Algorithms
Algorithms are anything from calculating player’s health
and damage taken to an RNG (Random Number Generation) system, algorithms are
used to implement these systems. A lot of games nowadays feature RNG, a system
where the computer generates a random number which will result in some sort of
output. These are commonly used for looting systems, for example when a boss is
killed, a random number will be generated which will determine the loot that
the player gets. As seen in (xOctoManx, 2016)’s video, he uses the inbuilt
function within Unity called “random.range”
to generate a number between 1 and 100. He then uses this number to determine
loot from predetermined ‘drop tables’. This is just an example of where an
algorithm is used. MMOs commonly feature this type of RNG for their looting
systems, games such as World of Warcraft,
Warframe or Runescape have built their looting systems heavily around it.
Algorithms are used widely in any game, as they will be
in mine. Pathfinding, damage, health are all examples of where algorithms will
be seen in my game. For example, player damage will use an algorithm to say
that if the zombie is in attack range of the player then the zombie will
attack, inflicting [x] amount of damage onto the player.
Heuristics
Heuristics are used both in the design process in a game,
and are also built into the core functionality of a game, such as in
pathfinding. (Brown, n.d.) explains how implementing heuristics is good practice
in the development of a game because “experts report any instances where
the software does not follow the heuristics”. Keeping the feel
of a game is extremely important, whether it’s the theme or the core gameplay,
it is what allows player to become immersed. It also keeps the game on the
right tracks -preventing it from straying outside of what the game was
originally designed to be. Another place that heuristics can be found is with
pathfinding. Algorithms such as A* search use heuristics to plot a route from
the start to end points.
In my game I will be considering heuristics both in the
design of the game, through a game design document, and when I implement pathfinding.
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