Procedural generation can be a great tool for developing games andhas been used to do so since the 80s.
It can be used to create massive worlds with ease or to simply add a bit of variety. It uses an algorithm to assemble small parts into something larger, like small environments being assembled into a large map.
However, if done poorly, it can also lead to games that constantly feel too similar. Are you going to be immersed in a large open world if all the buildings are the same? Given how procedural generation works, it’s dependent on the quality and quantity of those parts.
When it comes to quests and missions, the procedural aspects can be as simple as random locations, or as complex as completely unique narratives. Regardless of the complexity, all that matters is whether the quests are good or not.
10The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall
Endlessly Old School
The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall
InThe Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall, almost everything was procedurally generated initially.
While it lacks the intuitive controls and hand-crafted dungeons that later games in the series, such asThe Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, are known for, it provides a massive level of replayability with thousands of dungeons and hundreds of towns to venture to.
After all, procedural generation allows themap to be several thousand times the size of Skyrim.
The main quest line is always the same, but side quests are procedurally generated. If you need money or want to join a guild, the quests you will go on will be to random locations and often have multiple possible outcomes.
For example, you may have to search a unique dungeon for a random but specific ingredient, or you may have to use a spell to unlock a chest that contains one of several surprises. Never quite knowing what you’ll get keeps things interesting between the main quests.
9No Man’s Sky
A Whole Universe Awaits
No Man’s Sky
No Man’s Skyhas a map that’s effectively infinite. It’s so large that every person playing it combined could never see the end of it. However, when it was first released, the amount of things to do in the massive game was severely limited.
In many ways, it fell into the category of procedural generation gone wrong. Luckily, there has since been a lot of new content added, and part of that is the addition of several new secondary missions.
Given that no one will ever see the majority of No Man’s Sky’s map, the locations of all missions in the game have to be decided procedurally.
In particular, NPCs can give you procedurally tailored quests for the NPC’s personality, race, and planet, with a bit of narrative to explain why they need the task done.
The tasks themselves in these quests may not be particularly unique, but all the layers of the game come together to make them compelling.
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These procedurally generated games offer endless replayability and exploration, with each playthrough delivering a brand new experience.
8Wildermyth
Algorithmic Game Master
Wildermyth
Wildermythis a tactical RPG with procedural storytelling and multiple choices that influence what is generated. This means that as you play through a game, a unique story develops and puts the player on various, procedurally generated quests.
The storytelling aspect makes the quests particularly special, as the task itself may get repetitive, and the purpose of the task is often unique. For instance, the reason why you may be clearing an area out for enemies can vastly differ.
What happens in the story can also, in turn, affect gameplay with buffs and skills that can be developed through choices made for the story.
7Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
Enemies You Love To Hate
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordoris famous for its Nemesis System, a game mechanic where Sauron’s Army is filled with procedurally generated Uruks, stronger than average Orcs, that have various personalities, carry out actions even when they’re not on the screen, and will remember encounters they’ve had with you.
This system creates numerous procedurally generated quests to deal with these procedurally generated enemies. Depending on the Uruk in question, you’ll find them in different locations and have to handle them differently as they each have strengths and weaknesses, which can even include invulnerability to some of your skills.
To make things even more interesting, the Uruks will sometimes take each other out to gain more power, and you can even interrupt these power struggles, creating a much more dynamic system.
6Deep Rock Galactic
How Deep Does It Go?
Deep Rock Galactic
Deep Rock Galactichas you exploring destructible caves to complete objectives like mining a specific mineral or escorting a robot as hostile aliens attack.
Most missions take place in procedurally generated mines, and since the missions depend on the layout of the mines, they’re also procedurally generated.
You can alter the terrain with various tools at your disposal, but it’s time-consuming and often uses up resources like ammo, so you need to use your map to plan accordingly.
It’s not overly complex, but the procedural generation works fantastically with the terrain manipulation and keeps you on your toes in each mission.
5Invisible, Inc.
See The Unseen
Invisible, Inc.
Invisible, Inc.is a turn-basedStealthgame where every mission has a procedurally generated layout. You can’t face enemies head-on in this game, so the layout is massively important.
The procedural aspect keeps you on your toes as you never quite know what awaits as you teleport into your target location. Will the mission be a breeze, or will several guards be patrolling a choke point?
There’s also a hacking system, adding another layer to the game, as locating cameras and other electrical devices is crucial to both gathering information and concealing the location of your agents.
Rebuild In The Unknown
RimWorldis a colony sim where the map, characters, and events that happen on it are procedurally generated. The goal is to leave the planet you’re stranded on, ultimately, but what happens until then can vary greatly.
The events that occur are influenced by an AI storyteller, who may or may not attempt to arrange the events in a way that tells a compelling story, depending on the AI you pick.
While all that is happening, NPCs you encounter will give you procedurally generated quests to complete in exchange for rewards. They’re not overly complex, but they’re a good addition to an already mostly procedurally generated game.
3Darkest Dungeon
Don’t Let The Torch Go Out
Darkest Dungeon
Darkest Dungeonisa turn-based, Rogue-like dungeon crawlerthat can be very punishing. Each quest is in a procedurally generated dungeon, which allows for a lot of room for ambushes and traps since the layout is never quite the same.
The longer you’re in the dungeon, the more resources you will burn, and the difficulty rises as your torch dims. The game has Permadeath for your characters, so every little thing that goes wrong can add up to you being in a stressful situation.
This difficulty created by the procedural generation in these quests is very compelling if you like a challenge.
2Shadows of Doubt
Piece Together The Chaos
Shadows of Doubt
Shadows of Doubtis a detective game where the city, all of the characters, and the case you’re working on can be entirely procedurally generated and will dynamically change as you play.
The cases are often very complex, with plenty of unique evidence to help you solve them. Fingerprints, notes, murder weapons, witnesses, and more will be randomly inserted into the world in a way that manages to make sense but also doesn’t give away the case immediately.
Because of the procedural generation aspect, some of the evidence will even lead to dead ends or something unrelated, making it a much more immersive experience.
Moderation Is Key
XCOM 2is aTurn-Based Strategygame that uses procedural generation for its missions. It doesn’t do anything particularly unique with procedural generation, but what it does do is nail the execution.
Much of the components of the procedural generation are fairly large, hand-crafted set pieces, and while this cuts down on the uniqueness a bit, it gives the missions a bit of consistency in quality that can be missing with procedural generation.
The procedural generated aspects of the missions are a tool the game uses, rather than the foundation of the game’s identity.
They could be swapped with a few dozen hand-crafted locations and work just as well, and sometimes that’s how procedural generation should be utilized.
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