Procedural Generation of Procedures

Speaker: Maxim Gumin



Procedural generation is the creation with algorithms of something that is usually created by hand. But what if we try to generate algorithms themselves?

In this talk, I will give a very brief introduction to the field of program synthesis. We will discuss different ways to represent programs as data and learn how to train our generator on a corpus of example programs. We will see that algorithms used to construct programs out of elementary building blocks are surprisingly similar to algorithms used to assemble 3d models out of tiles. Finally, we will build a very general system where the same set of weights is used to generate curves, images, surfaces, cellular automata, differential dynamical systems, effectful random walks, and even games.

Maxim Gumin is the author of the WaveFunctionCollapse algorithm and the MJ language.

> Maxim Gumin on GitHub

Procedural Hard Surface Design

Speaker: Akira Saito



Akira Saito will introduce the method and concept of frequency-decomposing hard surface designs for robots and aircraft, and generating them in a procedural workflow using Houdini. Akira will break down hard surface design into frequencies and describes the automatic generation algorithms that are valid for each frequency.

Akira Saito joined Namco Corporation (now Namco Bandai Entertainment Inc.) in 1995 and was mainly involved in arcade game development, technical direction, art direction, and design work. He joined Polyphony Digital Inc. in 2003 where he is part of the landscape design team, doing mainly technical direction and tool development. Akira is involved in all aspects of the race track production of the Gran Turismo series.

> Procedural-Design

Unexplored 2: Radical Content Generation

Speaker: Joris Dormans



Unexplored is renowned for its quality content generation. Working on the sequel we are setting even higher standards for ourselves. Although strides have been made in the technology, the most innovation is in the application and the effect it has on the game's design: we try to be more radical in the way we make use of the unique affordances that content generation has to offer. This talk will highlight the boldest steps we try to take and the highest mountains we try to climb in developing Unexplored 2.

Joris Dormans is the game director of Unexplored and its upcoming sequel. Before, he got a PhD in emergent gameplay and procedural content generation from the University of Amsterdam. These days he spends most of his days applying his research results in code and design. One day a week he teaches students of the Game Studies Minor at the Leiden University.

> Unexplored 2 on Steam

Cozy Towns on Irregular Grids

Speaker: Oskar Stålberg



We take a peek under the hood of Oskar's new procedural townscape building toy. A hybrid between Marching Cubes and Wave Function Collapse running on an irregular quadrilateral grid at interactive speeds.

Oskar Stålberg ia an indie game developer. Master of tile based procedural generation. Maker of Bad North. Previously at Ubisoft.

To be announced

SideFX Houdini Masterclass

Following the Everything Procedural Conference, Breda University of Applied Sciences will host a two-day SideFX Houdini Masterclass run by game artist Simon Verstraete and SideFX’s Robert Magee. This is an unique opportunity to learn, experience and get acquainted with the benefits of procedural content generation tools.

Simon Verstraete - Tech/Environment Artist

Simon is a Tech Artist that loves building procedural tools. While studying at Digital Arts and Entertainment, he taught himself how to work with Houdini then started working on Ary and the Secret of Seasons at eXiin. Currently he is developing online tutorials that teach procedural techniques to game artists.

Robert Magee - SideFX

Robert is a Senior Product Marketing Manager at SideFX who has been working with Houdini for over 15 years. He has created lots of learning material such as the Houdini Foundations book which are designed to help artists get started with Houdini.

Day 1: SideFX Houdini - Level Building in Unreal

Instead of starting in Houdini itself, this masterclass will begin with the creation of a game level in Unreal using a collection of procedural assets. Experience first-hand the creation of game art that has Houdini’s procedural engine working “under the hood.” Explore the different features available in each asset and learn how easy it is to create unique game levels with this suite of tools.

In the afternoon, the course will cover the technology behind this workflow: Houdini Digital Assets and the Houdini Engine. You will learn how these deliver a procedural experience inside the Unreal editor and how the Houdini interface supports this procedural data flow. This will provide a good intro for those new to Houdini, and a review for existing users.

Day 2: SideFX Houdini - Creating Procedural Assets

Now that you know how procedural assets work inside game engines such as Unreal, the next step is to dive in and explore the nodes and networks. By building assets from scratch, you will have a better understanding of how to make decisions that support a procedural workflow. The key techniques you explored on Day 1 will be reviewed to ensure that everyone understands how to set up and manage the node networks. You will also learn techniques such as high-res/low-res baking, setting up collision geometry and how to output textures that can be used to generate materials in Unreal. In the end, you will have the tools necessary to build procedural assets for your own game.

This masterclass is an overview of the new technology. It is intended for Houdini users of all levels, but an existing knowledge of how to navigate the software and its interface is suggested.

The SideFX Houdini Masterclass is a two-day event (both 9:00-17:00) and takes place on April 23rd and April 24th. The Masterclass will be hosted in a workshop setting with live presentations, demonstrations, hands-on experimentation and exercises. You need to bring your own hardware with Unreal installed (laptop is sufficient) to be able to actively participate. Admittance to the Masterclass is 189 Euro for industry, 29 Euro for students, and 95 Euro for alumni. Tickets include lunch and drinks, we have only limited places.

To be announced

What:
EVERYTHING PROCEDURAL CONFERENCE (EPC2020)
Conference on Procedural Content Generation for Games

Admittance:
The conference is open to industry, professionals, and students in the field of Video Games, Game Development, Computer Graphics, and Procedural Content Generation. Sign up is required, as we will have limited places.

Talent scouts and job hunters:
The conference is a great place to meet employers and experts in the field of procedural content generation for games looking for a new challenge or a change in their career. During the day there will be many network opportunities, we try to create an informal safe environment to get in touch with your future employee or future employer.

Passes & Prices:
- Conference - Industry: 89 Euro (includes free lunch, drinks and happy hour)
- Conference - Students: 14 Euro (includes free lunch, drinks and happy hour)
- Conference - Alumni: 45 Euro (includes free lunch, drinks and happy hour)
- Unity Masterclass - Industry: 119 Euro (includes free lunch, coffee and tea)
- Unity Masterclass - Students: 18 Euro (includes free lunch, coffee and tea)
- Unity Masterclass - Alumni: 60 Euro (includes free lunch, coffee and tea)
- Houdini Masterclass - Industry: 189 Euro (includes free lunch, coffee and tea)
- Houdini Masterclass - Students: 29 Euro (includes free lunch, coffee and tea)
- Houdini Masterclass - Alumni: 95 Euro (includes free lunch, coffee and tea)
- Combination ticket Conference and Masterclasses - Industry: 299 Euro
- Combination ticket Conference and Masterclasses - Students: 45 Euro
- Combination ticket Conference and Masterclasses - Alumni: 150 Euro

Tickets:
Cancelled

When:
Unity Masterclass: Tuesday 21st April 2020
Conference: Wednesday 22nd April 2020
SideFX Houdini Masterclass: Thursday 23rd and Friday 24th April 2020

Where:
Breda University of Applied Sciences
Mgr. Hopmansstraat 1
4817 JS Breda
the Netherlands
> BUas Website

Breda Tourist Office:
> VVV Website

Contact:
> Contact form

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> Newsletter form

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> Sponsor form

Social:
> Facebook
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Archive:
> EPC2019 - Everything Procedural Conference 2019
> EPC2018 - Everything Procedural Conference 2018
> EPC2016 - Everything Procedural Conference 2016

Program Board:
Ronny Franken
Bojan Endrovski
Pim Hendriks
Mata Haggis-Burridge

Sponsors and Affiliates: