PROGEN - Procedural Large-Scale Level Layout Tool Project for Computer Games
The idea of this project is to create technology to accelerate the processes of designing and constructing video game levels. The project is aimed at the early stages of design, when ideas are being iterated and frequent changes to the game level being made. Unlike fields such as architectural visualization, the world of a game is an active place, as it hosts many other elements: gameplay mechanics, characters, physics objects, etc. to interact with. Evaluating a game level involves all these elements, which is why level design is not simply a matter of building geometry. The outputs from the project comprise: a procedural tool that can create and edit 2D plans for level layouts, using a mixture of 'synthesis by example' with user-controlled operations; a tool that takes these 2D plans and generates initial 3D geometry; a final tool that allows direct editing of that 3D geometry, together with full integration with the game engine so there is zero-gap between how the level appears in the editor, and how the player will see it. This kind of WYSIWYG editing is a gold standard when creating content, and avoids costly cycling between applications to achieve the desired results.
Feedback Overview:
The PROGEN project presents a highly innovative solution for accelerating the level design process in video game development. Its focus on procedural generation, seamless integration with game engines, and WYSIWYG editing capability addresses key pain points in the industry. To increase its business value, consider developing a robust marketing strategy to highlight these unique selling points and potentially partnering with major game development studios for early adoption and feedback.
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Technical leadership in game engine development and integration
How feasible is the seamless integration of the PROGEN tool with existing game engines?
Given the current state of game engine APIs and plugin architectures, seamless integration is feasible but will require careful planning and collaboration with engine developers to ensure compatibility and performance.
What are the potential technical challenges in developing the WYSIWYG editing capability?
The main challenges include ensuring real-time rendering performance, maintaining synchronization between 2D and 3D views, and handling complex interactions between game elements within the editor.
How can we ensure the procedural tool generates levels that meet diverse gameplay requirements?
Implementing a flexible rule-based system and allowing for extensive user customization will be key to ensuring the procedural tool can generate levels that meet various gameplay requirements and design aesthetics.