Procedural Generation at its Elegance (Software Development)

Procedural
Generation at its
Elegance
Gregory Desrosiers
University ofWaterloo SE 2019
May 10, 2016 (Revision May 20 2016)

Outline
 What is procedural generation?
 Some technical aspects of procedural generation
 Why should we use it compared to predefined
data?
 Three examples of appropriate procedural
generation use:
 Music generation
 Texture / art generation
 Data object generation
 When not to use procedural generation?
 Two examples of predefined data instead of
procedural generation:
 Video games with unique elements
 Orchestrated music for quality purposes
2

What is
procedural
generation?
 Definition:
Using software algorithms to
generate data at runtime
instead of data before
execution [1]
 Different applications:
Video games, audio synthesis,
artwork / textures, simulations
(such as city growth [2])
 Different techniques can be
used to generate data: [3]
 Fractals
 Special programs such as
Terragen and SpeedTree
 Perlin Noise
 Psuedorandom number
generators
3
Photo Copyrights: © 2015-2016 AOL Inc. (Provided by Engadget.com, programmed by AOL Tech) [4]
Software Copyrights: Minecraft © 2009 – 2016 Mojang Synergies AB

Example of
Procedural
Generation
4
Photo Copyright: © Gregory Desrosiers [6]
Original Source Code: © Dave Pagurek van Mossel
JavaScript code for drawing a mountain range on an HTML 5 canvas
with a function for Perlin Noise. [5]

Why should
we use
procedural
generation
compared to
predefined
data?
 Number of possible outputs from one input set
 Similarities between the different outputs
generated by the same algorithm at a visual level
 Using the same base resources to generate
different outputs
 In large projects, reduce secondary storage
memory consumption
 Student projects: simply expanding
programming knowledge
5

Appropriate
Use of
Procedural
Generation
Example 1:
WolframTones
(Web
Application)
 Based off of Stephen
Wolfram’s 1980s
experiments involving
his cellular automata
patterns [7]
 Uses a swath of the
pattern turned on its
side [7]
 Mathematica algorithms
are performed to create
music notes out of the
swath [7]
6
Before music conversion:
After music conversion:
Photo Copyrights: © Wolfram Research [8][9]
Software Copyrights: © Wolfram Research

Appropriate
Use of
Procedural
Generation
Example 2:
Dave Pagurek
van Mossel’s
Website
 Uses Perlin noise to
give a natural look
and feel [5]
 Uses native drawing
algorithms to draw
the different shapes
[5]
 Tailors the output to
within defined
parameters [5]
7
Photo Copyrights: © Dave Pagurek van Mossel [10]
Software Copyrights: © 2015 Dave Pagurek van Mossel
Image Size: 109 KB
BackgroundGenerator Code Size
(through Google Chrome): 4.5 KB [5]

Appropriate
Use of
Procedural
Generation
Example 3:
Elite:
Dangerous
(PCGame)
 Planets, asteroids, and
interstellar clouds; all
elements of each
group have very similar
properties [11]
 Players can travel and
explore over 400 billion
star systems [12]
 Used a procedural
generation system
called the Stellar Forge
[12]
8
Photo Copyrights: © 2015 Control500.com / Control Magazine [13]
Software Copyrights: © 1984 – 2016 Frontier Developments Plc

When should
you not use
procedural
generation
and instead
use
predefined
data?
 The data representing objects or music do not
have similarities in between (uniqueness)
 Quality over quantity
 Time [14] and budget limits
 Explicitly-defined elements in software design
instead of creativity and possibilities
 Concerns on software performance
9

Predefined
Data instead
of Procedural
Generation
Example 1:
Splatoon
(NintendoWii
U)
 16 multiplayer
stages (from recent
update), 27 single
player stages, and
one central
environment as the
main menu [15]
 Only two properties
are common:
boundaries and land
area
 All environments
mostly have unique
elements
 Defining the models
explicitly ensures
quality
10
Photo Copyrights: Right Top and Right Bottom - © Gregory Desrosiers [16][18], Middle - © Nintendo [17]
Software Copyright: © 2015 Nintendo

Predefined
Data instead
of Procedural
Generation
Example 2:
Super Mario
Galaxy 2
(NintendoWii)
 Music composed by
Koji Kondo, Ryo
Nagamatsu and
MahitoYokota [19]
 Music done manually
instead of at runtime
for quality purposes
[20]
 Music performed by
an orchestra [20]
11
Photo Copyrights: © GameSpot (a division of CBS Interactive Inc.) [21]
Software Copyright: © 2010 Nintendo

Summary
Use procedural generation for:
 Creating textures, visual objects, and data objects such as
sound
 Outputting many different outcomes
 Learning more of a programming language
Do not use procedural generation for:
 Time sensitive, cost sensitive, or quality sensitive projects
 Data elements that are unique and where quantity is no
concern
 Projects that require exceptional performance
In the end, go out there and program an algorithm
to generate the data you want!
12

Bibliography
 [1] StackExchange.com, ‘What is “procedural generation”
and how is it done?,‘ May 1 2016.
http://gamedev.stackexchange.com/questions/756/what-is-
procedural-generation-and-how-is-it-done
 [2] Northwestern University, ‘Procedural Modeling of Cities,’
May 2 2016.
http://ccl.northwestern.edu/rp/cities/index.shtml
 [3] StackExchange.com, ‘How does one get started with
procedural generation?,’ May 1 2016.
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/155069/how-does-one-
get-started-with-procedural-generation
 [4] Fingas, Jon. (2015, Mar. 4). “minecraft-terrain-federico-
flickr.jpg” in ‘Here’s how ‘Minecraft’ creates its gigantic
worlds’ [Online]. Available:
http://www.engadget.com/2015/03/04/how-minecraft-
worlds-are-made/ [May 2 2016]
 [5] Dave Pagurek, ‘Frontier: Programming Generative Art, ’
May 3 2016.
http://www.davepagurek.com/programming/frontier
 [6] Desrosiers, Gregory. “Example of Procedural Generation
in Code.png” Waterloo: Software Eng. University of
Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, May 4 2016.
13
Reference & Citation Style used: IEEE Computer Society Style Guide 2015 (https://www.computer.org/web/publications/styleguide)
Naval Postgraduate School - Dudley Knox Library: IEEE Citation (http://libguides.nps.edu/citation/ieee)
University of Manitoba – Donald W. Craik Engineering Library: Citation Guide – IEEE Style
(https://umanitoba.ca/faculties/engineering/departments/mechanical/pdf/NEW-Citing-IEEE-2013.pdf)

Bibliography
 [7]Wolfram Research, ‘WolframTones: How
WolframTones Works,’ May 2 2016.
http://tones.wolfram.com/about/how.html
 [8]Wolfram Research. (n.d.). “rule30slicesideways.gif”
in ‘WolframTones: HowWolframTones works’
[Online].Available:
http://tones.wolfram.com/about/how.html [May 2
2016]
 [9]Wolfram Research. (n.d.).
“/gen/GoqlMVIVFY45Zc042wLyelDEKbrXdeTdlM” in
‘WolframTones: How WolframTones works’ [Online].
Available: http://tones.wolfram.com/about/how.html
[May 2 2016]
 [10] Pagurek, Dave. (2015, Jun. 4). “night-
medium.jpg” in ‘Frontier: Programming Generative
Art’ [Online].Available:
http://www.davepagurek.com/programming/frontier
[May 2 2016]
 [11] Elite Dangerous. (2012, Nov. 15). Elite: Dangerous
– procedural generation. [YouTube video]. Available:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTBvpd3_Vqk.
Accessed May 1 2016.
14

Bibliography
 [12]Vox Media, Inc. (Polygon), ‘Elite: Dangerous
explores the limitless depths of space, and of human
cruelty (correction) | Polygon, ’May 2 2016.
http://www.polygon.com/2014/12/4/7333709/elite-
dangerous-milky-way-stellar-forge-human-cruelty
 [13] Braben, David. (n.d.). “Explosion.jpg” in ‘Our
Entire Galaxy Re-created In Elite:Dangerous –
CONTROL500’ [Online].Available:
http://ctrl500.com/tech/how-frontier-managed-to-re-
create-our-entire-galaxy-in-elite-dangerous/ [May 2
2016]
 [14] Richard Moss (Gamasutra), ‘Gamasutra – 7 uses of
procedural generation that all developers should
study,’ May 1 2016.
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/262869/7_use
s_of_procedural_generation_that_all_developers_sho
uld_study.php
 [15] Splatoon [Wii U Optical Disc]. USA: Nintendo,
2015
 [16] Desrosiers,Gregory. (2016, Apr. 15). “Splatoon -
Inkopolis Plaza.jpg” May 2 2016.
15

Bibliography
 [17] Nintendo. (n.d.).
“WUPP_AGM_3DbkgdCP04_R_ad.jpg,” in ‘What’s
New – Splatoon™ forWii U’ [Online].Available:
http://splatoon.nintendo.com/whats-new/ [May 2
2016]
 [18] Desrosiers,Gregory. (2016, Jan. 16). “Splatoon -
OctoValley.jpg” May 2 2016.
 [19] Blue Flame Labs, ‘Super Mario Galaxy 2 (2010) Wii
credits - MobyGames’, May 3 2016.
http://www.mobygames.com/game/wii/super-mario-
galaxy-2/credits
 [20] dudush31. (2010, Jul. 14). Super Mario Galaxy 2
OpeningTeam – Symphony Orchestra Recording.
[YouTube video] Available:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJMCaGyMHYs
Accessed May 7, 2016.
 [21] GameSpot. (2013, Aug. 30). “1509518-
960551_20100520_023.jpg” in ‘Super Mario Galaxy 2
Images - GameSpot’ [Online].Available:
http://www.gamespot.com/super-mario-galaxy-
2/images/ [May 3 2016]
16

Copyrights
This was originally a presentation conducted at the
University ofWaterloo. It has been created and
modified in compliance with the copyright guidelines
shown here: https://uwaterloo.ca/copyright-
guidelines/
All visuals, text, content, and any associated imagery
are trademarks and / or copyrighted material of their
respective owners.
© 2016 Gregory Desrosiers / University ofWaterloo.
All rights reserved.
17

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