Procedural generation is a growing technological field which is used to generate content algorithmically without the need for human intervention once a content generator has been implemented. A number of video games have used this technique to widen their content variety and replay value in aspects such as level generation1 or randomized loot. This project aims to study procedural generation in two aspects: Firstly, it analyses how it can help making Non-Player Characters (NPC) feel more unique by developing a generator that creates characters with enough complexity to develop engaging relationships with the player. If successful, this project could show a potential way to add interesting characters into a video game while reducing the costs of manually having to detail all aspects of their personality and characteristics. Secondly, this project also aims to evaluate how modular procedural narrative can be affected by such generated NPCs, modifying its content depending on their dynamic characteristics. The analysis on how player interaction with these procedural narrative events is received could give insight on future implementations of rich and replayable stories in video games. To assess those two goals, this project implements a prototype narrative video game where the player is in control of a pirate crew the members of which they recruit and can freely explore narrative events in a map.

Creator

• Sans Cornet, Miquel

Contributors

• Smith, Gillian Margaret
• Schneider, Ben

Degree

• MS

Unit

• Interactive Media & Game Development

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• etd-63961

Keyword

• Narrative
• Events
• Procedural
• NPC
• Gameplay
• Relationship

Advisor

• Smith, Gillian Margaret

Orcid

• https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1466-4014

Committee

• Smith, Gillian Margaret
• Schneider, Ben

Defense date

• 2022-04-22

Year

• 2022

Date created

• 2022-04-26

Resource type

• Report

Rights statement

• In Copyright