Veritigo_X
Member
The algorithm generates the same thing every time.
Game Informer: 30 minute 'BTS' video of No Man's Sky
- Thread starter JehutyRunner
- Start date
The algorithm generates the same thing every time.
You can think of it as a function of two variables.
Your planet will always have one set of fixed variables: "Will it have dinosaurs? Yes or No. Will they be likely to be big or small? What's the size of the planet?".
And then another set of random variables that are procedurally generated. Given the inputs of the current planet, it constantly runs and generates the 3D world around you. It's inputs and outputs -- some of the inputs are fixed once you reach a planet. The confusing comes from the fact that, obviously since they have billions of planets, the inputs *themselves* are also random at a higher level.
The actual game development part of the game is in creating the function and the assets that take these inputs and spit out the result.
Edit: He just used the "f(X) and Y" argument around the 16 minute mark
I hope that made more sense to people than my post!Edit 2: OMG he just showed a "sine waves" planet by tweaking the function just right with a simple, predictable f(X). This is AWESOME.
bearythebear
Member
So when you leave a planet, does the game remember the map? Or does it regenerate when you come back?
GribbleGrunger
Dreams in Digital
Yes, it remembers what you've discovered. Even if you leave a planet and come back, it will remain the same. And it will be as YOU found it for anyone who also stumbles upon it.
The algorithm is procedurally generated but once it's generated the mathematics behind 'your' planet are stored forever.
That draw distance was the first thing that stuck out to me. Hope it's improved because that would really take away from the wow factor if it remains as is shown here.
His Majesty
Banned
I really don't get all the hype. It looks bland.
Zombie James
Banned
There's nothing to remember, it's all algorithms and math functions.
Veritigo_X
Member
Technically regenerates it, but regenerates it the same way. Think about how Minecraft works if you've ever played that. You can enter seeds before you create worlds and the world will generate exactly the same for everyone who inputs that seed. No Man's Sky has one seed that everyone uses in their game so they are exploring the same galaxy.
Where's the gif of the dev talking doing the mindblow thing?
Can't be more appropriate than that
It doesn't have to remember the map. It only has to remember the draws from the random distribution and plug them into the function.
bearythebear
Member
So how much space does a "seed" take? I know that it's just numbers and equations, but when you got so many people playing the game, it must be quite large.
Pagusas
Elden Member
Because its something new and different. Its not COD25 or Halo 10, its something new that could launch a whole new gaming genre.
brightsons
Member
THanks for the heads up, will check this out when I get off of work.
The procedural generation system to do something like this is actually surprisingly simple and there are a lot of existing techniques you can use. I'd say most of the work goes to creating the visual style and pre-made elements that are then used in the generation.
Interesting video and it's always nice to have some more information but nothing mind-blowing.
Same. And the pop-in is awful. I just need to know more about what the actual gameplay is going to be like. If that's brilliant, I can easily overlook the issues.
Dr_LucienSanchez
Banned
And I'm sure that you watched this video. But hey, thanks for the drive-by.
Anyway, the stuff about the creature generation is so neat also. I love the idea that there are going to be some really alien beings waiting to be discovered.
King Cobra
Banned
...it's a flythrough of procedurally generated worlds highlighting the technology.
He's not showing you a sine-based world that consists of nothing but literally equal mountains to make it look "non-bland". It's meant to illustrate the technology, not the gameplay.
It's a flyover dev camera, not a ship.
flaxknuckles
Member
The space to planet transitions are far too fast for my liking. It kills the sense of scale.
No, it's fine, the bandwidth they've got is shit.
TrojanBlade
Member
I hope there is enough variety in there random generation which can create interesting worlds, creatures and materials to be discovered or else things will get boring real fast. Its a big thing to pull off but I really want this to be a great sci-fi exploration game.
By the way I really like this guy. He is so talented and yet humble.
By the way I really like this guy. He is so talented and yet humble.
Veritigo_X
Member
No idea how NMS is doing it, but in Minecraft it is an integer data type so 32 bits. Not very big.
Yeah this looks kinda cool. But I can see it get REAL old quick for me. Empty and lifeless worlds takes me right out of the game and I have yet to see a game with producal generated enviroments that really "wows" me.
And what is the actual game? I'm on the fence here but what I've seen so far just doesn't look any fun.
And what is the actual game? I'm on the fence here but what I've seen so far just doesn't look any fun.
Miles Quaritch
Member
Not to be a dick as I know GI writers, etc post here, but are they really serious about forcing people to use their not so great player?
Come on, upload it to YT for goodness sake. I've been sat here for what feels like forever trying to watch more than the first three minutes. It's damn fools errand...
Come on, upload it to YT for goodness sake. I've been sat here for what feels like forever trying to watch more than the first three minutes. It's damn fools errand...
When it's popping in he clearly says that this is the same speed as the players ship. So unless something changes, the world drawing in right in front of you is going to exist.
GribbleGrunger
Dreams in Digital
I've got 100mbs and can't even watch it on LOW.
I can see how somebody might think this, and it may even turn out to be the case, but plenty of games are far more than they initially appear. Hell, even Minecraft looks all basic and 'so what the fuck do you do?' but its a blast to play.
Give it a chance.
ThoseDeafMutes
Member
It seems even worse here. The space transition is super quick, then you fly through like 5 seconds of space before getting to the other planet.
He says this planet is particularly close, but that's still a bit crazy.
Also, planets are not 'planet sized'. As I thought, that seems to be a fair exaggeration. Seems like they'll still be huge, but not 'planet sized'.
Summer Haze
Banned
I can't watch on the default quality...yet the drop-down quality box is broken for me.
FUUUU......
FUUUU......
Novel Mike
Member
The technology is amazing.
I just really want to know more about the actual gameplay within this game. We've seen now how the worlds are made and how each one will be very different but what is there to do on these worlds besides to wonder around and notice how pretty everything else? What is the purpose of exploring and visiting new worlds? Why is there space combat(from the first trailer)? Is there other combat besides in space? Is there a story? A main objective?
I just consistently have more and more questions about this game every time they show something like this and while its nice to see how the engine works and see the technology in action it just feels more like a tech demo of what could be done then a game itself.
I just really want to know more about the actual gameplay within this game. We've seen now how the worlds are made and how each one will be very different but what is there to do on these worlds besides to wonder around and notice how pretty everything else? What is the purpose of exploring and visiting new worlds? Why is there space combat(from the first trailer)? Is there other combat besides in space? Is there a story? A main objective?
I just consistently have more and more questions about this game every time they show something like this and while its nice to see how the engine works and see the technology in action it just feels more like a tech demo of what could be done then a game itself.
Miles Quaritch
Member
Oh my god, is that a new planet?
Ah, what the fuck. Player's gone to shit again.
This is starting to piss me something fierce now...
Ah, what the fuck. Player's gone to shit again.
This is starting to piss me something fierce now...
Opinions that don't match your own are really hard, huh?
He's using a debug tool to tour the planet so it won't be the same within the game. The transition times between planets are greatly exaggerated by the tool. I believe he actually said some of the surface touring he was doing by speeding up were faster than you'll ever be able to achieve within the game.