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Spatial Layout of Procedural Dungeons Using Linear Constraints and SMT Solvers

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Jim WhiteheadAuthors Info & Claims

FDG '20: Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games

Article No.: 101, Pages 1 - 9

https://doi.org/10.1145/3402942.3409603

Published: 17 September 2020 Publication History

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Abstract

Dungeon generation is among the oldest problems in procedural content generation. Creating the spatial aspects of a dungeon requires three steps: random generation of rooms and sizes, placement of these rooms inside a fixed area, and connecting rooms with passageways. This paper uses a series of integer linear constraints, solved by a satisfiability modulo theories (SMT) solver, to perform the placement step. Separation constraints ensure dungeon rooms do not intersect and maintain a minimum fixed separation. Designers can specify control lines, and dungeon rooms will be placed within a fixed distance of these control lines. Generation times vary with number of rooms and constraints, but are often very fast. Spatial distribution of solutions tend to have hot spots, but is surprisingly uniform given the underlying complexity of the solver. The approach demonstrates the effectiveness of a declarative approach to dungeon layout generation, where designers can express desired intent, and the SMT solver satisfies this if possible.

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Cited By

Sychev O(2024)Searching Questions and Learning Problems in Large Problem Banks: Constructing Tests and Assignments on the FlyComputers10.3390/computers1306014413:6(144)Online publication date: 5-Jun-2024
https://doi.org/10.3390/computers13060144
da Rocha Franco Ade Carvalho Wda Silva JMaia Jde Castro M(2024)Managing and controlling digital role-playing game elements: A current state of affairsEntertainment Computing10.1016/j.entcom.2024.10070851(100708)Online publication date: Sep-2024
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.entcom.2024.100708
Sychev OProkudin ADenisov MDoyle MStephenson BDorn BSoh LBattestilli L(2023)Generation of Code Tracing Problems from Open-Source CodeProceedings of the 54th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education V. 110.1145/3545945.3569774(875-881)Online publication date: 2-Mar-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3545945.3569774
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Published In

cover image ACM Other conferences

FDG '20: Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games

September 2020

804 pages

ISBN:9781450388078

DOI:10.1145/3402942

Editors:
Georgios N. Yannakakis
University of Malta
,
Antonios Liapis
University of Malta
,
Penny Kyburz
Australian National University
,
Vanessa Volz
Modl.AI
,
Foaad Khosmood
California Polytechnic State University
,
Phil Lopes
École Polytechnique Fédèrale de Lausanne

Copyright © 2020 Owner/Author.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 License.

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Association for Computing Machinery

New York, NY, United States

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Published: 17 September 2020

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FDG '20

FDG '20: International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games

September 15 - 18, 2020

Bugibba, Malta

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Overall Acceptance Rate 152 of 415 submissions, 37%

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Cited By

Sychev O(2024)Searching Questions and Learning Problems in Large Problem Banks: Constructing Tests and Assignments on the FlyComputers10.3390/computers1306014413:6(144)Online publication date: 5-Jun-2024
https://doi.org/10.3390/computers13060144
da Rocha Franco Ade Carvalho Wda Silva JMaia Jde Castro M(2024)Managing and controlling digital role-playing game elements: A current state of affairsEntertainment Computing10.1016/j.entcom.2024.10070851(100708)Online publication date: Sep-2024
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.entcom.2024.100708
Sychev OProkudin ADenisov MDoyle MStephenson BDorn BSoh LBattestilli L(2023)Generation of Code Tracing Problems from Open-Source CodeProceedings of the 54th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education V. 110.1145/3545945.3569774(875-881)Online publication date: 2-Mar-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3545945.3569774
van Rozen RSamaritaki GDormans J(2022)Debugging Procedural Level Designs with Mental MapsProceedings of the 17th International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games10.1145/3555858.3564252(1-3)Online publication date: 5-Sep-2022
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3555858.3564252
Newgas A(2021)Tessera: A Practical System for Extended WaveFunctionCollapseProceedings of the 16th International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games10.1145/3472538.3472605(1-7)Online publication date: 3-Aug-2021
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3472538.3472605

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