural content generation of
virtual worlds and cities

Procedural content generation of
game content and complete games

Our research focuses on procedural content
generation in two ways:
Novel authoring tools that explore how humans
and computers can collaboratively create game
levels
Games where procedural content generation is
a core part of the gameplay loop
Let’s start with an analogy…

But, I don’t know how to design a
pinball game!
Never mind, looks easy.
Let’s go!

A ball.
Yeah, good idea.
Pinball games need a ball.

Flippers!
Pinball games always have those.

Plunger!
Gotta have one...

Those round things that go “ka‐
ching, ka‐ching”, yeah!
And, some of those triangular things
that bounce the ball.
While we’re at it, make the ball stay
in play more.
Yeah, all that stuff, toss it in. More!

Need to make the ball do more, be
more active.
How do I do that?
I dunno.
Add more of everything!

Hey, not bad!
But also, not great.
How could I make this better?

Mixed initiative
First the Human designer takes a turn
Then the computer takes its turn
A design collaboration

Tanagra
Mixed‐initiative level design
Platform games

•
•
•
Simple rules
–
–
–
Run, jump
Collect items
Get to the goal
Complexity
–
–
–
Dexterity challenge
Find secret areas
Finish levels quickly
Focus Games
–
–
–
Super Mario World
Donkey Kong Country 2
Sonic the Hedgehog
2D PLATFORMERS
Super Mario World,
Nintendo
Sonic the Hedgehog,
Nintendo
Donkey Kong Country 2,
Nintendo

•
•
•
•
•
Platforms
– Player runs along them.
Obstacles
– Cause damage to player.
Collectible Items
– Provide reward to player.
Triggers
– Cause change in level.
Movement Aids
– Help player through the level.
LEVEL COMPONENTS
Super Mario World,
Nintendo
Sonic the Hedgehog 2,
SEGA
Yoshi’s Island DS,
Nintendo
New Super Mario
Bros., Nintendo
Yoshi’s Island DS,
Nintendo

Updated Level
TANAGRA ARCHITECTURE
ABL Choco
Level Structure Constraints
GUI
Solution
Geometry
Pattern Library

What if players could play a procedural
generator?
What kind of game design potential does
that create?

Consider a platform game
Levels generated procedurally and automatically
Player actions in‐game affect the generator
The generator becomes part of the gameplay loop

ENDLESS WEB

THE WEB
Each axis is a specific challenge type and is related to a
specific fear

DREAMER IN THE WEB
There are six dreamers, each with a separate nightmare
located in dreamweb space.

TUNING PORTALS

Human designer
+ procedural content generation
= TANAGRA
Human player
+ procedural content generation
= ENDLESS WEB