Procedural Map Creation

[Gan]

Another idea that fascinates me. An algorithm that can dynamically produce a map or object within a program. Such as how Terraria makes it's maps.

I've only ever experimented with this when I was working with WarHampster on a HackSilver port. We developed some interesting ways of creating a variety of maps with corridors, blocks, enemies, ect. Except we only ever experimented with 1 type of tile, in the bird's eye view way. Nothing as fancy as Terraria.

Have any of you done anything special with procedural creation?

[Connors]

I always thought it could be a cool project to try a game with procedurally generated dungeons but never got it to work. I should try again now I'm more experienced...

[Circuit]

I think that I know how to make a map generator for my artillery game.

[Charlo]

The maze generator on my site was my first foray into algorithmically-generated "levels".  The process fascinates me but I have not delved into it very deep. 

[Connors]

How do you make sure it doesn't loop around and get caught in a dead end?

[x]

How do you make sure it doesn't loop around and get caught in a dead end?

An if statement at every procedural step.

[Connors]

Minecraft's map generator is impressive and it would be cool to see how it works. But...
I still think there is one that may never be surpassed in complexity and detail: Dwarf Fortress.
Despite the default graphics you'll find that it's an impressive program that generates whole worlds fairly quickly and gets better with detail as you zoom in. Hills mountains valleys forests swamps deserts, all kinds of water bodies, types of soil dirt or clay, rock layers, aquifers, what metals or minerals are where and how deep, magma, the specific plants animals and monsters, corrupted "Evil" areas...
And in adventure mode you will find all the towns and structures and paths and everything else.
It might become a full fledged world simulation. O_O