Harnessing generative grammars and genetic algorithms for immersive 2D maps

Abstract

Modern games typically demand varied, detailed, and wide maps. In particular, 2D game maps are typically designed as a combination of smaller pieces called tiles, so positioning each tile on a map layer is analogous to colorizing a pixel using a palette. However, building a map is an exhaustive process that consumes a lot of planning and maintenance time from a multidisciplinary team, including artists and designers. Consequently, PCG techniques emerge as an attractive solution to this challenge. We propose a novel PCG technique to assist designers in writing rules applied to a balanced combination of genetic algorithms and generative grammar. Our implementation supports generating two-dimensional pathways and places detailed objects (e.g., plants, flowers, forest, etc.) along the path while following a desired distribution given beforehand by the designer. Notably, our PCG method allows the generation of variable transitions of biomes around a road and these results are compatible with real-world technologies for game development and prototyping. Our method can aid designers in various specific modeling tasks regarding environments with two or more dimensions since the results are sufficiently interpretable to undergo subsequent human intervention.