How is procedural generation different from just regular generation?

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Slightly related to a recent post.

I understand procedural generation in video games is basically an instruction set to tell the computer to run through to get the same result every time so that it doesn’t load a whole level each time, it builds the level based on a set of parameters.

How is this different than just loading a built level? Isn’t that what a normal script of code is in any other game? Is an instruction set to tell the computer to load the level?

Is it just the difference between one being done by a programmer and one done by a level designer/artist? They both need assets already designed and made to work right?

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Anonymous 0 Comments

**Example:** Terrain

**Regular generation:** terrain graphics are built from a terrain map database. Every point of terrain is stored. World accurate, but file-size limited.

**Procedural generation:** an algorithm determines how to generate its own terrain map. Imposed constraints may yield terrain that is similar, but not identical to real-world terrain.

Procedural generation can be used to create seemingly high-resolution terrain from a low-resolution terrain map, sacrificing some accuracy for storage space.

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