Scorched Earth: Gameplay-Driven Terrain Generation

Players in computer gaming can easily be modeled by using AI agent while at the same time producing gameplay data. The agent being used is capable of shooting and moving different gaming scenarios. Moreover, the terrain has proven to be a common game content that is nowadays being implemented in video games. It helps with the simulation of more adventure games.

2. Technically, the generation of terrains in computer gaming does not only make the development of computer games cheaper and thus reducing the work of the designer. It also enriches the experience of the player by continuously offering new game contents.

3. The proposed idea is the design of a Gameplay-driven Terrain Generation in Scorched Earth, which is a turn-based 2D shooting game. The features of the game also entail trajectory projectiles for gravity management. After every turn, the player is given the opportunity to estimate the shooting angle and the projectile power for firing. Players can also avoid hitting the terrain when they estimate the correct shooting angle. Players are also given the opportunity of moving the tanks so that they can position themselves while shooting.

4. The author’s evaluation of the solution is based on the fact that terrain can be represented using two-dimensional grids of elevation, including the height map for the creation of an equivalent grayscale image. The author also prefers interpolation technique because they are suitable for the creation of smooth terrains.

5. The primary objective was to introduce the hybrid method for procedurally generating terrains in Scorch Earth. The method features randomized techniques and several details of fractal techniques. Related works to the proposed solution include procedural terrain generation, search-based procedural content generation, and experience-based procedural content generation.

6. The contribution made by the authors is the introduction of the Game Mechanic, whereby the terrains are generated and evaluated using the game context implemented by Scorched Earth Technique. The game mechanic of the proposed design also operates the same way as other game contents. The difference is that it affects the player experiencing modeling. The authors have also managed to introduce gameplay metrics in the proposal, whereby the player experience is built from the available gameplay data.

7. The future directions of the proposal are the introduction of a better AI agent model. This will help with the game simulation and evaluation of the generated terrains. Another future work will be the implementation of a design system for adapting and inducing player’s gaming experience. This will be achieved by changing the level of the AI intelligence and creation of terrains in a dynamical manner.

8. The questions relating to the proposal are as follows:

a. Can the generated terrains be evaluated both directly and indirectly?

b. What is the technique involved in the implementation of hit ratio?

c. Apart from hit ratio, which another method can be used in the evaluation of the player performance?

9. The important references cited by the authors include:

a. PERLIN K.: An image synthesizer. In Computer Graphics (Process ACM SIGGRAPH 85) (1 985), vol. 1 9, pp. 287-296.

b. PERLIN K.: Improving noise. In Proceedings of ACM GJRAP2 (2002), pp. 681--{j

c. A. Lagae, S. Lefebvre, R Cook, T. DeRose, G Drettakis, D. Ebert, I Lewis, K. Perlin and M. Zwicker, “A Survey of Procedural Noise Functions,” Computer Graphics Forum, vol. 29, no. 8, pp. 2579 -2600, 201 0.

d. COOK R L., DEROSE T.: Wavelet noise. ACM Transactions on Graphics 24, 3 (2005),803-811.

e. GOLDBERG A., ZWICKERM., DURAND F.: Anisotropic noises Transactions on Graphics 27, 3 (2008), 5 4: 1-54: 8.

f. Peitgen, H., Jurgens, H., Saupe D., Jurgens H. and Jurgens H. Chaos an Fractals. Springer-Verlag, 02-edition,2004.

g. Prusinkiewicz, Przemyslaw, and Hammel, Mark. A Fractal Model of Mountains with Rivers.In proceedings ofGraphics Interue ’93. ,1 993.

10. The authors of the proposal drew most of their ideas from previous works such as the technique of procedural terrain generation, the technique of search-based procedural content generation, and experienced-based procedural terrain generation technique.

11. Apart from the Scorched Earth technique, the authors can implement the technique of midpoint displacement algorithm. This will help with the generation of a beautiful 2D terrain. The midpoint displacement algorithm also causes the peak to vary up and down and at the same time side to side.

12. The test data and techniques presented by the authors are thoroughly explained and can be reproducible at the same time. Also, the methodology of the proposal presents both factual and randomized techniques. This makes it reproducible.