Abstract

Designing maps in games is a highly time-consuming process, often fraught with repetitive tasks that can stifle creativity and productivity. Driven by a passion for technical art, tool development, and coding, this thesis introduces a novel Unity-based procedural map generator that aims to alleviate these challenges and streamline the map creation process. The proposed tool utilizes the Wave Function Collapse (WFC) algorithm to generate customizable tile-based 2D/3D maps. The WFC algorithm intelligently synthesizes large-scale output patterns by sampling smaller input patterns, ensuring coherent and diverse map designs. It operates by iteratively collapsing the possible states of each tile based on input constraints, ultimately converging to a final, fully-determined map layout. This powerful technique allows for rapid map generation while maintaining a high degree of control and flexibility for developers. Seamlessly integrating into Unity workflows, the tool enables developers to save time and effort in importing maps, allowing them to focus on more crucial aspects of their projects. By automating the map generation process and allowing for direct integration into Unity games, the WFC-based map generator not only reduces repetitive work but also fosters an efficient development environment. This tool caters to both artistic and technical users, encouraging collaboration and adaptability for a wide range of applications. The user-friendly interface and customizable input tilesets make it an invaluable asset for game developers seeking to create immersive and engaging virtual worlds more efficiently. Overall, this thesis presents a practical and efficient solution that harnesses the power of the Wave Function Collapse algorithm to significantly enhance the game map design process.

Research

Technical Details