Tag: cellular automata

Modding, Warcraft III

Blog 638: Continuing to Make Sense of Cellular Automata

Rao Dao Zao

When it comes to modding, I have to admit to a masochistic streak. I could use the 3rd party pre-processor to get structs and pseudo-object-orientated syntax that would make this a whole heap easier, but no, I’ve got to use the bare metal to feel alive.

So, that procedurally generated Warcraft III side project I’ve been fiddling with during lunch hour is a whole barrel of laughs. This episode’s consternation surrounds creature spawning.

Continue reading “Blog 638: Continuing to Make Sense of Cellular Automata” →

Modding, Warcraft III

Blog 629: Making Sense of Cellular Automata

Rao Dao Zao

We’ve been through the cellular automata algorithm before. I said some things back then that were mostly theory — things I’ve now been able to test in the wild.

So how does one take a grid of noise and turn it into a functional RPG? Well, lucky for you, I’m getting close…

Continue reading “Blog 629: Making Sense of Cellular Automata” →

Game Development

Blog 599: Lightning Never Talks Twice

Rao Dao Zao

I recently did something called a Lightning Talk to my work colleagues about the ultimate basics of procedural level generation. I’m scared of, and terrible at, doing presentations, so I volunteered because I need to learn to face my fears. (Be bold, etc.)

A Lightning Talk is when three or four people do very short, five-minute presentations about Something Cool — so I figured that, since I kind of care about this stuff, at least my enthusiasm would shine through if my tongue refused to cooperate (it did).

This was written as an introduction for absolute beginners, because nobody at work gives two figs about game technology (except me), so it should be interesting enough for mildly technical people with a passing interest in the area.

Continue reading “Blog 599: Lightning Never Talks Twice” →

Modding, Project Y4, Warcraft III

Blog 443: Procedural Generation Y4 (Take 2)

Rao Dao Zao

I have always been interested in procedural generation of game content, but had always been too scared of the maths to ever try it.

Then, with the dawn of Project Y4 (and the desire to shoehorn every trick in the damn book into a single Warcraft map), I finally indulged my desire to produce pseudo-random content and started work on a procedural maze mini-game.

After finishing that (or at least, the terrain production part of it), I maintained my interest in some of the procedural generation resources I had come across and looked a little further…

Continue reading “Blog 443: Procedural Generation Y4 (Take 2)” →