Infinite exp. + Level Generation

[OrangeBit]

I think there's a lot of potential for a game to be fun and well received if this concept is fully explored. While it's not a brand new idea, anytime you find this in a game either the random generation still feels like static level design or the experience system is too broad. That or there's not enough depth into the game's interface.​

* Think of a game you used to play but eventually quit because it's always the same thing over and over again. There are certain things that don't need to happen the same way, be in the same place or end the same way even though most of the time that's how it works in every game I've seen. Maybe it was to keep the story going the same direction, maybe it should actually be the same every time or maybe it was just to keep the developers from having headaches(my bets are on the last one). It would be a real improvement if there were differences here and there throughout the games we lost interest in.

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* The way I imagine programming random level design with only a few factors that stay the same such as amount distance to travel, a minimum amount of items to come across and obstacles in between, is through repeating the "choose(val1,val2,+) " function in a level generation script to make the other decisions for you. The rest of the things that might as well change every time. Such as the path you take, item and enemy AI placement, which kind of obstacle to place exc. I know this is an over simplification and that there's a lot of figuring out that would need to be done to fit all these pieces together but nevertheless, once someone gets an engine made and builds a storyline around it then you have a long-lasting enjoyable game.

* This is the route I want to take in designing my next game. An experience based role-playing game. Top down, platform, 3-D or anything else would work. Any tips on the programing side of this concept? I've only done small scale experiments but I imagine there are more than a few ways of getting it done. Are there any games that you know about that actually do have this balance??

 

[Huder]

Look at game called "Dwarf Fortress". Adventure mode of this game is what you probably look for.
This game generates everything, a huge world, story, characters with generated biographies. It have 2D graphics but the world is 3D.

 

[Aura]

If you ask me, I personally hate completely random games. The main flaw of such games is that sometimes they can be extremely easy and sometimes extremely difficult. x3

If you create a game that has complelety random levels, I won't play it. Randomness is fun but to a certain limit. It also applies to what the player becomes in the game world. Take Sword of Mana, for instance. It allows you to choose a field that you want to upgrade your skills in after you level up (with a Random option), so how the player would play the game or how difficult it for him/her would be to complete a quest depends on what the player has become. I like that sort of randomness. ^^'

 

[Huder]

The main flaw of such games is that sometimes they can be extremely easy and sometimes extremely difficult.

This is not a fault of randomness but a game designer's.
Making completely random games is a very hard task to balance but it is possible (Dwarf Fortress e.g.) Its like in my opinion 70% random games are not balanced well.

 

[Snail Man]

Balancing is integral to a procedurally generated game to prevent it from feeling unfair or arbitrary.

You also might want to read this topic for some useful insights about procedurally generated design

 

[Yal]

One way to keep the game balanced would be to not have stat progression at all so that anything you add in can be statically balanced - the player might learn new skills or get new items, but they just are DIFFERENT, not necessarily BETTER. Alternatively, tone progression speed down such that the effects of level grinding won't make too drastic changes.