Procedurally generated maps and worlds are as ugly as it gets. They’re disgusting to look at. I actively avoid games which use procedurally generated stuff.
How does procedurally generated maps work? It’s very simple, AI randomly places the assets in the pool such as grass, tree, rock, plant, mountain, lake, river, etc. Then you end up getting a nonsensical landscape. Procedurally generated maps can’t compete with the beautifully hand-crafted maps that are actually pieces of art.
So, until we get an advanced AI which is capable of creating visually artistic maps and worlds with the assets in its hand, it’s best to avoid anything procedurally generated.
ROGUELIKE GENRE EXPLAINED WITH EXAMPLES
Are there any pros of procedurally generated maps? Well, maybe one. Procedurally generated worlds allow you to explore maps that are hundreds of kilometers in length. No human can craft that big of a world. However, I believe that giga-big worlds are usually hollow and ugly. I prefer quality over quantity. Maybe rogue-like genre can be an exception.
All in all, procedurally generated maps and worlds suck because they are not artistic. Procedural generation can never compete with hand-crafted artwork.
Procedural Generation Games
Procedural generation maps simply end up being ugly. Yet they are not the worst. The absolute worst is the procedural generation character models. That creates real abominations. Just look at the character in the image above… What is this horrid creature? Is it some kind of goblin mutant? I have no words for it.
Just imagine a pool where you toss random body parts in it. Then a Frankenstein emerges from the pool. That’s the procedural generation video game character for you. Well, no thanks.
Procedurally generated creatures are bland at best. I would like to take artistic human-made creatures please.
Some of the most popular video games using procedural generation:
- No Man’s Sky
- Deep Rock Galactic
- Valheim
- Darkest Dungeon
- The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth
- Minecraft
- X4: Foundations
- Starfield
- Wyldermyth
- Terraria
- Shadow of War / Mordor
What’s Next? AI Generated Games
Probably the next step would be AI generated video games… Obviously they will suck the most. However, if we see huge leaps in the AI technology in the next years, AI generated games might actually be great. But that’s probably very distant future.
Most indie game developers are already using AI generated artwork on their games. And now even big studios like Paradox admitted using AI generated art and voice in Stellaris.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says we’ll be getting fully AI generated video games in 10 years. What can I say? A strange world awaits us.
If you want to check out AI generated indie games, visit itch io and search games tagged with AI generated. Quality isn’t so great… At least most of them are free-to-play.
