Short discussion on what math is needed in games Example of an application of math: procedural generation

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Game Math
Francis Joseph Seriña
IGDA Manila Chairperson

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Truth #1
n Not everyone loves Math </3

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Truth #2
n Game Development needs
Math… tons of it

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Truth #3
n You only need to know the simple
side of Math

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What’s the simple side?
n Algebra
n Geometry
n Trigonometry

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Procedural Generation

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Procedural Generation
n Algorithm to “create” things on the fly
n Used for
n Backgrounds
n Goodies
n Baddies

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Endless Backgrounds
n Scrolling flat
n Dynamic scrolling flat
n Parallax effect

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Endless Backgrounds
n Manipulate tileable texture as a function of time and/or input

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Pattern Generation
n Predictable
n Random

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Pattern Generation
n Uniform Spacing
n Non-uniform Spacing

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CholesteRUN
Demonstration of Procedural Obstacle Generation

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Goodies and Baddies
n All segments have the same length
n Each segment has…
n reserved Cholesterol locations (25%, 50% and 75% of length)
n reserved O2 locations
n assigned Power Up locations
n Not all segments are the same
n Some segments have a max of 2 cholesterol locations and only 1
O2 location and 0 Power Up locations while others can have 0
cholesterol locations, max of 3 O2 locations and 1 Power Up
location

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Baddies Generation
n The game has a difficulty setting based on time
n Actual obstacles generated is capped by max obstacles that the
segment can handle
Difficulty Duration Max Obstacle
Easy 30 1
Medium 60 2
Hard - 3

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Goodies Generation
n Oxygen come in sets which occupy 1-3 O2 locations

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Mixing
n Some segments are…
n fully randomized
n partially random, partially predictable
n fully predictable
n Not all obstacles have the same length. Special obstacles
occupy more than 1 location or would make the game too
difficult if they’re combined with other obstacles

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Partially Random/Predictable

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Fully Predictable

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Limitations
n Occasionally, the O2 lead you to the obstacle
n Games with fully randomized obstacles tend to be very
difficult! Game Balance is important!
n Randomization has the possibility of repeating, but this can
be easily fixed

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Q&A