City generation technology
by Ali Khan · in Jobs · 02/24/2005 (5:00 am) · 56 replies
I am an idependant developer of new gaming technologies and I have recently developed a technology for generation of realistic cities that can be imported in any 3D RPG/Shooter game. I would like to know if you could help me in marketing and licensing this product. The details of the product are as follows:
The city generation technology generates a number of
city structures and connects them in a logical way so
as to create a real world city. The technology allows
for pre-defined or randomly generated cities of any
size. For replication of real world cities (like
London or Paris), a map editor application is also
provided in which the user can define the city map
etc.
The technology is made in VC++ 6.0 and hence is usable
in any platform that is PC, XBox PS2 etc.
I have created a number of demo applications for this
technology. These are made in VC++ 6.0 using DirectX
8.1.
The scope of this technology is limited to defining
the type, location,size and orientation of a city
structues. The actual game structures with graphics
and geometry will be put by the game developer. This
allows the developers to use this technology in any
game.
Currently the following city structures are being
generated.
1. Main roads
2. Streets
3. Main road and street sides
4. Three types of city structures located along the
roads
5. Main road and street lights
6. General city structures like road signs, phone
booths and gutters
7. Large structures that can be made factories, dumps
etc.
8. Bridges at main road intersections
Other features include
1. Intelligent city map creation algorithm for random
cities
2. Structures within structures hierarchy for advanced
applications.
3. Complete configuration for all generation that is
densities, sizes etc of city structures
The city generation technology generates a number of
city structures and connects them in a logical way so
as to create a real world city. The technology allows
for pre-defined or randomly generated cities of any
size. For replication of real world cities (like
London or Paris), a map editor application is also
provided in which the user can define the city map
etc.
The technology is made in VC++ 6.0 and hence is usable
in any platform that is PC, XBox PS2 etc.
I have created a number of demo applications for this
technology. These are made in VC++ 6.0 using DirectX
8.1.
The scope of this technology is limited to defining
the type, location,size and orientation of a city
structues. The actual game structures with graphics
and geometry will be put by the game developer. This
allows the developers to use this technology in any
game.
Currently the following city structures are being
generated.
1. Main roads
2. Streets
3. Main road and street sides
4. Three types of city structures located along the
roads
5. Main road and street lights
6. General city structures like road signs, phone
booths and gutters
7. Large structures that can be made factories, dumps
etc.
8. Bridges at main road intersections
Other features include
1. Intelligent city map creation algorithm for random
cities
2. Structures within structures hierarchy for advanced
applications.
3. Complete configuration for all generation that is
densities, sizes etc of city structures
#22
The complete demo is of 4mb. I am currently mailing you a smaller version. Hope you like it.
03/13/2005 (7:35 am)
Thank you for showing interest in my product. I think I should find some web space to upload the demos and screenshots. The complete demo is of 4mb. I am currently mailing you a smaller version. Hope you like it.
#23
If you are still sending out demos of this project, I am very interested in it. So, please send me the demo, or else I will wait for you to post it as a resource. Thanks!
Robert
03/13/2005 (8:19 am)
Ali,If you are still sending out demos of this project, I am very interested in it. So, please send me the demo, or else I will wait for you to post it as a resource. Thanks!
Robert
#25
03/13/2005 (9:22 am)
Sounds very interesting, may I have a copy too?
#26
03/13/2005 (9:39 am)
I would be interested in a demo as well. My email should be in my profile.
#27
03/13/2005 (9:55 am)
Hi there - I'm also interested in the demo; my email address is in my profile. Cheers.
#28
Robert that isn't the Robert a few posts up.
03/13/2005 (3:44 pm)
I would love a copy, this sounds great.Robert that isn't the Robert a few posts up.
#29
03/13/2005 (3:51 pm)
Ahhhh!!! Not another Robert...there's just so many of us!!! 
#30
03/13/2005 (4:05 pm)
Feel free to send me a demo as well. This is technology that I am very interested in. Email is in my profile as well.
#31
03/13/2005 (4:17 pm)
I'm interested in this product, can you please send me a copy of the demo as well?
#32
03/13/2005 (4:28 pm)
With all these demos going around surely theres impressions by now ? Screen shots ? anything ?
#33
However, it's far from useless, because it's definitely a start. The app knows where everything goes, it's just a bit plain where it comes to generating buildings (they aren't all just rectangular). I don't know if the buildings themselves are generated programmatically, or just scaled versions of a model. If they're a model, then the demo is just suffering from programmer art ;) If not, then he needs more detailed building generation algorithms. He just needs to step it up a notch before it's something people will put out money for.
03/14/2005 (3:51 am)
I'm writing quick before I goto work: Just took a look at it, and it's not as impressive as I was expecting. No offense to Ali, I'm sure he spent time on this, and it's a good start, but it does need work to be viable. Right now, the buildings are scaled boxes, which is kind of plain. There are resources on the net for generating much more complicated buildings programmatically, and if he does that, then it will have some more qualified application towards generating cities.However, it's far from useless, because it's definitely a start. The app knows where everything goes, it's just a bit plain where it comes to generating buildings (they aren't all just rectangular). I don't know if the buildings themselves are generated programmatically, or just scaled versions of a model. If they're a model, then the demo is just suffering from programmer art ;) If not, then he needs more detailed building generation algorithms. He just needs to step it up a notch before it's something people will put out money for.
#34
I would like to clarify a few things though. The buildings in the demo are just to represent that structures can be put at this place. The technology has got nothing to do with what the developer puts in place of the buildings. The scope of the technology is limited to defining the type, location, size and orientation of the city structures. The actual game graphics and collision geometry is to be put by the game developer.
I have designed this way because this allows the use of this technology in any game because this way it does not interfere with the game engine, the level designers or the artisits. If I start generating every building with complete details then every game that uses this technology would look exactly the same.
I would like to hear your comments again after this discussion.
03/14/2005 (5:42 am)
Thanks for pointing out these issues. I would like to clarify a few things though. The buildings in the demo are just to represent that structures can be put at this place. The technology has got nothing to do with what the developer puts in place of the buildings. The scope of the technology is limited to defining the type, location, size and orientation of the city structures. The actual game graphics and collision geometry is to be put by the game developer.
I have designed this way because this allows the use of this technology in any game because this way it does not interfere with the game engine, the level designers or the artisits. If I start generating every building with complete details then every game that uses this technology would look exactly the same.
I would like to hear your comments again after this discussion.
#35
So then it's a shape replicator...? TGE currently has one that, with a bit of tweaking to allow for rectangular distribution areas and multiple objects (a day worth of coding), can do just this. I'm not trying to knock your demo, because I mean it when I say that it is a good start, but if you're looking to sell it, there's got to be a bit more of a value-add in it. The street layouts are a good start towards that. But right now, it's more of an object placement algorithm than a city generation technology.
03/14/2005 (3:45 pm)
Quote:The scope of the technology is limited to defining the type, location, size and orientation of the city structures.
So then it's a shape replicator...? TGE currently has one that, with a bit of tweaking to allow for rectangular distribution areas and multiple objects (a day worth of coding), can do just this. I'm not trying to knock your demo, because I mean it when I say that it is a good start, but if you're looking to sell it, there's got to be a bit more of a value-add in it. The street layouts are a good start towards that. But right now, it's more of an object placement algorithm than a city generation technology.
#36
The technology can generate "random" or "pre-defined" cities. You are right creating a tool in which the user can define rectangular areas is not a big deal. But this is not what I have created.
The user only defines the city map including the main roads and streets, bridges and large structures. This is done in a seperate map editor application. The technology then loads these maps and converts them into actual city structures.
THe user can also create a random city where everything including the city layout and stuff is generated randomly and connected purely by the technology.
Then there is a lot of configuration available. The sizes of city blocks, road widths, road side widths, the building sizes, the density of buildings, the type of buildings, the type of main road layout, the density of street lights and street side structures( phone booths, road signs etc).
What I mean to say is that almost everything is programmatically generated according to a configuration provided by the user.
03/14/2005 (6:39 pm)
Ted I understand what you are saying. This is probably due to the demo that I have sent you which of course does not show all the features of the technology.The technology can generate "random" or "pre-defined" cities. You are right creating a tool in which the user can define rectangular areas is not a big deal. But this is not what I have created.
The user only defines the city map including the main roads and streets, bridges and large structures. This is done in a seperate map editor application. The technology then loads these maps and converts them into actual city structures.
THe user can also create a random city where everything including the city layout and stuff is generated randomly and connected purely by the technology.
Then there is a lot of configuration available. The sizes of city blocks, road widths, road side widths, the building sizes, the density of buildings, the type of buildings, the type of main road layout, the density of street lights and street side structures( phone booths, road signs etc).
What I mean to say is that almost everything is programmatically generated according to a configuration provided by the user.
#37
03/15/2005 (12:57 pm)
I am very intrested in this technology and would be grateful if you could e-mail me screenshots/demos and maybe a price list for different licenses
#38
03/16/2005 (12:09 pm)
This "demo" how big is it? i could host it mabey. this sounds so cool!
#39
03/22/2005 (12:32 pm)
It is an interesting product. Please send me a copy of the demo.
#40
03/22/2005 (9:11 pm)
If you need a host still for your product let me know mate i can hook ya up and send ya all the links to the images and demo once there uploaded. 
Torque 3D Owner Emmanuel Nwankwo
Please send me the demo , I am interested in what it might have to offer.