Usability of procedural content generation tool with mixed initiatives
Fan Ling · 2020
Procedural Content Generation is a method to create content using algorithms automatically. It is widely used in the game industry to create game content with elements of randomness such as maps, levels, models, etc. However, most PCG systems are fully automated by the computers and leave no room for developers in the design process. In this study, I explore two types of procedural content, road network, and terrain, and identified the challenges faced by the designers in the creative process. Then I present a tool that introduces mixed-initiative at the end of the procedural content generation process, which allows both human developers and computers to contribute to the creative process. Through the experimental study with a control group, I found evidence that the mixed-initiative approach would influence the user's design decisions during the creative process. This result suggests a promising direction to further pursue the development of future procedural content generation tools.--Author's abstract