Procedurally generated levels

After discarding a few prototypes, I settled on an action roguelike game with procedurally generated levels. The foundation for the tech has been easier than I feared.

I arranged blue squares that represent rooms. The actual rooms, consisting of many brown cells and optional side entrances in blue (depending on the existence of an adjacent room), are authored and randomly chosen. Pieced together like a puzzle. Orientation of the entire level and each room is random. There are special rooms for hallways and in the future, corners.

It only takes a handful of rooms and arrangements to reach millions of uniquely generated worlds.

(mirrored as part of the randomization)

(mirrored as part of the randomization)

There is no limit to the size of a level.

Things will get even more interesting, when I sprinkle in spawn locations for treasures, enemies, and traps.

*Snap*

*Snap* Long story short, I have a spiral-fracture on my distal humerus, just above the elbow, almost severing the radial nerve. The two pieces of bone were disjoint. In other words, my dominant arm will be in a brace for six weeks, forearm hanging in a sling from my neck. Two weeks down, four more to go. The pain has subsided before my frustration.

Thankfully, Zombie Tactics basically is finished and being auctioned off to a sponsor. You could say this incident occurred at a "convenient" time.

I am unable to draw to produce art assets in the meantime. Using the mouse is a tad awkward with my left hand. At least I can still type 85wpm using an additional keyboard, flipped upside down and positioned like a guitar on my lap.

I'm attempting to be 90% finished with code and design on my next unannounced game by mid January, allowing me to perform an art pass once I get my arm back. I was planning to pursue a similar development process anyways. I still love working on tiny projects.

From my perspective, I get to begin 2014 with my arm back, and a much greater appreciation of being self-employed. I have learned to be more thankful for my health, skills, and opportunity to do what I love.