[robot_jesus]

By and large I agree, but it doesn’t need to be either/or.

Many of the most popular games in the past decade are procedurally generated and have nothing “intentionally” placed (apart from tuning/tweaking the balance of the seeding algorithms).

[swiftcoder]

> have nothing “intentionally” placed (apart from tuning/tweaking the balance of the seeding algorithms).

I think you underestimate the intentionality that goes into developing procedural generation. Something like Dwarf Fortress isn't "place objects randomly" - it is layers upon layers of carefully crafted systems that build upon each other to produce specific patterns of outcome

[robot_jesus]

By calling it out in my comment, I was trying to not underestimate it.

I guess what I'm saying is: Couldn't a world model with targeted training and thoughtfully tuned system prompts be directionally similar to the layered systems to produce specific patterns of outcome?

[mccoyb]

Right, and I wondered how these world models might be use in a careful way (just as agents can be used carefully to accelerate work).

Are video game developers using these systems in their workflows? Would love to learn more!

[avaer]

I've had good luck with using LLMs to create procedural content engines for my game prototypes. So the distinction between AI and procedural might get even blurrier.

[danielbln]

Which game would that be apart from Minecraft?

[fc417fc802]

Dwarf fortress, no man's sky, elite dangerous, ...

The combination of "many", "most popular", and "nothing" is overstating it by a wide margin but for example the majority of the vegetation in games as far back as oblivion was procedurally placed.

[rightbyte]

Battlefield 2 had procedural trees and terrain the year before. I think it more or less came with open world maps?

[robot_jesus]

No Man's Sky, Terraria, Dead Cells, to name a few.

[debugnik]

Dead Cells just arranges a few pre-designed rooms together for each stage, doesn't it?

[fredoliveira]

If it does do that, it doesn't feel that way. I never found it particularly repetitive.

[debugnik]

To be clear, "a few" qualified the chosen rooms that get procedurally connected for each stage. I'm confident the pools of premade rooms are rather large, although I certainly noticed some repetition back when I played.

[accrual]

A recent example is Megabonk, a rouge-like with procedural levels. Each run is unique but the levels have a consistent theme.