A Short Introduction to Procedural Content Generation Algorithms for Videogames

Abstract

One of the main costs of developing a videogame is content creation. Procedural Content Generation (PCG) can help alleviate that cost by algorithmically generating some of the content a human would normally produce. We first describe and classify the different types of content that can be automatically generated for a videogame. Then, we review the most prominent PCG algorithms, focusing on current research on search-based and machine learning based methods. Finally, we close with our take on the most important open problems and the potential impact solving them will have on the videogame industry.