Macro-Based Electronic Map Editing for Game Terrain
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing video game terrains are often large, immutable, and repetitive, leading to significant computing resource usage and player disinterest due to their immutability and high data requirements.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of macro-based customization for electronic maps, allowing for texture editing, transformation, and blending of macro instances within a computing device, which enables efficient compression and transfer of custom maps, enhancing user experience through flexible and immersive map design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If traditional large-scale terrains are used in video games, then the terrain provides comprehensive game coverage, but significant computing resources and time are consumed for uploading, transmitting, and processing
Solution Approach 1:
The terrain is divided into reusable macro instances that can be placed multiple times throughout the game world. Instead of transmitting entire large-scale terrain data, only macro definitions and placement instructions are transmitted, significantly reducing data transfer time while maintaining comprehensive terrain coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
Macro instances are copied and reused throughout the terrain rather than defining unique terrain data for each location. This allows comprehensive terrain coverage to be achieved by referencing the same macro definitions multiple times, reducing the overall data size that needs to be uploaded and transmitted.
2Stability of the object's composition
If traditional immutable terrains are used, then the terrain data structure remains stable, but players lose interest due to repetitiveness and lack of customization
Solution Approach 1:
The terrain system transitions from static immutable data to dynamic customizable macros. Macro instances can be modified, transformed, and reconfigured at runtime, allowing the terrain to adapt to player preferences and game conditions while maintaining a stable underlying macro definition structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Macros serve multiple functions: they define stable base terrain structures that can be universally reused, while also allowing customization through transformations, texture modifications, and blending operations. This multi-functionality enables both stability and adaptability within the same system.
3Adaptability or versatility
If many unique terrain features are created to reduce repetitiveness, then player engagement increases, but computing resources and data size increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of creating unique terrain data for each feature, the system uses macro instances that can be copied and reused. Variety is achieved through transforming and configuring the same macro definitions in different ways, not through duplicating entire terrain datasets, thus maintaining low data size while providing terrain variety.
Solution Approach 2:
Terrain variety is achieved by changing parameters of macro instances (transformations, textures, blending modes) rather than creating fundamentally different macro definitions. This allows diverse terrain appearances from a limited set of macro templates, reducing the quantity of terrain data needed while maintaining versatility.
4Loss of time
If terrain data is compressed for efficient transfer, then transmission speed improves, but the complexity of decompression and reconstruction increases
Solution Approach 1:
Terrain data is segmented into discrete macro instances with clear placement coordinates and transformation parameters. This segmentation allows for efficient compression by transmitting only essential placement information rather than complete terrain data, and simplifies reconstruction by allowing straightforward instantiation of macros at specified locations.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments relate to macro-based customization of electronic maps. A computing device stores a macro representing a map feature. The macro includes a set of textures, and the set of textures includes a height map. The computing device places an instance of the macro in an electronic map. The instance of the macro is visually represented in the electronic map based on a set of textures of the instance of the macro that corresponds to the set of textures of the macro. The computing device edits a texture in the set of textures of the instance of the macro. The computing device updates the visual representation of the instance of the macro based on the edit to the texture.