Syllabus
Week 1 – Introduction. Role Of PCG In Games. Particle Systems.
Tues: Overview of main families of generative methods (parametric design, grammars, genetic techniques, constraint programming) and examples of their application.
Thurs: Introduction to particle systems.
Further information (overview of PCG): Procedural Generation - How Games Create Infinite Worlds - Extra Credits, No Man's Sky: How I Learned to Love Procedural Art
Further information (particle systems): Building an Advanced Particle System, Make a Particle Explosion Effect, Particle Systems from the Ground Up, Popcorn FX
Week 2 – Noise
Tues: Perlin noise and its application to texture generation and terrain generation.
Weds: Due, Homework #1 on Particle Systems
Thurs: Simple automata
Further reading: Understanding Perlin Noise, A Survey of Procedural Noise Functions (Lagae et al.)
Week 3 – Grammars
Tues: Overview of main families of grammar-based generative methods. Shape grammar, split grammar, L-systems.
Thurs: How to read a research paper
Thurs: Due, Homework #2 on Noise
Week 4 – Applications of Grammars
Tues: Level design
Read: Launchpad, How to Read a Research Paper
Due: Paper reading assignment
Thurs: Generating cities, generating objects
Read: Procedural Modeling of Cities, Capturing a rebel: modeling the Harley-Davidson brand through a motorcycle shape grammar
Fri: Due, Homework #3 on Creative Use of Grammars
Further reading: Generative Modeling with Timed L-Systems (McCormack), Procedural City, Part 1 (Introduction) (also, see video), Generating Missions and Spaces
Week 5 – Demoscene, Flocking
Tues: Introduction to the demoscene, Fractal flames
Bring a laptop to class to explore JWildfire in-class
Thurs: Flocking
Week 6 – Genetic Algorithms, Game Generation
Tues: Overview of genetic algorithms, artificial life
Read: Evolving Virtual Creatures
Thurs: Board game generation, genetic algorithms for game content
Read: Evolutionary Game Design (Ludi)
Week 7 – Game Content, Dungeon and Level Generation.
Tues:Genetic algorithms for generating game content
Read: Galactic Arms Race
Further reading: Sentient Sketchbook: Computer-Aided Game Level Authoring
Thurs: Algorithms for roguelike dungeon generation
Read: Rooms and Mazes (see also this generator inspired by the article), TinyKeep Procedural Dungeon Generator (see also original description)
Further information: Generating Procedural Dungeons in Galak Z
Further reading: Constructive Generation Methods for Dungeons and Levels (Chapter 3)
Further reading: Procedural generation of dungeons
Week 8 – Answer Set Programming
Tues: Answer Set Programming
Read: Map Generation Speedrun with Answer Set Programming
Thurs: In-class exercise designing procedural generation systems
Read: So you want to build a generator
Further reading: Answer Set Programming for Procedural Content Generation
Week 9 – Mixed Initiative, Creatures
Tues: Mixed Initiative systems
Read: Sketchaworld- Declarative procedural worlds
Thurs: Spore creatures (inverse kinematics approach)
Read: Real-Time Motion Retargeting to Highly Varied User Generated Morphologies
More reading: Tanagra, Flexible muscle-based locomotion for bipedal creatures
Week 10 – Muscle Systems, Use of Generative Methods
Tues: Machine learning in PCG / PCG from gameplay videos
Read: Game Level Generation from Gameplay Videos
Thurs: Issues in using Generative Methods for game design
Watch: Panel: Designing a Procedurally Generated Game