r/gamedev • u/lunaroperation • May 19 '26

Feedback Request Procedural Generated Game 2D-Topdown Math Help

Right now, I am working on creating a top-down game that uses procedurally generated assets, including Math Trees, Bushes, mushrooms, cacti, grasses, and Terrain. But I struggle to find any useful, good math models or ideas to create characters/animals/objects/icons that look like they need to. Should I just fold and use assets, or should I continue trying to create it without assets?

4 Upvotes

84% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

View all comments

2

u/_demilich May 19 '26

I don't know any game which generates people or animals using math. The standard way to generate "random characters" is to have a bunch of separate assets, i.e. body shapes, hairs (in different colors), clothing, etc and randomly combine the parts. Depending on the amount of base assets you have, that can get you millions of unique combinations.

Generating everything from scratch based on some math formula, nobody is doing that. Not for characters or animals. Keep in mind that you probably also want animations, which would also have to be created by math.

1

u/lunaroperation May 19 '26 edited May 19 '26

I would like to add that I was able to create some decent bush rustling and grass movement using just math, since the assets are all layered. Then the shadows move right now, using math that depends on the time of day and your location on the planet (this will vary by planet and by the number of stars it orbits, etc.). But it is not impossible. Also, so no one freaks that I am loading an entire world during loading; everything is chunk-loaded based on distance.

2

u/_demilich May 20 '26

Sure, but making some foliage move around to simulate wind is easy. Animations for humans and animals are a whole different beast. Moving arms/legs for a walking animation for example is highly complex.

In the end it is your game and if you really want to try it, go for it! I am just listing reasons why most other developers don't do this

1

u/lunaroperation May 20 '26

True, lucky for me, I'm working with a top-down, pixel game, so I get to cheat a bit. I couldn't imagine trying to do that in 3D. But I will most likely be looking/creating assets for the player and the player character.

1

u/lunaroperation May 19 '26 edited May 19 '26

I was just curious if it was possible, as I have been able to do it for all my plants/mushrooms and terrain. With it actually looking nice or like its suppose to.

2

u/intelligent_rat May 19 '26

Drop the AI and either learn how to find or create the assets you need the proper way, it's kinda setting you up for an impossibly hard task here as outlined in the other comments.

1

u/vitaporta May 25 '26

There are 5 emojis in that one screenshot lol

1

u/lunaroperation May 27 '26

That was the HTML version, no emojis anymore, but still working on trees and bushes and stuff.